Luc grinned at him. ‘Did she?’
‘Carl,’ I said quickly, ‘what happened? The moment we arrived, your father beetled off to find the consultant, so I know nothing yet except that you knocked yourself out. Tell me what happened. Weren’t you wearing your safety helmet? That’s probably how it happened if you weren’t. You know you always must wear your helmet when you’re skiing.’
‘I wasn’t skiing!’
‘What?’ I blinked.
‘I was not skiing,’ Carl repeated clearly and patiently. ‘And it wasn’t my fault at all. It was that dumb Francesca,’ he added crossly.
‘Francesca?’ I frowned. Francesca was Carl’s half-sister by Giancarlo’s first wife.
‘Yeah, and I’m really bloody annoyed with her.’
‘Carl!’
Luc picked this moment to sidle discretely to the door, saying he had to go and make a couple of phone calls. We hadn’t talked much in the car for the latter half of the journey, what with finding a decent map of Milan on my phone – the Citroën of course being far too ancient for sat nav – and trying to sort out the easiest route into the city. Even so, Luc had been calm and encouraging about everything, offering to keep out of the way when we eventually got to the hospital but agreeing immediately when I said I wanted him to come in with me. I don’t quite know why, but I found his presence reassuring. Now, as I sat down on Carl’s bed, I wished he hadn’t gone.
‘Listen, love,’ I said. ‘Tell me what happened. I don’t get what Francesca has to do with it. Tell me what happened, if you can remember, that is.’
‘Oh, I can, I can remember nearly all of it. Okay,’ he said obligingly and, taking a deep breath, proceeded to explain.
‘You and Francesca were having a snowball battle?’ I cried a moment later. ‘Asnowballbattle?’ I couldn’t believe it. Since when has playing snowballs landed a child in hospital?
‘Yes, and it was all Francesca’s doing. She started chucking not just snowballs but huge great big lumps of ice at me.’ In his blue hospital gown, Carl stretched his arms wide to indicate an iceberg fit to sink the Titanic. ‘I was dodging them like mad and must have slipped and cracked my head on something and, like, crashed and burned, and before then we had been just about to leave for my first lesson in the intermediate class and now I’ve missed it and I’mextremelyfurious with her.’
‘I’m sure she didn’t mean you to get hurt.’
‘I bet she did.’
‘Don’t be unkind, Carl.’ I took his hand. ‘I expect she’s very upset about what happened.’
Looking mulish for a moment, he then capitulated. ‘Okay,’ he sighed, ‘but I’m sorry that you were worried, because I know you would have been, and that you had to come here and everything.’
‘Well, that’s very nice of you, my love, but don’tyouworry.’ I patted his leg under the bedclothes and smiled despite the lump in my throat. ‘Actually, darling,’ I said, putting on an affected voice and waving an airy hand, ‘I was really simplyfranticfor a day out shopping in Milan.’
We both giggled.
Giancarlo came in with the consultant in tow, a man in his forties in a pristine white coat, immaculately coiffed hair, with a Hollywood suntan and speaking flawless English. In the tatty old combats and frayed jumper I hadn’t had the presence of mind to change before leaving for Milan, I felt like a bag lady as we shook hands.
‘Signora,’ he said respectfully, with a tiny bow of his head. ‘I assure you there is no cause for concern. We have run all the tests, and your son is fine, a healthy, strong boy. There may be a very small, very mild concussion, but he has suffered no serious injury.’
‘Thank you. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear that.’
‘I’m so sorry, Alix,’ muttered Giancarlo, looking shamefaced. ‘It seems I overreacted. I… well, I panicked. I’m very sorry.’
‘No, no, no,’ the doctor contradicted him sternly.‘Do not say this. You did not overreact. You did the right thing.’
‘I agree,’ I said with emphasis, throwing Giancarlo a sympathetic smile.
‘Nonetheless,’ the doctor continued, ‘we will keep your son here under observation for tonight, purely to be on the safe side, you understand, but tomorrow he can go home. However, I wish him to be kept quiet for twenty-four hours, again purely to be on the safe side.’ He turned to Carl. ‘So, no skiing for you tomorrow, young man. You must wait until the day after.’
‘Oh no,’ Carl began to wail, but I silenced him with a fierce look.
The consultant and Giancarlo exchanged a few words in Italian, then Giancarlo turned to me.
‘Alix, I have to go and sign some documents, for Carl’s treatment, you know?’ He indicated the door. ‘Mandeville is waiting outside. Would you like me to ask him to come in?’
‘Yes, please.’
