Page 54 of Welcome to the Cornish Country Hospital

Danni looked up just as Gary took another swing of his imaginary golf club, sending his imaginary ball hurtling straight towards the non-existent green. ‘Okay, things could be worse.’

‘Great shot, Gaz.’ The voice congratulating Gary was as familiar as it was unwelcome and, when Lucas came striding down the corridor, it was all Danni could do not to run.

‘Thanks, Doc. I’ve been working on my form.’ Gary basked in the compliment and Aidan sniggered, muttering the worddickheadsunder his breath. At least he hadn’t been sucked into being one of Lucas’s groupies yet.

‘I was just popping down to let you know that I’m arranging a curry and drinks the Saturday after next as a sort of work stag do. I’m going to Amsterdam with a few old friends in November, but I wanted to do something with all my new friends from the hospital, to say thanks for making me and Esther so welcome. It’s all on me, and it should be a good night.’ Lucas was turning on the charm, as only he could, and revelling in playing the bountiful host, while Gary looked beside himself at having been invited.

‘Oh wow, thanks, I’d love that.’

‘I’ll email all the details to you.’ Lucas clapped a hand on his back, not seeming to see the irony in the fact he didn’t even have the phone number of someone he’d invited to his stag do. Then he turned towards Aidan, pointedly ignoring Danni’s existence. ‘I would invite you too, mate, but I know you’re helping my gorgeous fiancée with the plans for her hen do. We’re so lucky to have made so many friends here and it’s great knowing just how many people we’ve got on our side.’

‘Yeah, well, I’m team bride all the way. Just like Danni.’ Aidan put an arm round her and, if she hadn’t have known better, she’d have been certain he was aware of what had happened between her and Esther.

‘It’s nice she’s got such a loyal friend.’ Lucas gave him a thumbs up, before catching Danni’s eye. It was enough to convey that this was a performance all for her, and that he meant every word of the warning he’d given her. Within seconds he’d headed off down the corridor again, his mission complete.

‘I know I shouldn’t say it when he’s a friend of yours and the love of Esther’s life, but I can’t help thinking that something about that guy doesn’t ring true.’

‘You might be right. I just hope she turns out to be the love of his life, but I highly doubt it.’ As Danni spoke, Aidan’s mouth dropped open. And it was probably only the sound of the red phone ringing with a trauma call that stopped him from launching into an inquisition about what she’d meant. The thing was, she already knew Esther wasn’t the love of Lucas’s life, because he was. If her best friend was the love of anyone’s life, it was Danni’s. And now Danni was prepared to step aside and move away for a second time, to give Esther the best possible shot at being happy. If that didn’t equate to true love, then she wasn’t sure what did.

* * *

When Charlie had asked Danni to come over for dinner at his place, she’d hoped it would give her the opportunity to explain why she’d decided to hand her notice in to the hospital and leave Port Kara. She needed him to know that her reasons for leaving were nothing like they’d been when she’d moved to Cornwall. She didn’t need to distance herself from Lucas or her feelings for him. But what she did need was to give Esther the chance to have the life she’d chosen, without a daily reminder of the person who’d tried to talk her out of it. But then Charlie had told her he had his own reasons for asking her around for dinner. He was inviting Richard too, to give him some letters that Connie had been holding on to for almost forty years, and for some reason he seemed to think that Richard might be more open to looking at them if Danni was there too.

‘Are you sure this shouldn’t be a private moment between you and Richard?’ Danni had brought Brenda with her, as instructed, and the basset hound was lying stretched out in front of the cottage’s small woodburning stove, with Maggie’s head resting on her ribcage.

‘It’s not like we’re going to make him sit here and read the letters in front of us. I just want him to be willing to take the box away with him, and read them in his own time.’ Charlie stirred the gravy he was making and looked over at Danni. ‘I think if he hears all the things Connie wanted to tell him back then, in her replies to his letters, it might change everything.’

‘I hope for Connie’s sake you’re right.’ Brenda started to howl as there was a rap on the door. ‘Because it’s show time.’

* * *

The dinner Charlie had cooked was delicious and Richard seemed to be in good spirits, telling Danni that he was even thinking about signing up to the yoga class his GP had recommended.

‘I’m just not sure that if this old dog gets into a downward position, there’ll be any hope of getting me up again.’

‘Just be careful. I once had a patient come into A&E who had severe lacerations around a very delicate part of their anatomy as a result of doing yoga in a thong two sizes too small.’

‘I’ll leave my thong at home for that, then!’ Richard laughed and he looked so different from the person Danni had first met, but then Charlie put the box on the table in front of him. ‘What’s this, the world’s biggest box of after-dinner mints?’

‘Sadly not.’ Charlie was visibly nervous as he sat down next to his father. ‘It’s from Connie.’

‘Whatever it is, I don’t want it.’ Richard’s face had transformed in an instant; all the openness and warmth that had been apparent all evening had disappeared. ‘I keep telling you not to mention that woman around me. She’s done enough to try and stop us from having a relationship with each other – don’t let her do it again.’

‘I think if you just look at what’s in the box, you’ll—’

‘No!’ Richard’s shout cut Charlie off, and he pushed the box away from him, knocking over a glass of water. ‘For Christ’s sake, how many times do I have to say it?’

‘No one is asking you to forgive her.’ Charlie furrowed his brow and turned towards Danni, who’d been desperately trying to mop up the water with her napkin, before she looked up at him.

‘And you don’t even need to tell her you’ve looked at what’s in the box, if you don’t want to.’ Danni adopted what she hoped was a calming tone. ‘I haven’t seen what’s inside, but from what Charlie has said, I really think this could help you come to terms with everything that’s happened. So do it for yourself, even if you don’t want to do it for Connie.’

‘I can’t believe you’re on that woman’s side too!’ Richard was on his feet now. ‘No one seems to understand what she’s done to me, and she just sits there, painting herself as the victim in all of this.’

‘I’m not on anyone’s side, Richard, I promise, and if it’s upsetting you this much my professional advice is not to take the box, because it’s clearly playing havoc with your blood pressure.’ Danni sighed. ‘But my personal advice would be to take the box away with you, and at least open it to see what’s in there. Otherwise you’re always going to wonder.’

‘If it’ll stop the pair of you going on at me, I’ll take the bloody box. But she’s only got herself to blame if I end up slinging it on the next bonfire I have in the yard.’ Richard yanked the box off the table. ‘I think it’s best if I leave now.’

‘You don’t have to.’ Charlie frowned. ‘Stay for a bit; there’s no rush.’

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