‘But the baby?’she managed eventually.
‘It’s a bit soon to ask it, but I think it’ll go along with whatever you decide.’His unexpected humour shattered the wall of fear that had been guarding her heart, bracing it for rejection.
‘You see,’ he went on.‘What I feel for you has been the most unexpected and incredible thing and I don’t even want to consider letting that go.You’re the first person I’ve ever felt this way about and I’d very much like you to be the last.I love you, Marge, and I truly believe I will love your child too.I’m sorry I don’t have all the romantic words…’
‘Yes…’ she blurted.
‘I’ll definitely work on that…’ he said, misunderstanding her agreement.
‘No, I mean yes!’It seemed so right, so gloriously apt that this conversation was following the same muddled path as their exchange when he’d asked her out on their first date.Communication on matters of the heart clearly didn’t come easily to either of them.But apparently, they were going to have a whole lifetime to work on that.‘Yes, I’ll marry you, Ian Drummond.If you’ll definitely have me?Have us?’
She had to check that she wasn’t imagining or misunderstanding or suffering from some kind of stress-induced delusion.
He answered her by kneeling down beside her and taking her hand.‘I will.For as long as you’ll both have me too.’
Marge did the one thing that was as new to her as their love – she giggled.And nodded.And cried.And then giggled again as he kissed her.That morning she’d thought she’d made the biggest mistake of her life, but somehow it had turned into the best day ever.Ian had made that happen.When they went to bed that night, he held her close and…
Marge felt the weight of a head on her shoulder and clenched her eyes to stop the sunlight piercing through again.No, it wasn’t the sun.It was the overhead lights again, the ones in the hospital room, and the head on her shoulder belonged to Estelle, who was lying next to her on the bed.She did that sometimes.If there were rules against it, then the nurses were turning a blind eye, because they hadn’t complained.Besides, Estelle was here all day, almost every day now, so she’d do herself an injury sitting in that chair for such long periods of time.
Estelle must have felt Marge stirring because she sat up, stretched and then stroked Marge’s hair.‘I love you, Mum,’ she murmured.
It was such an unexpected gesture that Marge’s eyes welled up as she smiled.
Marge’s throat barely released her words.‘I love you too, darling.’
‘I know,’ Estelle said, before shaking off the moment and sliding off the bed.They’d both resolved to have no sadness in this room and her daughter was strong enough to keep to that, switching to a jokey, ‘Better move before Jeanie comes back and chases me for crushing her blankets.’
Estelle went to the bedside cabinet and poured them both some water from the jug on the top.That’s when Marge noticed the phone and her memory was jogged.
‘Did Bernadette call back?’
Estelle handed over the water, then checked the screen.‘No, Mum.No missed calls.’Estelle took a sip, then her brow dipped the way it always did when she was contemplating something.‘Mum, doesn’t Bernadette work in this hospital?’
Marge tried to think, but sometimes the memories and details got confused.Yes, Bernadette was a nurse here.At least, when she’d seen her on this date last year, Bernadette was still working here.Although, she could have moved by now, perhaps gone off to live with her new chap.An Irish man, if Marge remembered correctly.Marge hoped he was treating her well, because if there was one thing that Bernadette deserved, it was kindness.
‘Mum?’She saw that Estelle was waiting for an answer and realised that her mind had drifted away again.
‘Yes, darling?’
Estelle’s voice was gentle as she repeated herself.‘Bernadette.That’s Kenneth Manson’s ex-wife, isn’t it?So doesn’t she work here?I’m sure I remember you telling me that years ago.’
Marge realised she’d already asked that question.Sometimes it felt like her mind was in fog and didn’t know where it had been or where it was supposed to be heading.
‘Yes.Or at least, I think so.’
‘What department does she work in?’
For a moment, the fog thickened, then cleared again.
‘Intensive care.’
No, that wasn’t right.Bernadette had mentioned something last year.She’d moved from intensive care back to the Emergency Department.
‘No, it’s the Emergency Department.That’s right.’
Estelle put her water down on the table.‘Why don’t I nip down there and see if I can leave a message for her?’
‘Yes.Yes, that’s a good idea.’
