‘The first responder said TIA,’ he corrects. ‘It’s a mini stroke.’ Seeing Jake’s expression, he adds hastily, ‘But it’s usually not serious and resolves very quickly.’
‘And we’re not doctors,’ I add nicely.
‘You’re not?’ Jake looks surprised.
‘Technically, I have a PhD,’ Edward says awkwardly, and I regard him with shock.
‘You do?’ I’ve known him all this time and didn’t know that. I guess that’s what he was doing after uni, when we all went our separate ways. I started working as a therapist right away while he went off and became a doctor. Surely that’s just showing off.
I glance away.
What else don’t I know about him?
Edward reddens slightly. ‘I’m just going to check on Dad,’ he whispers, and I acknowledge this with a nod as he crosses the room.
‘Sorry for intruding,’ I tell the brother, who shakes his head.
‘No, god, not at all!’ He says this so kindly. ‘Don’t tell Ed, but I’ve sent out a bat-call to literally, like, everyone I know. Half a dozen people are about to turn up here with cupcakes so I can weep on their various shoulders. They’re going to be so mad when I tell them it’s just a migraine.’ He grimaces. ‘Two of them are abandoning their workday for me. They’re probably going to get fired.’ He shrugs then grins. ‘It’s possible I may have overreacted. Did Ed tell you I overreact to stuff?’
‘No,’ I reply innocently, because he said it in the car at least three times.
He pauses, then looks at me a little closer. ‘I’m really glad Ed has someone he can lean on. He’s usually sooo determined to carry everything alone. Older brother baggage.’
‘That tracks,’ I smile, enjoying this character insight.
‘How did he describe you?’ Jake squints at me playfully. ‘Friend and colleague, eh? Is there anything more to it?’
‘Oh god, no!’ I bluster, feeling my cheeks get hot. ‘We’re just… yeah, we’re what Edward said.’ I stare down at my feet, feeling Jake’s eyes on me. But what else can I say? I can’t exactly tell Edward’s brother that we’re not even really friends, he’s just my colleague-cum-therapist and I’ve only in recent weeks started seeing him as a real human being at all. That – until this car journey and a surprisingly bonding bit of KFC – I thought his brother pretty much hated me.
‘Weird energy in your response,’ Jake says leaning closer to sniff the air around me. ‘So, either you actually really loathe my brother, or this is… hmm, I’m going to take a shot here.’ He squints at me. ‘Your…fourthdate?’ He waves his hands as I feel sweat break out on my neck and between my shoulder blades. ‘Like, you’re giving that early doors intimacy vibe where you don’t exactly know where you stand, but you’re totally feeling it. Y’know? Am I close?’ He smirks mischievously.
‘You’ve got it all wrong.’ I swallow hard.
It’s not the fourth date, it’s the fourththerapy session.
I continue quickly, ‘We work together, we…’ What?Because the weird truth is that the intensity of going through therapy can sometimes be like the intensity of those early days of dating someone. Getting to know one another, sharing yourself in bigger increments, revealing your most private parts. But not likethat. I smile brightly. ‘We’re just mates, like he said. Really.’
‘Okay, gurl,’ he trills, twirling away and back over to his family. Edward re-joins me a moment later.
‘Right, sorry about that.’ He frowns as he takes in my expression. ‘What? Was Jake talking your ear off? He can be a lot.’
‘No, he’s great,’ I say, meaning it, despite his brother’s interrogation. ‘I actually really like hima lot. Most of the time anyway.’
He narrows his eyes at me, then lets it go. ‘So.’ He takes a deep breath. ‘They’ve just declassified my mum’s level of urgency – so no ambulance. Which is good because I’m betting it would’ve been a hell of a wait, despite what the first responder said. Dad’s going to take her in, but he doesn’t want me and Jake to go with them. Apparently we get in the way and make too much noise.’ He smiles indulgently. ‘I don’t think my parents have ever seen me and Jake as any older than about fifteen.’
‘Even when you’re in your thirties and have a secret doctorate.’ I raise my eyebrows at him, and he looks amused.
‘It wasn’t a secret. We didn’t speak much after uni and you just never asked.’
‘I hate it when people say that,’ I protest. ‘Why would Igo round asking people in my life if they happen to have a PhD? What else should I specifically have enquired about? Do you keep a pet zebra in your back garden? Can you speak Welsh? Did you once break the Guinness World Record for doughnut eating?’
‘Actually, Icanspeak a bit of Welsh.’ He shrugs as I gape at him. ‘I used to anyway. We lived there for a while when I was little.Un dau tri pedwar pump chwech saith wyth naw deg.’
‘What did you just call me?’ I narrow my eyes.
‘I just counted to ten.’ He grins, and I shake my head in wonder. He leans in, his face suddenly quite close to mine. ‘Did you know the word for red iscoch? I found that very funny as a small child.’
‘Cock?’ I say too loudly, and catch Jake looking over from across the room. He’s wearing an excited, knowing look on his face.
