Chapter 17

After her conversation with Hank Fiona had to ring her mother again and change the plans. She also had to discuss the future with Sheila.

"Are you going to move in with him?" asked Sheila innocently.

"How I wish! Just think though of the chat and scandal in a small village."

Sheila grinned. "Bad luck, old girl! His headmaster would have to sack him too for setting a bad example to the children."

They both giggled. Sheila was perfectly happy for the three of them to stay as long as they wanted. It would be a bit crowded when her two children came home for the holidays but nothing that sleeping bags would not overcome. They also agreed on a modest rent.

"I don't want to make money out of you, dear, but I don't want a slap on the wrist from Bill for going overdrawn," explained Sheila.

"Well, if you find we're not paying you enough you jolly well say so."

"I will. Have no fear."

Fiona was up with the sparrows the next morning. She was determined to be back to see Hank in the afternoon. It meant, to her fury, that even on a Saturday she became caught in the rush hour. Traffic slowed to a crawl three miles before her exit from the motorway and then the 'clever' new traffic system off it was locked solid. She did not reach her parents' house until quarter past nine, three-quarters of an hour later than she had planned. She managed to leave again by ten, regaining fifteen minutes.

Back at her house there was hurried packing and by the time they left the car was loaded to the gunwales. They stopped for a snack lunch at Fleet Services and were just about back on schedule when they left.

They went straight to the hospital as Fiona had planned all along.

"Mummy, can I get Mr Brierson some flowers?"

"He's got loads already. Have you got any money?"

"A bit and this is an engagement present as well."

"I've got a bit," interjected Nigel.

Fiona had to add fifty pence being very touched by their gesture.

The children stood with shy smiles on their faces as Fiona ran across the room to kiss Hank. She stood back and Hank opened his arms to them. Tessa, less inhibited than her teenage brother got there first and flung herself into his arms, gave him a big, wet kiss and then thrust the flowers at him.

"These are from Nigel and me they're a get well present and also an engagement present," she said all in one breath.

"Thank you both very much indeed." He stuck his hand out to Nigel who shook it with a big smile on his face. As Hank had surmised a hug would have been hugely embarrassing.

"They need putting somewhere where I can see them all the time while I'm still here," he continued.

"I'll go and see if the nurses have another vase," Fiona said and left the room.

Tessa sat on the edge of the bed. "As you're going to marry Mummy we can't go on calling you Mr Brierson, can we?" she said solemnly.

"No," said Hank equally solemnly but with dancing eyes. "Have you got any suggestions?"

"Yes. Nigel and I have been talking about it. I used to call Daddy Daddy and Nigel called him Dad so we can't call you either of those, can we?"

"Not really."

"So, um, we'd both like to call you Hank if that's all right."

"Very all right."

Both children beamed.

"Mum said you've got a Labrador called Bella," said Nigel.

"That's right."

"Who's been looking after her while you've been in hospital?"

"I have a very good friend called Barbara who is the nurse at the school I work at and she has been popping in twice a day to feed her and let her out."

"No walks?"

"None, I'm afraid, poor old Bella. She'll be getting fat."

"Can we take her for walks?"

"You bet. She'll love it. Thanks, Nigel."

Nigel blushed slightly with pleasure.

"How old is she?" asked Tessa.

"Five and a bit."

"Oh!"

"You sound disappointed."

"Not really. I hoped she might still be a puppy and play."

"She'll play, I promise you."

Fiona came back at that point and Tessa rushed over to her with the flowers.

"Mummy," she said excitedly, "Mr Brierson's said we can call him Hank."

Fiona restrained herself from asking why Tessa had said 'Mr Brierson' in that case.

"That's super, darling."

"And he says we can take Bella for walks and even though she's five Bella still likes to play when can we do that, Mummy?" Again a breathless, excited rush of words.

"Possibly tomorrow, darling, but if we go to Hank's house without being introduced to Bella she might nosh us."

"Oh gosh! Would she do that Mr, um, Hank?"

"I doubt it. She'd make a great deal of noise and then an equally great fuss of you. She's useless as a guard dog apart from the initial woofing."

And so it went on: the children, particularly Tessa, responding to Hank's humour, gentleness and respect. Nigel's view that Hank treated him as an adult was reinforced although his teenage reticence and caginess held him back from the shows of affection that Tessa seemed to glory in.

With ten minutes to go before doctors' rounds, Fiona had been keeping an eye on her watch, she sent them back to the car.

"Hank and I would just like a few minutes on our own," she said.

"Darling, you've won their love as you've won mine." She snuggled down beside him. "How are those lips?"

"Suck 'em and see."

"You asked for it."

She bent forward and kissed him gently and then increased the pressure. She ran her tongue over his lips and probed gently. The response was immediate and in moments they were kissing each other unrestrainedly. Finally, they had to break.

"Wow!" gasped Fiona. "You're certainly better. Where did you learn to kiss like that?"

"I had a wife, if you remember."

"And I had a husband and I thought he was a pretty good kisser but you've left him standing, my darling."

Hank smoothed back her hair and then held her head. "Don't let's do comparisons, darling." Then he grinned. "That had no comparison."

"Oh, darling!" She buried her head in his shoulder and he held her to him.

At length, they released each other.

"You were magic with the children, darling. They've both completely fallen for you."

"No fault of mine. They're both very, very nice kids. But it's wonderful that they don't seem to have any hang-ups."

"Fingers crossed."

Sister came in. Fiona rose with a smile. "Gone," she said, "in the twinkling of an eye."

Sister smiled. "Did you tell your children to thank me for letting them visit your fiancé?"

"No!"

"They did."

Hank and Fiona smiled at each other. "Told you," he said.

On Sunday morning, before she went to the hospital, Fiona, Sheila and the children found their way to Hank's house where Barbara was waiting having gone to feed and water Bella. Rapport between Bella and the children was quickly established and the three of them vanished into the garden. Barbara took Fiona and Sheila round the house.

"What a lovely house!" said Fiona when they finished. "Anne must have had exquisite taste but, I don't know, there seem to be rooms that Hank hasn't been into since her death."

Barbara nodded. "It was the same with me until I moved. I bet, if you think about it, you were the same until you moved."