“No, honey, we’re not. That’s absolute nonsense. Now, why don’t you tell me exactly what happened and I’ll do my best to make it all better, I promise.”
Even if it meant calling up Christine Campbell to give her a piece of her mind, Madeleine decided, gritting her teeth resolutely. Though she knew that the woman would only relish the drama.
In any case, she thought, softly caressing her daughter’s hair, this nonsense needed to stop.
13
“You’ve got to be joking...” I growled as I turned the key in the ignition of the Astra for the fourth time. In return, I received the exact same response that I did the first three attempts. Nothing.
Even with my limited knowledge of cars and how they worked, I had a sense that this wasn’t a case of me needing a simple jump-start, but a brand-new battery or worse.
“Bloody hell, this is all I need,” I muttered, fighting the desire to punch the steering wheel. So much for a stress-free afternoon.
That photograph of Clara Cooper I’d seen had very quickly put an end to my intentions of a chilled-out bath and, when I’d gotten out of the water, I was relieved to find that at least my phone was still working, even though I’d shattered the protective glass. Add the cost (and hassle) of a replacement to my never-ending list of expenses and I was just about ready to throw back my head and scream.
And now this. The useless piece of junk on which I’d recently shelled out a small fortune to keep on the road, and which was the necessary lifeline between me and the hospital, had gone and died a death.
Honest to God, how much more was I supposed to take?
I flung open the driver’s door, got out of the car and wrenched my handbag out behind me, thinking about my options or lack thereof. I needed to get back to my daughter, and since my vehicle now seemed useless...
Extracting my newly cracked phone from my handbag as I walked back into the house, I made a quick call to arrange a tow from the local mechanic, and then maybe I could see about taking a taxi.
But the fare for the twenty-odd miles to the hospital in Dublin would be extortionate, probably enough to clear me out for the rest of the month. To say nothing of how I could possibly afford the return journey.
“Dammit!” I cried, dropping my phone on the kitchen table and plopping myself down in a chair. Why did everything have to be sohard? Couldn’t the luck gods even glance—never mind smile—at me for justoneday?
I had really been teetering on the brink lately, especially when they’d put Rosie on the ventilator. For her sake, I knew I had to stay strong and get through it, but now it felt as if every day seemed to present a new roadblock. I had never felt more defeated in my whole life.
If only a light at the end of the tunnel would present itself, I thought.Just the tiniest ray of hope, that’s all I need, I swear.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door and I raised my head, following the sound. Looking down at the time on my phone, I realized only a few minutes had passed since I called for the mechanic.
“Well, that was fast,” I muttered as I walked out to answer the knock. Perhaps luck was smiling on me, after all. Even if it was just in the form of a speedy mechanic.
But when I opened the door, I didn’t find a guy with a tow truck on the doorstep ready to assist. Instead, Christine Campbell’s smiling face greeted me.
“I was driving past and was surprised to see your car,” she said by way of a hello. “I didn’t think youeverleft the hospital. How’s she today? Is she off the ventilator?”
I opened the door wide and granted her entry. “Yesterday, yes. Lucy insisted I come home for a few hours while she’s stable. But my car seems to be protesting—it obviously doesn’t want to go back.” I filled her in on the fact that I was waiting for a tow while also trying to figure out how to get back to Dublin without the use of just my own two legs.
“Maybe it’s good that I was passing, then. I can give you a lift up, of course.”
I exhaled. “I can’t tell you how much I would appreciate that.”
Within the next few minutes, the mechanic duly arrived and made preparations to tow my old banger to his workshop in the town, while I braced myself to receive news of how much I owed to get it running again.
Though what was another bill at this point? I thought ruefully as I left my phone number for him to reach me.
As if on cue, my phone rang just as I was getting into Christine’s bright yellow Beetle and, immediately recognizing the number, I grimaced. Work.
“I’m sorry but I need to take this,” I told her, creating some distance for privacy. “I’ll just be a sec.”
Christine looked curious but nodded without further comment. Good—I didn’t want to have to explain myself to her just then.
I already knew I’d have enough explaining to do to my employer.
“Hello, Jennifer.” I rubbed my neck, readying myself for the discussion that was to come. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to call you back...”
