Читать книгу The Scandalous Kolovskys: Knight on the Children's Ward - Carol Marinelli, Carol Marinelli - Страница 11

‘HOW’S the children’s ward?’ Elsie was wide awake before Annika had even flicked the lights on.

‘It’s okay,’ Annika said, and then she admitted the truth. ‘I’ll be glad when it’s over.’

‘What have you got next?’

‘Maternity,’ Annika said, as Elsie slurped her tea.

She seemed to have caught her second wind these past few days: more and more she was lucid, and the lucid times were lasting longer too. She was getting over that nasty UTI, Dianne, the Div 1 nurse had explained. They often caused confusion in the elderly, or, as in Elsie’s case, exacerbated dementia. It was good to have her back.

‘I’m not looking forward to it.’

‘What are you looking forward to?’

‘I don’t know,’ Annika admitted.

‘How’s your boyfriend?’ Elsie asked when they were in the shower, Annika in her gumboots, Elsie in her little shower chair. ‘How’s Ross?’

‘I don’t know that either,’ Annika said, cringing a little when Elsie said his name. ‘It’s complicated.’

‘Love isn’t complicated,’ Elsie said. ‘You are.’

And they had a laugh, a real laugh, as she dried and dressed Elsie and put her in her chair. Then Annika did something she had never done before.

‘I’ve got something for you.’ Nervous, she went to the fridge and brought out her creation.

It was a white chocolate box, filled with chocolate mousse and stuffed with raspberries.

‘Where’s my toast?’ Elsie asked, and that made Annika laugh. Then the old lady peered at the creation and dipped her bony finger into the mousse, licked it, and had a raspberry. ‘You bought this for me?’

‘I made it,’ Annika said. ‘This was my practice one …’ She immediately apologised. ‘Sorry, that sounds rude …’

‘It doesn’t sound rude at all.’

‘You have to spread the white chocolate on parchment paper and then slice it; you only fill the boxes at the end. I did a course a few years ago,’ Annika admitted. ‘Well, I didn’t finish it …’

‘You didn’t need to,’ Elsie said. ‘You could serve this up every night and he’d be happy. This is all you need … it’s delicious …’ Elsie was cramming raspberries in her mouth. ‘This is for your man?’

‘I’m worried he’ll think I’ve gone to too much effort.’

‘Is he worth the effort?’ Elsie asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Then don’t worry.’

‘I think I’ve asked him to dinner tonight.’

‘You think?’ Elsie frowned. ‘What did he say?’

‘That it sounded very nice.’ Annika gulped. ‘Only we haven’t confirmed times. I’m not even sure he knows where I live …’

‘He can find out,’ Elsie said.

‘How?’

‘If he wants to, he will.’

‘So I shouldn’t ring him and check …?’

‘Oh, no!’ Elsie said. ‘Absolutely not.’

‘What if he doesn’t come?’

‘You have to trust that he will.’

‘But what if he doesn’t?’

‘Then you bring in the food for us lot tomorrow,’ Elsie said. ‘Of course he’s coming.’ She put her hands on Annika’s cheeks. ‘Of course he’ll come.’