‘I’m not going anywhere,’ Raj says firmly. ‘I’ve texted my manager, he’s cool.’ How amazing to have a ‘cool’ boss, Eddie reflects as finally a nurse calls his name, and he is taken through to a small curtained cubicle where he is examined and then left interminably, to the point at which he worries that he’s been forgotten about.
Finally, Eddie is treated. While the small cut on his forehead is merely given a clean, the wound on his arm requires stitches. Forty minutes later he is released back into the bright and breezy Edinburgh day, with Raj having waited patiently to take him home. No point in going to the restaurant now, not in the midst of lunchtime service. He simply can’t face the wrath of Marius, and what use would he be anyway with his right arm out of action?
Two hours later, as Jill Gilbert tucks into her mussels in a smoky red pepper sauce, Marius leans against the hugeindustrial fridge in the kitchen and taps out a message on his phone.
What happened Eddie? Where are you today? You’ll be paid up to yesterday. Don’t you dare bother coming back.
Chapter Thirty-three
Carly
It took intensive negotiations for the Natural History Society to agree that their table could remain in its new position. I managed to handle Thelma Campbell with extreme delicacy, when the others were too scared to deal with her.
And this is what it took to persuade Dad not to pack up and leave on Thursday night. Admittedly, I milked the Ana card.She’s been so looking forward to seeing you, Dad. I told you she has a summer job in the V&A in Dundee? Something about design principles linked to Dundee’s industrial past. She’s dying to tell you all about it …
As he was an engineer, I hoped that would hook him. Plus, despite Dad pretending that he’s not remotely interested in anyone, I know he loves his grandkids. So he agreed to stay: ‘Just to get this birthday over and done with.’
Ana arrived on Friday evening, a whirl of chatter andenergy, and even Frank seemed more like his old self as the three of us sat up late, discussing her granddad’s party.
‘Obviously, we’ll putCash or Crashon,’ she announced.
‘At a birthday party?’ Frank exclaimed.
‘Yeah, it’ll be fun,’ she insisted. ‘We can do teams. I can’t believe Eddie can’t make it!’
‘Oh, it’s fine, love,’ I said. ‘You know what restaurant work’s like. He couldn’t get out of his shift.’
‘Shame. Honestly, I can’t believe he’s cooking for a living now.’ She turned to her dad. ‘Remember how you tried to get him involved in the food truck? Thought you could be a team?’
He laughed, shaking his head. ‘Yeah, that worked, didn’t it?’
‘But Eddie says this is “proper cooking”,’ I added.
‘Oh, of course.’ Ana smirked. ‘So how many are coming tomorrow?’
I counted them up. ‘Us three and Granddad. And Ian and Sandra—’
‘Oh, that couple he and Maggie used to go out with? I thought he’d dropped them after Maggie left?’
‘He did, darling.’ We exchanged an eye-roll. For years the two couples went out together at least once a week. They even went on holiday together once, to Menorca, under Maggie’s instigation (Dad doesn’t believe in holidays). ‘Sandra came into the library,’ I explained. ‘Said she’s tried to call him but he never answers. She didn’t even know he’d been in hospital …’
‘Oh, Mum. What’s he like?’
‘And I’ve invited Prish and Myra, his neighbour. She’s been kind to him …’
‘So, eight of us?’ Ana said. I caught something then: a flicker in her brown eyes.
‘Yes, love. D’you think that’s enough?’
‘Definitely.’ She grinned. ‘I just think you have enough food in for fifty. That’s all.’
*
And now, on this bright Saturday morning, Frank and Ana and I greet Dad with birthday cards and gifts. Bella’s arrived in the post but, notably, there’s nothing from Eddie. He has enough on his mind, I tell myself, deciding to let it go.
As well as Dad’s requisite six-minute boiled egg, I dish up piles of grilled bacon and pancakes. ‘This is way too much,’ Dad keeps insisting, but I can tell he is enjoying the attention. It’s Ana who suggests a stroll along the beach after breakfast, and I suspect that’s why Dad agrees. So we all set off, and we meet Marilyn from the library and throw sticks for her dog, and Raj’s mum waves as she jogs along the seafront. And then, as we’re turning back towards home, my heart seems to burst at the sight of the figure coming towards us.
She waves with both hands, long hair blowing across her finely boned face. ‘Bella!’ I cry out, running towards her. ‘My God, you’re here! Why didn’t you say?’
