New Arrivals at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland

Author:Jessica Redland [Redland, Jessica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Published: 2021-01-06T18:30:00+00:00

34

Josh

Mum looked surprised as she opened the door to Primrose Cottage. ‘Josh! That’s four days running I’ve seen you.’

I gave her a weak smile before gratefully stepping into her hug. ‘I’ve got some news that I wanted to give you face to face.’

‘Bad news, I take it?’ she said, releasing me. ‘Of course it is with that sad face.’ She nodded slowly. ‘Lemonade in the garden?’

‘Sounds good.’

I followed her to the back of the cottage and into the kitchen where she removed a jug of her special home-made lemonade from the fridge while I grabbed a couple of glasses.

The garden wasn’t very wide but it was long. At the far end, there was a summerhouse with a patio in front of it where we settled onto a pair of metal chairs. She poured the drinks while I grappled with what to say.

‘Beth rang and asked me to meet her this afternoon so I did.’ There was no way to soften the news. I just needed to say it. ‘The reason she’s been trying to get hold of me is to tell me that Dad has Hodgkin lymphoma, the first round of chemo hasn’t worked, and he might need a stem cell transplant.’

Mum’s mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. ‘Wow! I wasn’t expecting you to say that. Poor Paul.’

We sipped on our drinks while I repeated the same information I’d given Sammie earlier.

‘How do you feel?’ I asked her when I’d finished.

She pondered for a moment then shrugged. ‘In all the years we were together, I can count on one hand the number of times your dad was ill which was just as well because he was a terrible patient. I can’t imagine him with cancer and it breaks my heart to think of him suffering like that but he’s a strong man. Mentally and emotionally, he’ll be positive and optimistic about beating it. Physically, he’ll fight it with every ounce of strength he has. I’m actually more concerned for Beth. That’s such a lot for her to deal with at such a young age with a baby and another on the way too.’

I raised my eyebrows at her. ‘She destroyed your marriage and you’re worried about her?’ Disbelief made my voice higher than normal.

‘I can’t help it. Don’t forget I spent lots of time with her when we thought she was only your girlfriend and not your dad’s. I liked her. For all the confidence and bravado, there was a scared and vulnerable girl beneath the surface and I’ll bet she’s terrified right now.’ Mum smiled weakly. ‘What about you? How do you feel?’

‘Slightly stunned at what you’ve just said about Beth but, that aside, I’m all over the place. I’m annoyed with him for not telling me himself when he first found out but then I feel guilty because I’m the one who told him I wanted nothing more to do with him ever so he was only respecting my wishes. I feel like a hypocrite that I’m planning to visit him because, if he hadn’t been ill, I wouldn’t have done that.

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