‘No, thanks,’ said Alastair. ‘We’re fine. You need to rest.’ He shot another disparaging glance at Sonia who shrugged her lack of comprehension at what she might have done wrong. ‘We’d best get off,’ he added.
‘Not before I’ve used the loo. Where is it?’ asked Sonia, already leaving the room.
‘Next door on the right,’ said Ros.
Sonia disappeared and after a few moments, when Ros highly suspected Sonia was checking out the rest of the apartment, they heard the click of the bathroom door. ‘Sorry about her,’ said Alastair. ‘She insisted on coming with me. I couldn’t really say no without looking like a dick.’
‘I understand. It’s fine,’ said Ros. ‘It was very kind of you both to visit.’ It was an odd thing to be having a conversation in her bedroom with someone who not long ago had been her arch nemesis.
Alastair scratched his head. ‘I thought I should check you were okay what with you and me being mates now.’
Ros failed to hide her astonishment. ‘Oh, right. Of course. Thank you.’ She couldn’t help but feel an odd sense of achievement at Alastair classing her as a mate although she didn’t want to think too much about the implications.
There was an awkward silence, making Ros long for Sonia’s return, something she’d not ever expected to experience. Alastair jolted as if suddenly hitting on something he could say. ‘I was at the golf club a couple of nights ago trying to schmooze a head honcho from this big IT company but no dice.’ Ros wasn’t sure she was entirely following the conversation but she nodded along to show interest. ‘Anyway, he said they needed someone to head up the risk team and I recommended you.’ Alastair pulled his shoulders back, looking quite pleased with himself.
‘That was good of you to think of me, but I’m not looking to change jobs right now.’
‘Don’t be too hasty to reject it. It had international something in the title,’ he added. ‘I gave him your phone number. I hope that was okay.’
‘Not really,’ said Ros and Alastair looked confused. ‘Women don’t like strange men having their contact details.’
‘Oh, he’s a sound fella, not a perve or anything. He’s a member of the golf club.’
‘That’s all right then,’ said Ros, trying to hide her sarcasm but Alastair was smiling so hopefully he’d not noticed.
At last they heard the toilet flush and both greeted Sonia with smiles worthy of a long-absent relative. ‘Right, we’re going then,’ said Alastair. ‘Take good care of yourself.’
‘I’ll update everyone in the office,’ said Sonia.
‘I’m sure you will,’ said Ros. ‘Thank you for coming,’ she added quickly.
‘We’ll see ourselves out,’ said Alastair. He gave her an awkward wave and ushered Sonia out of the bedroom. Ros breathed a sigh of relief although she was touched by the visit. Her work colleagues were definitely better people when she took the time to get to know them.
The thought of a cup of tea was now at the forefront of Ros’s mind. It wasn’t like she lived in a house and had stairs to tackle – she was perfectly safe to move around one level unassisted. She got out of bed and carefully made her way to the kitchen. Why was she being so cautious? Cameron was lovely but he was fussing somewhat and it was rubbing off on her and making her wary. She gave herself a metaphorical shake. She had been discharged from hospital and therefore was perfectly fit. If it had happened a few months ago she would have been living there alone and would have been more than capable of getting herself a hot drink.
Ros put the kettle on and marvelled at the influence Cameron was having on her. She knew it came from the fact he was a caring individual but she did not want to generate any level of dependency on him. She got out a mug and as she turned she noticed the flowers in the sink. He had put some water in there for them but they would be far better in a vase. Ros carefully crouched down, opened the bottom cupboard and looked inside for a suitable-size vase. Too small and not all the stems would fit, too big and they would splay out and look droopy and ridiculous.
Ros found the one she wanted and pulled it towards her. She heard the apartment door open and was straightening up with the vase held firmly in her grasp when Cameron screamed at her. ‘Stop!’ She froze.
Cameron strode over and slammed shut the wall cupboard door above her. ‘What the hell are you doing? You almost stood up and whacked your head on the corner of that bloody cupboard!’ His voice was almost a shout.
Ros slowly straightened up and put the vase down carefully on the worktop. Cameron was pacing around the small kitchen space. ‘When you’ve stopped yelling I will explain.’
‘I’m not yelling,’ he said, taking his voice down a fraction, but it was still louder than his usual volume and it irked her. ‘If you’d have cracked your skull on that corner in the same place as your stitches . . .’ He ran his hands over his face as if trying to hide from the thought.
‘But I didn’t. I am fine.’
Exasperated, he threw his hands up. ‘But you wouldn’t have been if I’d come back a couple of minutes later.’ He audibly sucked in a breath. ‘I would have found you.’ He pointed at the floor as if imagining a bloody scene.
‘Again, that did not happen. Do you think perhaps you could think rationally?’ she asked.
‘Bloody hell, Ros,’ he snapped and she recoiled slightly. ‘You promised you would stay in bed. I blame myself. I shouldn’t have left you.’
‘I’m not a child.’
‘No, they do as they’re told,’ he said, his expression almost a glare.
‘I think that’s evidence that you have very little experience of children.’
‘Not the point. What did you get up for anyway?’ he asked.
‘A cup of tea.’ Ros picked up the mug and he snatched it from her.
‘I will get you a cup of tea and I will put the flowers in water, like I said I would. Will you please go back to bed?’
Ros pursed her lips. She could do as he asked but it wasn’t in her nature to acquiesce so easily. ‘I think you are overreacting. I have been discharged from hospital. I am perfectly fine.’
Cameron did not look happy. ‘You are meant to be resting. Those were the instructions from the doctor.’
‘Making tea isn’t exactly exerting myself.’
He blinked slowly. ‘You gave me a fright. I thought you were in bed. When I walked through the door I could see what you were about to do and it scared the life out of me. Can you understand that it was a shock?’
‘I can. Now may I make my cup of—’
‘I’d be happier if you let me do it,’ he said.
There was a long pause as Ros considered whether or not to make a stand but she was feeling a little out of sorts after being upright for a while so she nodded and made her way around the kitchen counter. Somehow she managed to drag her foot where the tiles met carpet and she stumbled forward. Cameron was there in an instant and strong arms caught her. He pulled her into a hug. Ros’s heart hammered in her chest and she could feel his doing the same. Maybe it was a good thing he was there. She felt so protected from everything when he held her like that.
