If I’d ever wondered at the source of his claustrophobia, I had my answer. His poor mother was in this hospital bed permanently. I couldn’t guess at how long, but the nurse’s comment suggested she was degenerating.
I stepped forward, my stomach tight with anxiety. I smiled at his mother whose attentive, bright eyes latched on me. They were grey, just like Kane’s. “I’m so pleased to meet you. I’m Lovelyn. You must be Bethan. Kane looks just like you.”
A muscle around Bethan’s mouth flickered as if she was trying to smile. Her focus jumped back to the relative then to the French doors.
The woman tutted. “It’s damp out there.” At whatever minute conversation they were having, she sighed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t blame me if you catch cold.”
The aunt climbed from her seat and opened the nearest door, fresh air filtering into the room. Behind me, Kane took an audible breath. His mother watched him.
I didn’t know her. I didn’t know anything about her. But I swear I recognised relief at the small provision she’d enabled for her son.
I switched my attention to the other woman, summoning a smile that I didn’t so easily feel. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you, too. You’re Kane’s aunt, is that right?”
I left the space for her to correct me or say her name. Her gaze flicked up and down me then returned to Kane, giving me no reply.
“If ye want an update, the manager can give it. That’s a conversation for ye to take outside the room and away from the gossips.”
There was a warning in her words with a glance at the nurse who was checking over her patient, quietly going about her work. I assumed his aunt meant the financial situation.
At last, Kane found his voice. “I told ye I’d handle it.”
“Aye, do it now.”
Bethan’s focus flicked between them.
Kane took a deep breath then stepped to his mum’s bedside. With something unreadable in his eyes, he reached for the outline of her bony arm under the bedclothes and gently touched her, a tender, featherlight press of fingertips to her shape.
His aunt hissed. “What do ye think you’re doing? You’ll dislodge her tubes.”
He retracted his hand as if stung.
The nurse turned. “Here, let me show you. Take Bethan’s hand this side. You won’t hurt her.”
“No. I’ll…” He backtracked, twisted, and left the room. His aunt glared then climbed from her seat. She stomped out, leaving the door ajar.
I stared after them, catching the aunt’s cutting tone.
“Why come to the room? Ye know how bad the stress ye bring can make her. Are ye trying to bring on the end faster?”
What a crappy thing to say. I went to follow, but the nurse frowned and stepped outside, shutting the door behind her and cutting out the sounds.
Half of me wanted to follow to hear what Kane’s aunt was saying, but that would leave his mother alone. She’d already have heard what I did.
Instead, I moved to her bedside and formed a smile, taking myself back to what it had been like when Mum was at her poorliest. To the words I thought she’d want to hear.
“While we have a minute alone, I need to thank you for the way you raised Kane. He’s a wonderful man.”
Bethan’s gaze darted over my face like she was memorising me.
I continued. “We both know he’s quiet, and how that hides a warm heart. He can be so sweet. My favourite colour is purple, and he brought me a bouquet of only purple flowers the first time he picked me up at my house. He also fixed my elderly neighbour’s guttering. He’s the perfect gentleman, and I know I have you to thank for that. I’m sorry if you don’t get to see him as much as either of you would like.”
There were pictures on a shelf at her eyeline beside the bed. Her gaze landed on one, and I picked it up, taking in the beautiful woman with a small boy in her arms. “Is this the two of you? You’re so pretty.”
Her eyes lit up, crinkling at the edges.
A machine next to the bed beeped. A few seconds later, a nurse bustled into the room. “Time for your flush, Bethan? Nice work, keeping us busy.”
I straightened. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
