‘That’s God’s way of telling you you’re too early,’ I said.
‘Tsk, don’t we deserve a bit of Christmas cheer? Ow.’
‘Here, let me help you,’ I said. ‘Maybe we should put gloves on, to stop the prickles hurting so much.’
‘Good plan.’ Nelly went to find our gloves and, giggling, we put them on and finished arranging the holly.
‘Where did you get this?’ I asked. ‘There’s none in our garden.’
‘Park,’ said Nelly. ‘Percy and I went on a twilight raid.’
‘Nelly Malone, you awful thief.’
‘It was such a hoot,’ she said. ‘We had to climb over the fenceand Percy got stuck. Honestly, I thought I was going to fall over I was laughing that much.’
‘You really like him, don’t you?’
‘I really do.’
I gave her a hug. ‘I’m so glad.’
She hugged me back. ‘There’s lots of mistletoe in the park too,’ she said with a cheeky glance in my direction. ‘Perhaps we should take some to work.’
‘I’m not sure there’s much call for mistletoe on my ward,’ I said, pretending to misunderstand.
‘There might be in the huts.’
My cheeks flushed. ‘Stop it,’ I said. ‘Matron would be furious if she thought I was parading round the wards trying to kiss patients.’
‘Not patients,’ said Nelly, emphasising the S. ‘Just one patient.’
‘I’m not sure that would aid his recovery.’
‘Bet it would.’
We both laughed again as Nelly looked at the clock on the mantelpiece. ‘Ah, I need to go. I’m meeting Percy before work.’ She kissed me on the cheek. ‘See you at the hospital later?’
‘I’ll be there,’ I said.
She rushed around, doing her hair and putting on some rouge, and then I heard her shout goodbye as the front door banged shut. I watched from the window as she went along the path and out on to the street, where Jackson was walking along very slowly. He stopped Nelly as she went and I saw them exchange a few words. Nelly had been practically dancing along but as soon as she stopped to talk to Jackson, she folded her arms and her shoulders hunched. I couldn’t blame her. He had the same effect on me. They both looked up at the window where I stood and I leaned back a bit, even though I knew they wouldn’t be able to see me watching. Nelly was shaking her head and shrugging. I got the impression she was telling Jackson she didn’t know where I was and I found I was grateful for her lie.
Nelly looked at her watch and rushed off. Jackson, though, stayed where he was and then, as Nelly went round the corner, he walked up our path and rang the doorbell. It was loud in the quiet flat and made me jump. I stayed very still, hoping he’d go away. The bell rang again and I waited and waited until eventually I saw him walk down the path with a backwards glance up at the window where I stood, hidden behind the curtain.
‘Honestly, Elsie,’ I chided myself aloud. ‘He’s just a man.’ But even though I knew Jackson was just looking out for me, maybe even doing as Billy had asked him to – though I still doubted that – I still didn’t want to spend any time with him.
A knock on the door to the flat made me jump again. But when I’d gathered myself, I realised it had to be Mrs Gold because I’d seen Jackson walk away and it was the inside door, not the main front door. Even so, I felt nervous. It wasn’t like me to be so jumpy.
Carefully I put the chain on the door and opened it a fraction. Just as I’d thought, it was Mrs Gold. Sighing with relief, I opened the door properly and she came in, carrying a large paper bag.
‘That chap was outside again,’ she said. ‘The odd one.’
‘Jackson. I saw him.’ I gave her a little worried smile.
‘He’s gone.’ Mrs Gold gave me a reassuring pat on the arm.
I sat down on the sofa with a sigh. ‘He just makes me feel uneasy, but I don’t want to be rude to him. Billy always said he wasn’t a bad chap.’
‘Hmm.’ Mrs Gold looked unconvinced. ‘Sometimes men don’t see other men in the same way we do.’
