Page 20 of The Midnight Bakery
‘So kind of you.’
‘Isn’t that allowed?’ She shook her head. ‘I’m a nurse, for heaven’s sake. Every day I see people in hospital who are there when they shouldn’t be – because they’ve drunk themselves stupid for so long their liver is a shrivelled mess, or because they’ve smoked twenty a day for thirty years and are dying of lung cancer. I’ve learned not to judge. One, because it’s none of my business, and two, because behind every damaged liver or cancerous lung is a person, with alifeand astoryto tell. I don’t believe in giving someone my opinion on how to live when I haven’t walked in their shoes.’
‘Well, you’re one of the few people who don’t,’ he muttered.
‘So, shoot me,’ she said, hands on hips as she glared at him. But then, realising what she’d said, she tutted loudly. ‘Fantastic…I’m standing in a car park with a complete stranger in what might as well be the middle of the night, and I’ve just asked him to shoot me. Let’s just tune intoCrimestoppersnow, shall we?’
‘Is that a man thing?’ he asked. ‘Pardon me, but now you’re beingreallyjudgemental.’
Her head dropped immediately. ‘Yes, yes, I am…I know, I’m sorry. I just need to get home. Sorry,’ she said again. She stared at her car, her face overwhelmingly weary. ‘I don’t know what to do…Damn it, how could I have been so stupid?’
‘Okay, let’s look at this logically. You have two options as far as I can see. One, you get a new tyre, in which case you need to contact a garage, or a mobile fitting service might be a better bet. Or two, you get a lift home and deal with the flat later.’
The woman checked her watch. ‘Nowhere will be open yet and…’ She shook her head in frustration. ‘I don’t have time for this…and I can’t afford a new tyre either. Aren’t those mobile places really expensive?’
‘I’ve no idea,’ replied Tam truthfully. ‘Do you have a phone? You could google it.’
‘The garage I use is miles away,’ she said, ignoring his suggestion. ‘It’s not far from where I live, obviously, but I’m not there, am I? And in any case, it doesn’t open till nine on a good day.’
‘Taxi then? Or…would there be someone at the hospital who could run you home? A friend, maybe?’
She gave him a scathing look. ‘You can’t just leave a hospital if you’re working. And don’t get me started on taxis. None of them will come out my way. It’s not worth their while, apparently, they’d have to charge too much. Because of the petrol prices.’
Tam nodded. ‘Minicabs maybe, but a taxi might be okay. There are probably some by the station.’
‘Which is on the other side of town.’
Tam was beginning to regret getting out of his car. Whoever this woman was, he hoped she was much better at problem-solving when she was at work. Right now, she seemed determined to make a drama into a crisis.
As if sensing his thoughts, she sighed heavily before turning her attention back to her phone. ‘I’m sorry. You’re right, and I know you’re trying to help, but I really need to get homenow. Not in two hours. My husband’s disabled and, until I get home, there’s no one looking after him. He was coming down with something last night, and…’ She vented another sigh of frustration. ‘I shouldn’t have gone in to work in the first place…’
She began jabbing her finger at the phone screen and, moments later, Tam heard a dial tone ringing out. There was a long pause.
‘Hi love, it’s only me. Sorry, did I wake you? You don’t sound great, are you okay?’
The woman turned away from him, and Tam watched as she placed her hand on top of her head again. It was obviously her go-to thinking pose. She nodded several times.
‘Okay, well, I’ve got a flat tyre, so I’ll be home as soon as I can, but…No, it’s flat too…It just is, okay? So, I’m going to have to get a taxi or something and I don’t know how long I’ll be, so…Yes, I’m fine, I’m still in the car park.’
Tam shuffled from one foot to the other. There was a very obvious solution staring him in the face, but he wasn’t at all sure how it would be received. He screwed up his face, wrestling with the decision. When did things get so complicated you couldn’t even offer a helping hand when one was required? He heaved in a breath and moved to stand in front of the woman. Nothing ventured…
He waved a hand at her, motioning to the phone. ‘May I speak to your husband?’ he asked.
‘What?’ She mouthednoat him and a deep frown furrowed her forehead.
Tam held his hand out again. ‘I have an idea,’ he said. ‘Please…’
‘Hang on a minute, Jack,’ she said. ‘There’s someone here who— No, he’s just someone who came over to see if I needed any help. He wants to talk to you…Okay, hang on.’ She handed over the phone, still frowning.
‘Hi, hello…Jack, is it? My name’s Tam, Tam Murray, and I happened to be in the car park when your wife realised she had a flat. I came over to see if she needed any help changing it.’
‘Thank you, that’s kind but—’ The man on the other end sounded groggy, his voice rough. Tam broke in before he could get any further.
‘And I thought I ought to talk to you, so you’d know I wasn’t some kind of weirdo…Yes, I realise if I was a weirdo that’s exactly what Iwouldsay, but I have a car. And it struck me thatin the absence of any other readily available solution, I could give your wife a lift home.’ The woman’s eyes widened at that, and Tam smiled and nodded. ‘She doesn’t look very happy about the idea, but look, I work at Chawston House, it’s a residential care home in town. If I give you the number you can ring them and speak to my boss, Trish. She’ll vouch for me.’
There was a pause. Jack was clearly thinking. ‘Again, that’s very kind but I’m not sure…We’re a bit off the beaten track and…’ His voice was ripe with indecision. ‘Perhaps I could have a word with my wife again?’
Tam handed back the phone and moved a little distance away to give them some space. In all likelihood he would still be able to hear every word of the conversation, but he could at least look like he wasn’t trying to. He forced his attention elsewhere, following the flight of three pigeons who swooped to settle on the roof of the building opposite.
