The words rang in her ears all the way to the village.
22
Simon
Simon had called ahead so Carole was already at the front of the house when they arrived, and she ushered Amanda into the front sitting room while Simon went to the back garden with Janet.
‘You need a drink,’ Janet said. ‘Sit down and I’ll make a gin.’
He sat down on the wicker chair under the back patio and breathed a sigh of relief.
The minute he had called Janet from the gardening shed, she had suggested sending an ambulance and meeting them at Moongate. But Simon knew it would be faster to get to their house and at least there they would be in the hands of a doctor if they needed more assistance.
‘What happened?’ Janet came holding a tall glass of gin and tonic for each of them and placed them on the table.
‘A rip. It was fast and brutal. She wouldn’t have had a chance if she was swimming alone.’
‘God,’ said Janet. ‘That’s terrifying. So lucky you were there.’
Simon thought he was going to be ill at the idea of what could have happened.
Carole came outside. ‘She’s okay – she’s just very tired. I couldn’t hear anything on her lungs but they’ve had a workout, that’s for sure. She’s resting now.’
Carole sat down. ‘And what about you, Simon? Do you need me to check you?’
‘No, I’m fine, I promise.’
‘How did you know how to do that?’ asked Carole. ‘Not many people can identify a rip or rescue someone who is near to drowning.’
‘I spent a year in Australia actually, and I did the lifesaving course because it was given on Bondi Beach and I thought it would be fun. I’ve never used what I learned until today.’
‘Lucky for everyone then,’ said Carole and they sat in silence, each of them processing what could have happened.
‘It’s a privilege being alive,’ Carole stated, but it was almost to herself, Simon thought.
‘It is,’ he agreed.
‘We cannot waste a moment of it being bitter or angry or resentful. All we have is the now.’
Simon wasn’t sure if it was meant for him or if it was her thinking aloud but her words ran through him like cold water.
The sudden need to calm the chaos in his mind was overwhelming and he put his drink down and rested his head in his hands.
He was tired of being angry and he was tired of being filled with shame.
‘Simon, are you okay?’ He heard Janet’s voice and then she was next to him now, her hand on his shoulder.
‘I just… I’m just thinking about everything that brought me to Foxfield and Moongate and how Amanda is so integral to that. I mean, she’s like sunshine, you know?’ He looked at the women who nodded.
‘Yes, she is.’
‘And we nearly lost her.’
‘But we didn’t,’ Carole reminded him.
‘But I nearly did,’ he said again.
‘But you didn’t,’ Janet said. ‘You saved her.’
