‘Fair enough,’ said the paramedic. ‘I’ll get the stretcher chair.’
‘You’ll do no such thing,’ said Ros. ‘Cameron, help me up please.’
‘Independent, isn’t she?’ said the paramedic.
‘Militantly so,’ said Cameron, putting his arm around Ros and helping her to her feet.
As Ros had expected, the wait at the hospital was tedious and long but the nurses were really nice, and once she was through the waiting a lovely doctor checked her over and to her satisfaction declared that she just needed to be stitched up and sent home with a checklist of things to look out for in case she showed any signs of concussion. Thankfully she wasn’t in any real pain with the exception of her bruised backside. They had given her painkillers for her head but she’d had worse headaches. Ros was sitting quietly and listening to the doctor and nurse chat whilst they stitched up her head, when she became aware of raised voices heading her way – unsettlingly familiar voices at that.
‘Hold on,’ said the doctor, as the curtain was pulled back to reveal her father and mother.
‘They’re my parents,’ said Ros by way of apology. ‘What are you doing here?’ she asked them whilst also giving wide eyes at Cameron and Darla. Darla pointed at Cameron.
‘Cabbage! What happened?’ Barry looked shocked.
‘We know what happened. Cameron said she’d been pushed over by a con man.’ Amanda was scowling at Barry. ‘Is your memory affected?’
Barry ignored her and came to stand next to Ros and hold her hand. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I’m absolutely fine,’ said Ros.
‘Is she okay?’ Barry asked the doctor.
‘I’m just tying off the last stitch then she’s good to go. Did someone give you the concussion checklist?’ he asked Ros.
‘I’ve got it,’ said Cameron. ‘I’ll take good care of her.’
‘I know you will,’ said Barry. Ros was heartened by the look that passed between the two men.
‘What were you doing on a boat with a con man?’ asked Amanda.
Ros replayed the whole thing in her mind. ‘It’s too complicated to explain. But in summary, not my con man, not my boat, simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.’
‘You’ll need to speak to the police,’ said Darla to Ros. ‘Patrick could have...’ Darla swallowed hard; the events had obviously upset her.
‘Killed her?’ prompted Amanda. ‘I suppose that could have been the case.’ She turned to Cameron. ‘Was that why you called us?’
‘I was worried she was not going to let them treat her and I thought if you were here...’ he nodded at Barry ‘...she’d listen to you.’
‘I doubt it,’ said Barry with a warm smile at his daughter. ‘But I’m glad you called us,’ he added.
Ros pressed her lips together. She knew this was one of those moments when it was best that she kept her thoughts to herself. She also knew that whatever Cameron had done, however rash, he would have done it with her best interests in mind.
The nurse began removing things around them. ‘All done,’ said the doctor. ‘You’ll need to get in touch with your GP practice about getting the stitches removed in ten days.’
‘Thank you,’ said Ros and Barry shook the doctor’s hand.
‘Let’s get you home,’ said Cameron, sliding an arm around her to help her to her feet.
‘Are we all going back to Ros’s?’ asked Barry.
‘No,’ said Ros and Cameron together.
‘I think it’s best that she rests,’ said Cameron. ‘I’ll call you later to let you know how she is.’
‘But I will be fine,’ said Ros.
Cameron held her gently around her waist and guided her out of the cubicle and into the corridor. ‘I felt I needed backup so I called Barry. Sorry,’ he whispered in her ear.
