‘Yes. Look at it. It’s perfect.’ He tapped on the window.
He heard Nurse Clara start to reply, but it wasn’t her voice that answered him.
‘Whatever you need, I’ll do it.’
Everyone’s eyes were on Rudi.
‘Rudi, I really don’t think we should be moving you in your condition,’ the nurse said sternly.
‘Come on, Clara, don’t be like that,’ she pleaded.
‘Be like what?’ Nurse Clara bristled in agitation. ‘Worried about keeping you safe? I’m sorry, but I’m not risking it.’
‘Sweetheart. I’m already dying … what’s the worst that could happen?’
The nurse glanced anxiously over to Rupert, who was standing ready to go. ‘Don’t look at me. You know she’s pig-headed at the best of times.’ He placed his hand affectionately on his wife’s.
Nurse Clara grabbed Fin’s arm and pulled his head close to hers. ‘You’d better make this quick. If she gets pneumonia, I’m coming straight for you,’ she hissed.
‘It’ll be over in a flash, I promise,’ he whispered back.
‘Well then’ – she clapped her hands together brightly – ‘we’d better get this show on the road and wheel you out there sharpish!’ Her fierce eyes fixed on Fin in warning.
‘Ahoy there. Let’s go!’ Rudi cried jubilantly.
*
Fin sat back and looked at the images on the screen. Despite Nurse Clara only granting him a strict twenty-minute time slot, Fin had to admit that these were some of the best pictures he’d taken in years. There was Rudi, in her wheelchairand dress, beaming from ear to ear. A woman who, for just a few precious moments, looked overflowing with life and love for the man next to her. Fin felt his throat constrict and his eyes sting with tears. Did his mum and dad ever look like that?
Don’t be ridiculous.
Happy people don’t have affairs.
He let his mind wander for the briefest of moments into another world where adulterous fathers chose to behave better, until he realized he could not afford to daydream. He needed to get the shots edited by tonight so they could go to print tomorrow. As Nurse Clara repeatedly pointed out, time was of the essence when it came to this project.
Fin stretched out on the sofa and grabbed his phone. ‘Is it too late to get Deliveroo, I wonder …’
1 a.m.
Definitely too late.
‘Looks like it’s another packet of digestives for me then.’ He sighed, reaching for the pile he’d stashed on the table. Sure, it wasn’t what many people would class as a decent dinner, but needs must. Besides, what was one sleepless sugar-filled night if it made a dying woman happy?
It was almost three by the time he finished and when his phone rang and woke him up, he couldn’t believe he’d been asleep for more than two seconds. His body hurt and his head was pounding. He let the phone ring off and turned over. His neck spasmed ferociously, sending shooting pains down his shoulder. Falling asleep on the sofa was never a good idea.
He closed his eyes again, only to hear his phone go off once more. He blindly reached for it and answered.
‘Hello?’ he grunted.
‘Hi, Fin. Sorry to disturb you. Is now a good time to talk?’
The sound of Nurse Clara’s voice instantly roused him. He could sense the urgency immediately.
‘Yes. What’s wrong? Is it my mum?’
‘Your mum is fine, don’t worry. It’s …’ She tried to speak but Fin could hear the falter in her voice.
‘Are you OK?’ he asked.
