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‘Yes I think so’ Soht need a bit of reassurance that you aren’t going to disappear with Katherine in hospital’

‘Disappear?’

‘As in hot foot it back to London the minute you have a quick ith the consultant’

In truth, the reality of the situation was really only now beginning to sink in His mother would be off her feet for soements for Daniel He could hardly be expected to abandon work for an indefinite period of time; it had been years since he had taken more than a few days off!

‘Right Well, I’ to head off to the hospital now I take it you will be able to cover here until I return?’

The underlying assumption was that she would be Here was a iven that other people would have no proble in hatever plans he had for the their lives

‘Yes, but then I’ll need to be away’

‘Naturally Art courses to attend, friends to visit’

‘How did you know about the art course?’

Leo decided that it was definitely ti’ He began walking away It was late, and it would probably have beento the hospital, but soed between hisbeen emotionally independent of her for more years than he cared to ree the invisible gap that separated theun to see the considerable sacrifices which she had made for him with Daniel He had also been treated to one or two trips down memory lane, which was a place he had seldoht not have been quite as clear cut as he remembered

Now, he was reluctant to jeopardise that fragile relationship by showing up in his oeet tined air of hers, that yet again the pressing de else

‘What time do you think you’ll be back?’ Heather pressed him for an answer

‘Couple of hours Why?’

‘Look at me!’ She drew his attention to her dishevelled state and then instantly regretted it when he paused to look at her It was a thorough inspection that took in the very worst of her stay-at-hoear, the sort of clothes which would have had her instantly hanged, drawn and quartered by the Fashion Police She hadn’t glanced into ato bet that her face was shiny and her hair was a mop ‘I need a bath,’ she muttered

‘I don’t reed, gritting his teeth as his iarb to the body underneath ‘I have a wardrobe of spare clothes upstairs Feel free to take what you need’

Heather could think of nothing she would rather do less, but she nodded, willing hie of his absence to shower, change and scramble into one of the five spare bedrooms before he returned

Thanks to an interruption by Daniel, who had woken and had needed co story before he fell back to sleep, it was nearly ed-for bath She found one of Leo’s pristine white work-shirts to use as a nightie Although it wasshe usually dared wear, at least it was clean

Having had nothing to eat for the evening, she are of the growling pains in her stoht Her last meal had been hours previously, a snatched sandwich in between preparing some stuff for the art class which she did at the local school

Noith her sto her of that fact, she tiptoed out of the bedroo staircase and into the kitchen

The house was in darkness save for the light in the hall Leo still hadn’t returned, or if he had he had ed to make absolutely no noise Since he didn’t strike her as the kind of thoughtful guy ould tiptoe through the house in darkness rather than wake its sleeping occupants, Heather assuish hospital syste his hair out while he waited for people to do his bidding

She was inspecting the contents of the fridge, and indulging in a pleasant daydreareat man undone by a hospital system which refused to do as it was told, when she are of a sound behind her

She spun around, ar but a bar of chocolate, and her eyes widened at the sight of Leo lounging against the kitchen door, eyebrows raised in an amused question