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‘So what are you going to do?’

‘I’ve written to him. Left messages with our mutual friends. Asked the hospital to call him. I even tried to call his parents, and had to leave a message asking them to call me. It’s up to him to contact me now.’ She wiped a tear from her cheek. ‘Summer deserves so much better than him. She deserves better than all of this.’

‘You both do, love.’ Linda placed a kiss on her forehead. ‘You both do.’

Jake waited until he saw Evelyn’s car pull out of the driveway, and then gave it a few more minutes before knocking on the door.

‘Hello Jake.’ Linda looked exhausted with deep, dark circles under her eyes. ‘I’m afraid you’ve just missed my girls.’

‘I know. I waited until I was sure they’d left,’ he admitted cautiously. He didn’t want to lie to Linda, but he needed her on side. ‘Can I come in? Please, Linda. I promise I won’t take up too much of your time.’

Linda ushered him in the door. ‘Can I offer you a drink?’

‘That would be nice, but maybe in a minute?’ He took a deep breath. ‘I need to ask a favour of you, but you can’t tell Evelyn or Summer about it. In fact, I’d prefer it if you didn’t even mention I’d been here.’

‘I don’t know.’ Linda shook her head.

‘Please. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.’

‘Why don’t you tell me what it is first, and then I’ll decide.’

‘That’s fair,’ Jake agreed eagerly. At least she hadn’t said no. Yet. ‘I know that Evelyn keeps copies of Summer’s medical records here. I want to see them. Please.’

‘With all due respect, Jake. Summer’s doctors are some of the best. What do you, as a country vet, think you’ll see that’s different?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t expect to find anything. But she’s pushed me away, Linda.’ He gulped in another breath before confessing. ‘I’ve fallen in love with your daughter – and granddaughter – and she’s pushed me away. I feel like I need to do something, even if it’s just understanding everything better. Please, Linda.’

She watched him for long moments while his heart hammered against his ribcage. Eventually she sighed. ‘Do you want tea or coffee? There’s carrot cake too. Summer and I made it yesterday, so it’s probably still good.’

‘I’d love some. And coffee would be great, but only if you’re making some yourself.’

‘Tell you what, I’ll go and get the files for you, and you can put the kettle on. You know your way around well enough. Make yourself comfortable in the kitchen.’

‘Thank you.’ Jake caught her hand and gave it a squeeze, and for long moments, their eyes met and they shared their joint pain at what the coming months were predicted to bring.

Within a few minutes, Jake was sat at the table surrounded by papers, medical files, treatment records, letters and scan print outs. He pulled out a notepad to jot down the key points, and took pictures of the most important things on his phone.

Evelyn locked the door behind her, dropped her bag and nurse’s kit on the desk and collapsed in the chair. Her head ached and was muzzy, and even her hair seemed to be painful. She yanked out the ties holding it off her face and massaged her head, before grimacing. She’d meant to wash her hair that morning, but had overslept. She went to bed every night exhausted and desperate to sleep, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, her mind started to race and she felt like she’d seen every single hour in the night again. When she eventually drifted into a level of unconsciousness that resembled sleep, she was plagued by nightmares that she fought to wake herself from.

Her next appointment wasn’t for a few minutes, so she put her head down on the desk.

She jerked awake what felt like a few seconds later as someone hammered at the door. ‘Evelyn, are you all right? Someone get the key.’

She rubbed her eyes tiredly, then cursed at the black smears her mascara left on her hands. She’d put it on this morning in an attempt to disguise the red puffiness of her eyes, and her lack of sleep. She forced herself upright, limped to the door, and fumbled with the lock.

‘Sorry, I must have dozed off.’

‘All right, enough.’ Julie took one look at her and snapped into management mode. ‘Tom, can you take Evelyn’s next patient? It’s just a wound check and dressing change. Callum had admin time this afternoon, so can take most of the rest. You’ll have to figure the rest out. Evelyn and I are going to the staff room.’

‘I’m fine,’ she tried to argue. ‘You don’t need to fuss.’

‘I’m sorry, dear, but you’re really not.’ Julie wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her to the small room that served as kitchen, break and meeting room all in one. ‘I think it’s past time we had a chat, don’t you?’

‘I guess.’

‘No guess about it.’ She gave her a sharp look as Evelyn’s stomach growled. ‘When was the last time you ate something? What did you have for lunch?’

Evelyn yawned as she tried to remember. ‘I’m not sure.’