It was the first time she had been able to laugh about it. The kippers had been all she could do at the time, she had been in such a rush. A thought of his best suits and some scissors had come into her mind, but that had been a step too much for Edie. Besides, the smell of rotten kippers was bound to damage all of his clothes anyway. Andhers, if she had moved herself in to the house Edie had once called her own.
“No way!” Moira said, her own eyes twinkling. “That’s brilliant. Though I have to say, you’re far more restrained than I am. I would have chopped off…”
Edie interrupted what she imagined was going to be a rather vivid description from Moira with a choked cough.
“Yes, well, I hope the kippers will be enough,” Edie said, laughing.
Moira reached her hand across the table and held Edie’s.
“Look, I need to get back to work before the ogre returns to his office, but I would love to go out for drinks or food with you. My boyfriend works late on a Thursday and Friday so those are best with me. But really, anytime is good, just drop me a message” she said, getting up and finishing the last of her coffee, she scrawled her number on the napkin and passed it to Edie. “Great to chat with you, Edie.”
And with that she was off. Edie relaxed back in her chair and picked up her own cup to finish. It was stone cold. They must have been chatting for longer than she realised. A smile grew on her face. She had missed that female friendship and hoped that perhaps she could learn to trust in that again too. Certainly, in the next few months she would need it. Edie’s hand reached to her stomach, she wondered if there was an ante-natal class she could join to make friends in too. Being able to talk to people in the same position as her would set her mind at ease about what the future had to hold.
A bird flew in front of the window and startled Edie as it swooped and darted before her. She thought of Mary, the mother in the trial, and little Anna, and knew that Mary must be feeling the same way as she, Edie, was. Alone, frightened, and in need of a friendly smile and a welcome ear to talk to. They had two very different medical reasons to need the help of other people, but both were reason enough.
Edie headed back to her own office, determined to do what was right. The door clicked shut behind her, Edie picked up the phone and dialled Mary’s number.
Surely one day out with Mary and Anna and Finn couldn’t go wrong, could it?
10
The weekend arrived quicker than Finn had been expecting. He had busied himself with afternoon clinics and moving paperwork and, before he knew it, he was locking up his office on Friday night and waving farewell to Moira.
Now it was Saturday and Finn was standing in front of his wardrobe mirror trying to work out whether jeans and a t-shirt was too informal for meeting a patient, even if it was a weekend trip to the seaside. He turned his shoulder to look at the back view.
Not bad.
He spurted out a laugh at himself and grabbed a sweater from inside the wardrobe. It may be nearly summer, but the Easterly sea winds could feel bitter if he was going to be walking at a personable gait rather than a full out sprint. Finn had never really spent a day at the beach that didn’t involve taking Archie for a walk or running away the stresses of the day. What was he going to do for four hours with a small child and a patient who was pinning their last hopes on him?
A yawn caught him unawares, one that had been building from the shallow breaths his nerves were causing.
Come on, Finn, it’s only a day at the beach.
He also knew a lot of his nerves were to do with the fact he hadn’t seen Edie since the day in her office. No matter how much he hinted at her, she hadn’t taken the opportunity to come and speak to him about what was going on. He still had no idea about why she had run out on him that night, or why she barely met his eyes when he spoke to her.
He was at a loss. But a dose of natural vitamin D should help his mood, if nothing else.
The sun was shining brightly as Finn locked his bike up and strolled onto the soft sand. The beach at Little Water was busy. Families enjoying their weekends with ice creams and arcades. Children, hardier than him, splashed around in the surf with squeals that made Archie’s ears flick in different directions.
“It’s okay, boy. It’s called fun,” Finn said, ruffling Archie between the ears as he panted after his long run alongside Finn’s bike.
He thought it would be a good idea for Anna to have a play mate, and now he was worrying in case she was sacred of dogs, or allergic, or Mary was allergic, and it would affect her already hampered breathing.
Calm down, Finn.
He walked a bit further down the sand, and up a walkway to the little cafe where they had arranged to meet. Edie was already there. Finn stopped for a moment, watching her engrossed in a book, coffee in hand. The sun was behind her, casting her into a beautiful silhouette, her hair flowing down her back, her face serene and poised. Finn had never known someone to look so at home and relaxed especially when he couldn’t even see their face properly.
“Finn?” Edie looked up just as he was deciding to go over, but still, her voice startled him. “Hi, come and sit down.”
He faltered, just for a split second. Maybe he could turn around and run back down the beach with Archie, pretend he had an urgent surgical matter to deal with.
No, he thought, willing his legs up the steps towards the cafe and the waiting Edie.
“What can I get you? The coffee here is divine. Do you come here often?” Her laugh tinkled over the sound of the crashing waves as she realised what she had said. Even the corners of Finn’s mouth started to turn upwards.
“Yes, I do, actually. This is one of my favourite places to stop for coffee when I’ve finished a night shift,” he said, reaching Edie. “Let me get you another one, what are you having?”
Finn noticed Edie’s cheek flush slightly.
