‘I’ll do the diet whatever the result,’ Alison promised.
The nurse smiled and scribbled something down, before handing her a piece of paper. ‘A couple of reputable websites there with good advice and useful tips. Good luck.’
‘Thank you.’
Alison stumbled out of the room and vaguely noticed that the woman who’d been sitting opposite her had gone, presumably into another consulting room unless she’d given up and gone home in disgust.
She headed downstairs and into the main reception area, nodding briefly at the receptionists before pushing open the door with relief and stepping out into normality. Her pulse was racing, and she felt sick with fear. Leaning against the wall, she took a few deep breaths to steady herself.
‘I need to do something ordinary,’ she said aloud. The supermarket wasn’t far away. What was more ordinary than popping in there to buy something for tea? She needed to browse shelves, maybe treat herself to a magazine or a novel, see people pushing trolleys, struggling with baskets that they’d overfilled.
Her eyes filled with tears. She’d promised Rosie that she’d make an appointment for her cervical smear, and she’d intended to mention it at the reception, but her nerve had failed her. She’d just wanted to get out of this place, away from all the memories of Drew and the many, many appointments she’d attended with him, and all the things that had gone with that.
The other tests would have to wait. She had enough to deal with right now. She took another deep breath then strode purposefully towards her car.
A faint ping coming from her bag informed her that she had a text message. Initially tempted to ignore it, she realised it might be something to do with her parents, so against her better judgement she took out her phone, her heart sinking as she realised the text was from her daughter.
Jenna
Hiya Mum. Can we meet for a coffee in my lunch hour? 12.15 at The Park Cafe? Need to talk.
Alison groaned. What did that mean? Was Jenna going to try to convince her that she’d got it all wrong, and what she’d seen that evening at her daughter’s house wasn’t what she’d imagined? No doubt Jenna was getting desperate for her to take over the childcare duties again. Well, she wasn’t going to fall for it. Not this time.
She climbed into the driver’s seat of her car and tapped out a reply.
Alison
I’ll be there.
It wasn’t much, but she felt it said enough for now. She’d have plenty to say in person if it came to it.
As if this day couldn’t get any worse.
10
Jenna couldn’t have looked more different as she sat at the table in The Park Cafe. Gone was the bright lipstick and the sexy lingerie. Today she was wearing a sensible pair of navy-blue trousers, a white shirt and a pale blue cardigan. No lipstick at all. Then again, she was hardly going to dress like some seductress to teach a class of twelve-year-olds, was she?
She’d obviously been looking out for her mum because she tentatively waved as soon as Alison entered the building and gestured to the two mugs that were already on the table. Evidently, she’d not waited for Alison to decide what she wanted to drink but had made the decision for her.
Alison took a seat opposite her daughter, warning herself not to give in even as she realised, to her surprise, how much she’d missed Jenna.
‘Coffee, milky, one sugar,’ Jenna said, as if expecting praise for remembering.
Alison was about to remark that she’d be knocking the sugar on the head from now on but didn’t. They weren’t here to talk about her possible diabetes diagnosis.
‘Thanks,’ she said grudgingly.
‘Sorry I ordered for you, but I haven’t got long. You know what it’s like. Forty minutes for lunch and by the time I drive here and back…’
Despite her annoyance, Alison couldn’t help but ask if Jenna would be having anything to eat.
‘I’m not really hungry, to be honest, Mum,’ Jenna admitted. She looked pale and tense and Alison’s heart melted just a little.
‘You can’t go back to work without having something,’ she said. ‘Order a sandwich at least.’
‘I won’t have time.’
‘Of course you will!’ Alison motioned to a waitress who was hovering nearby. ‘Excuse me, can we order some lunch, please?’
