The
traditional seaside resort of Sharpington-by-Sea with its Victorian Pier,
seafront hotels, crazy golf, The Palladium ballroom, well maintained gardens,
promenade, theatre and illuminations, has all the usual things to have a great
time by the seaside, as well as amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington
Fun Park but in addition to those attractions the town obviously benefitted
from all the normal amenities, such as the Jubilee Primary School which was
where Ruth Andrews worked as a Teacher after making a home for herself in
Sharpington following her divorce three years earlier.
In those three years she had made herself part of the community, as a
well-respected teacher, a volunteer at the Library and as an enthusiastic
member of an amateur dramatics group, but all her busyness was merely to fill
the lonely hours of her life.
However, one day in March something occurred that set her on a different
path.
It was after morning break when the children were making their way back
to their classrooms when one of the children, Evie Daniels, tripped and fell
down the last three stairs and banged her head.
Although Evie didn’t lose consciousness, she did cut her head badly and
the sight of the blood upset the onlooking children, which in turn upset Evie.
Ruth knew Evie outside of school as she and the child’s mother, Helen,
did am dram together, and she therefore was also aware that she worked in
Finchbottom and would not be able to get back to Sharpington in time, so as the
first aider stemmed the flow of blood, but it was decided that an ambulance
should be called.
Also, Ruth phoned Helen and said that she would go to the Hospital with
Evie and meet her there.
When the ambulance arrived, the paramedics were very cool, calm and
efficient and they were soon on their way to Purplemere, and Ruth was in the back-holding
Evie’s hand while Paramedic Gary
Dixon looked after the patient and spoke reassuringly to her.
When the
ambulance arrived at the Royal Downshire Hospital in Purplemere, Helen was
already there waiting for them and she took over the hand holding duties and
the paramedics took Evie
straight into the emergency department and she was immediately attended to by
Doctor Vera Williams and Nurse Amanda Turner, and Ruth sat down heavily on the
nearest chair.
Ruth sat in reception watching the comings and goings for a couple of
hours, flicking through old magazines to amuse herself, then she needed to
spend a penny and decided she needed a drink and a sandwich, so she went to
find the shop.
It was at the shop that she bumped into Gary Dixon, the Paramedic, who had had the
same idea as she had.
“Hello” he said
“Oh hi”
“How’s Evie doing?” he asked
“Not sure, her mum hasn’t come out yet”
“I’m going in now, so I’ll find out for you” he offered
“Thank you, that’s very kind”
The remainder of the conversation on the way back to reception was
fairly banal, but she did find that by the time they got there the conversation
had definitely got a bit flirty, particularly on her side, and then she saw
Helen appear, so she said good bye to Gary and went and hugged her friend.
They were sitting down while Helen filled her in on what had happened,
scans, x-rays and sutures, and what was happening, namely that she was being admitted.
“I got you a sandwich and a drink” Ruth said
“Oh, bless you, I am hungry”
As they sat and ate Ruth suddenly said
“I’m sorry”
“What for?”
“For flirting with the Paramedic, very inappropriate behavior, I don’t
know what came over me” she said
“Did you get his number?” Helen asked
“No”
“Well then you need to try harder” she retorted and laughed
Ruth wasn’t sure it was funny, after all it was something of a moral
dilemma on whether it was appropriate for her to “hit on” a man while she was
representing the school during a medical emergency.
“It’s not funny, it was unprofessional” Ruth said
“It’s no wonder you’re still single” Helen said
“What do you mean?”
“If you like him, which you obviously do, just go for it, before someone
else does” she replied
“Really?”
“Really” she said “Especially as he likes you”
“Do you think he does?”
“Well put it this way, you weren’t the only one flirting”
As Evie was being admitted, Helen was going to stay at the hospital, so
she persuaded Ruth to take her car and go home.
“Are you sure?” Ruth said as they stood by the entrance
“Yes” she insisted
“Ok, I’ll come back tomorrow, text me with a list of things you want me
to bring from the house”
“That would be great, thanks”
“Everything is going to be fine” Ruth said as they had one final hug.
Evie made good progress over the following few days, but she was still
in hospital on Sunday, so Helen was with her daughter all day on Mother’s Day.
Ruth had also visited on Mothering Sunday before going to spend the rest
of the day with her mum, she
was in the lift ready to go down and was just waiting for the doors to close
when Gary Dixon stepped into the lift, he wasn’t wearing his green uniform, but
it was definitely him.
“Mrs. Andrews?” he said
“Oh hello”
she said feigning surprise
“Have you
been visiting Evie?” he asked
“Yes, she’s
on the mend” She replied
“Yes, I
know I popped in to see her myself yesterday”
“Oh?”
“Yes” he confirmed
“I like to look in on my former passengers”
“Is that
normal?” she asked knowing full well that it was not
“It’s just
something I like to do” he replied
“That’s a
good thing that you do” Ruth said genuinely impressed
“Not
really” he said modestly
“Is that
why you’re here today?” she asked
“No, I’ve
been visiting my sister, she’s just had a baby” he replied proudly as the lift
came to a halt and the doors opened.
“Well it
was nice to see you again Mrs., Andrews”
“Please
call me Ruth” she insisted “I only stick to formality in the classroom”
“Ok then, it
was nice seeing you again, Ruth” he said
“Do you
have time for a coffee Gary?” she asked hopefully
“Absolutely”
he replied and led the way to the Hospital Café
It was one of those awful cold and sterile, impersonal self-service
places, selling everything pre-packed, that have sprung up all over the Health
Service, which had squeezed out the old WVS Cafes that offered homemade cakes
and a friendly smile along with your cup of tea.
Gary
suggested that Ruth find them a table while he got the drinks and a brief
discussion about who should pay followed, Ruth was adamant that it should be her,
but Gary insisted.
They were
sitting at a table, drinking coffee and chatting when they were interrupted.
“Well hello
stranger” said a man in surgical scrubs.
“Oh” she said,
and her face hardened
“Well fancy
finding you here, I thought you’d run off to the seaside” he continued “Does
this mean you’re back?”
“Not
really” she said uncomfortably which Gary picked up on.
“Perhaps
introductions would be in order” the doctor said
“This is Ian,
my Ex-husband” she said “and this is Gary...”
“Her next
husband” Gary said and stood up to shake his hand.
Ian was not
a
tall man but even standing less than six-foot-tall Gary still towered above the
diminutive Doctor, who quickly took his leave of them.
“That was kind of you” she said relieved to see her ex go.
“Not at all” he said “I had an ulterior motive as it happens”
“Which was?” she asked suspiciously
“Simply to have you in my debt so that you would be obliged to say yes
when I ask you out” he said
“Well that’s very calculating” she retorted
“So, has it worked?”
“You’ll have to ask for a date to find that out” Ruth said with a grin.
