The talk turned to Tegan’s brother, and how he and his ex had had to share the children over Christmas, which was why Harry hadn’t been able to see them yet over the festive period.
Fiona tutted. ‘Poor wee lambs. I don’t think they know whether they’re coming or going, this first Christmas.’
‘They’ll get used to it. Kids are very resilient.’
Brody felt Tegan squeeze his knee under the dinner table, though he wasn’t sure if it was for comfort or as a warning not to get involved.
‘Tegan says you’ve been up all night with an emergency?’ Fiona queried as they finished eating.
‘Two, actually. We had a dog who’d been in a road-traffic accident, and I was on lates anyway, so I stayed over.’
‘She says your neighbour’s cats were poisoned by some mistletoe? Poor things. How bizarre.’
‘Two of her guests left the plant in their room. Cats are curious creatures, so it was just a freak accident. Luckily I was able to help them.’
‘Can it be fatal?’ Alan asked.
‘Oh yes. It can cause cardiac failure at its worst.’ Instantly Brody could have kicked himself for his choice of words and quickly modified them. ‘In this case, it only caused them to have an upset stomach and feel very sorry for themselves.’
‘Sophie was lucky that Brody was on hand.Again,’ Tegan said.
‘You are quite the hero, saving your neighbour’s catsanddelivering a baby at the same address. Must be something about that house,’ Fiona joked. ‘I hope we don’t have any drama like that here.’ She gave her husband a meaningful look. ‘Your father’s been overdoing things again. Can you believe he was in the shed looking for a snow shovel this morning, before I stopped him!’
‘Dad!’ Tegan cried. ‘You weren’t!’
‘I was fetching the shovel for your mother,’ Alan said innocently.
Fiona rolled her eyes. ‘I practically wrestled it off him and cleared a bit of the drive before our neighbour offered to help.’
‘I’m still well enough to wash a few dishes, so leave me be,’ Alan insisted, after Brody joined him in the kitchen, having offered to dry up. ‘Being a hero must be tiring,’ he went on, scrubbing at a pan. ‘If you don’t mind me saying so, you look done in.’
‘You get used to unsociable hours in my line of work.’
‘You’d have had an easier life selling garden machinery.’
Brody gave a wry smile. ‘You sound just like my dadwould have done. Are you sure? I don’t think I’d have slept well, being responsible for millions of pounds worth of stock and keeping the business afloat. Uncle Trevor seems to have managed very well without me.’
‘He’s cut out for it, although the vet’s is a business, isn’t it? You have the same concerns about profit and loss, and staff.’
‘We have a very able practice manager who deals with all of the admin, thank goodness. The animals can’t phone me up and complain their new tractor isn’t what they were expecting.’
Alan laughed. ‘I can’t imagine you doing anything other than working with animals – you have a great way with them. Your father would have been proud. He knew you wanted to be a vet. He knew you’d never take over the business.’ He placed the pan on the drainer with a sigh of relief.
‘I hope so,’ Brody said quietly, paying special attention to drying a colander.
‘I know so.’ With a grimace, Alan stripped off the Marigolds. ‘Why do they never make them big enough for people with massive paws?’
Brody laughed. He had the same problem. At six feet three, his feet and hands were hardly on the petite side. ‘I dunno. I nearly dislocate my wrist pulling off some of the gloves I use.’
Alan took a seat at the table while Brody finished drying the pots. He guessed he was in for a ‘proper chat’. It seemed to be the day for it, and while Brody would much rather have avoided any deep conversations, he felt he owed it to Alan to listen.
‘I know your mother wasn’t best pleased with your choice of career, but she is very proud of you. You should hear the way she talks about you.’
‘I’m not sure I want to,’ Brody replied lightly.
Alan shook his head. ‘It’s all good. You’re a great son and a decent man. You try to do the right thing. Too much so sometimes.’
‘What do you mean?’ Brody asked, hearing an echo of Tegan’s own comment about him being ‘too nice’.
