Page 22 of Christmas at the Home Farm Vets
Most people with children took them to meet Santa, who’d also arrived at the church, and Erin, Oli and Jason strolled back down over the river to the pub. A crowd was gathered outside on the cobbles, holding drinks and braving the chill. Inside they were welcomed by merry festive music, and Erin caught Kenny’s eye at the bar and returned his wave. She spotted Elaine, Jess and Noah alongside Gabi and her wife Michelle, seated at a large table in the corner. A fire was blazing, and the Christmas decorations were subtle and stylish, evergreen with occasional splashes of scarlet and silver. Jess waved them over and everyone shuffled up.
Erin introduced Jason and they took their seats as Oli headed to the bar to make good on his promise to buy a round for his new colleagues. Jason removed the beanie and his coat, fixing his man bun in place and outlining a pair of impressive biceps in a snug T-shirt. Noah was lovely and although Erin had only met him a couple of times, she’d always felt he was the perfect foil for Jess’s exuberance.
Oli returned with a tray and Elaine moved along to make room for him. He took a seat opposite Erin, who was aware of his every little gesture, trying hard not to notice and focus instead on Jason to her left. She attempted to draw him into conversation, but he’d connected to the Wi-Fi and was busy on his phone, swiping the screen. Oli was chatting with Gabi, Elaine and Michelle, and Erin caught bits of their conversation as he leaned in to listen, a hand resting around a pint of craft beer. When Jason finally put the phone down, she was relieved to have someone other than Oli to occupy her thoughts. By ten p.m. most people were drifting away, and she decided to join them, surprised Jason had stayed so long.
‘Sorry, I’m going to make a move.’ She leaned across to speak to him, staring at his phone again. ‘I’m on call from six a.m.’
‘Want me to walk you home?’ He spoke without looking up, but she was already gathering her things.
‘No thanks, it’s fine, barely five minutes.’ Erin wound the scarf around her neck and pulled her hat on. She hadn’t meant to sound dismissive, but if Jason came home with her now she’d feel obliged to invite him in and that was the last thing she wanted with Oli there and an early start in the morning.
‘I’ll walk Erin home, Jason.’ Oli had stood too, and he shrugged into his coat. ‘I’m heading in the same direction, and you mentioned you’re meant to be online with your friends by now. I’m guessing you’re a gamer?’
‘Right, yeah. Cheers.’ Jason followed them outside and she submitted to a goodnight kiss, wondering if he was dragging it out for Oli’s benefit. She’d been clear about just dating so far but Jason was getting impatient about taking things further and she knew she wouldn’t be able to delay it much longer. Hopefully long enough to get Oli out of the house though; she cringed at the thought of Jason spending the night with Oli just the other side of her bedroom wall. She and Oli set off for home, a full moon lighting a path along the cobbles.
‘Oli, don’t do that when I’m with Jason.’
‘Do what?’
‘Play the “when we were at Catz” game. You did it again in the pub as well, just to annoy him. And mentioning that you have to duck in the cottage, it’s perfectly obvious he’s not as tall as you.’
‘Just a bit of fun. Sorry.’ He didn’t sound it, and Erin heard, rather than saw, the smile in his reply.
‘It’s not that funny for me. And did you have to be so insistent about walking me home? He was only trying to be nice.’ She bit her lip; even she wasn’t convinced that Jason would’ve wanted to see her safely to her own door if there was no chance of him coming in.
‘You think?’ Oli pushed his hands into his coat pockets. ‘“Nice” where Jason is concerned is maybe a pejorative term. Tosser is more like it.’
‘My relationship with him is my own and your opinion of both is irrelevant. I hope you remember that and treat him with more respect next time.’
‘I’ll start treating him with respect when he shows you some, Erin.’
Her lips tightened as she drew out her keys and opened her front door. She hurried inside and straight up to bed, forgoing her usual late-night tea to avoid Oli and any more uncomfortable truths he might be tempted to reveal.
Chapter Nine
Erin crept downstairs in the morning, still keen to avoid Oli. She was on call for the rest of the weekend, and he was working too, taking routine Saturday morning appointments. She made tea and sat on the sofa to appreciate it. After her call to Mungo’s owners earlier in the week to confirm his results, she’d arranged to meet them today. Over the years she’d got more used to the emotional ups and downs that came with her career, but she’d never lose the sadness and empathy for tasks like the one she had to carry out this morning.
But it wasn’t only thoughts of her patient and his family unsettling her. Oli’s presence in the cottage was something she couldn’t ignore; his coat hanging beside hers, boots propped neatly in front of the sofa, every small detail making it appear he was at home here too. She heard him upstairs and went to the kitchen for her flask; if she was called out to an emergency she could be gone for hours.
‘Morning.’ Oli’s tread was slow, deliberate, as he made his way downstairs, and Erin wished she’d left five minutes earlier. His auburn hair was still tousled from sleep, and he ran a hand through it, covering a yawn with the other one. ‘Are you off to see that dog?’
‘Yes.’ Work made perfect sense when what she felt about Oli really didn’t, and she was glad he’d kept the conversation to practical matters. ‘I’m due there in thirty minutes.’
‘Coffee before you go?’ He stepped past her to the machine, opening the cupboard to find a capsule and swapping plugs with the toaster. ‘Just this once? The caffeine might help.’
‘No thanks. I’m still a tea morning, noon and night person.’
‘I’ve no idea how you even begin to function without coffee.’ He removed the water tank and filled it. ‘I can barely blink before I’ve had my first.’
She remembered that about him and she was doing it again, falling into his smile and the memories they shared. ‘Sorry I don’t have any espresso cups.’ She eyed the too-large mug he’d been using all week. ‘I should get you some.’
‘Don’t apologise, the coffee still tastes the same.’ He paused, the mug in his hand. ‘Would you like me to come with you, to see the dog? I don’t have to be at the practice until nine.’
About to rush out a refusal along with a retort about why he thought she might need company for a task she’d performed so many times already, she paused. She remembered Honey and how distraught Oli had been over her passing, that he hadn’t been able to be with her. ‘No thanks,’ she ended up whispering, before clearing the catch in her throat. ‘I’ll be fine.’
Erin checked she’d got everything she needed then offered a hurried goodbye as she left the cottage. Ten minutes later Mungo’s owners welcomed her with tremulous smiles and showed her into the sitting room, where he was lying on his comfortable bed in front of the fire. She bent to greet him and gently rubbed his head, blinking back her sadness when his tail thumped a welcome.
She turned to his family and talked them through the procedure, satisfied they were certain about continuing. Moments later it was done. She checked for a heartbeat and confirmed he had gone, offering her sincere condolences. His family cried as they held him, and Erin stepped aside, not wanting to intrude. They thanked her for coming and helping Mungo to slip away in peace at home, sharing a distracted goodbye. Outside she sat for a few moments behind the wheel, waiting for her sorrow to subside.
