He clearly notes my expression. ‘I believe Lina has some kind of agenda – muddled or not, she seems determined to stir up trouble between us – but I’m not heartless, Kara, despite what she would have you think.’
I want to try to reassure him, but I’m not sure how. I’m about to tell him I don’t think he’s anything of the sort, that I’m just horribly confused, when my phone ringing jars me.
Quickly, I fetch it from the worktop and answer it, and my heart jolts. ‘Kara, can you come back?’ Evie asks, her voice frantic. ‘I think Nan’s had a stroke.’
EIGHTEEN
Despite it being almost dawn, Jack is still in the A&E waiting area when I come through from the cubicles. ‘How is she?’ He stands as I approach him, his expression both wary and concerned.
‘Okay,’ I tell him tiredly. ‘They’re assessing the CT and MRI scans now, but they think it might be something called a stroke mimic. She has low blood sugar apparently, which would explain the heart palpitations and why she passed out. They’re still doing a clinical evaluation. It might be a while.’
Jack nods, now looking pensive. ‘And Evie?’ he asks.
‘She’s all right,’ I answer cautiously. ‘Still upset. She’s insisting on staying with Lina. I did tell her you were waiting, but…’ I trail off, unsure what else to say.
Evie had barely spoken to Jack when we arrived at Lina’s flat shortly before the paramedics. Hardly acknowledged him in the car as we’d followed the ambulance. The look she gave him as she climbed out, though… I’m sure she holds him responsible. And that troubles me greatly.
‘Should I go and have a quick word with her?’ he asks, nodding towards the cubicle area.
I hesitate. ‘Do you think that’s a good idea? Whether or not there’s any truth in what Lina said, you’re clearly at loggerheads. Evie’s bound to be stressed with all this on top of what happened earlier.’
Jack breathes deeply and eyes the ceiling. ‘There’s no truth in what she said, Kara.’ He looks levelly back at me. ‘None.’
I feel a stab of guilt. I hadn’t meant to imply I thought there might be. I’m so tired I don’t know what I’m thinking or saying.
‘I’m sorry,’ he adds, with an exasperated sigh. ‘I shouldn’t be snapping at you. It’s good of you to be here at all. None of this is your responsibility. It’s all just so insane, though. So bloody frustrating.’
‘It’s okay.’ I give him a small smile. It’s all I can muster.
‘You need to rest,’ he says, his forehead creased with concern as he looks me over. ‘We should go home. Come back when Evie calls.’
I shake my head. ‘You go. I’ll stay a while longer and then I’ll call a taxi.’
‘You’re pregnant, Kara,’ Jack points out, as if he needs to. The fluttering in my tummy, like the soft beat of a butterfly’s wings, served to remind me just a short while ago. Our baby’s first proper movements. We should be as close as two people in love can be right now. Yet I haven’t even had the chance to tell him. I can’t do it here, with Lina lying in a hospital bed, his daughter reluctant to even talk to him. It wouldn’t feel right, and selfishly, possibly, I need it to.
‘I’ll be fine,’ I assure him. ‘I think Evie would like me to stay, at least until the consultant has spoken to Lina again. You go and get some sleep. You have a job to finish today. It’s important,’ I remind him, aware that a big contract installing bathrooms on a new housing development depends on him doing a good job on this project. ‘I’ll be back as soon as I can.’
I’ll need to cancel my appointment to view the house I was thinking of improving, but it will still be there. If not, there will be other properties. Supporting Evie is more important right now.
‘Okay.’ He nods reluctantly. ‘If you’re sure. But call me if you need me. I’ll come straight back.’
‘I will,’ I promise.
‘Will you give Evie my love?’ he asks. ‘Tell her to make sure to call me. Any time, if she needs to.’
‘Of course I will,’ I assure him. I note how stressed he looks and I feel for him. He’s obviously worried about Lina influencing Evie, but if he’s telling the truth, then surely he doesn’t need to be?
He nods. ‘I’ll see you soon,’ he says, then hesitates, looking uncertain. My heart catches. Normally he would need no prompt to wrap his arms around me, and I sense it acutely, a sudden palpable divide between us.
Quickly, I lean into him, circling my arms around him and pressing my head to his shoulder. I don’t think he’s a liar, and I can’t imagine him cheating, yet still there’s this tiny, nagging part of me that’s doubting him where I’ve had no reason to doubt him before.
Lifting my head after a moment, I look up at him. He appears confused, as confused as I am. And hurt. I can’t bear that. ‘I love you,’ I whisper, wanting to reassure him. ‘Very much.’
‘Good,’ he says. There’s a flicker of something behind his eyes I can’t read, though, as he takes hold of my hand, squeezing it tightly.
A little too tightly. ‘Ouch,’ I murmur, smiling uneasily as I attempt to extract it from his grip.
‘Hell, sorry.’ He shakes his head, now looking slightly alarmed. ‘I’m obviously struggling to let you go,’ he says, with an awkward smile.
