Heartbreaker Read Free Page B

scene. We didn’t want anyone, or anything else.
    Happy days.
    Days I wish I could turn the clock back to. Days I would never have left if only I'd known what was in my future. Not the future I ever envisaged.
    Doctor Richards comes through the door wearing a warm smile on his lips and in his eyes.
    I give a small smile back and he comes over to my bed. I’m in a ward with three other people, but I haven’t spoken to them. I’ve got the bed near the window, so I spend most of my time looking out at the hospital gardens.
    Apart from Bennett and Dad, Gerry’s been in to see me. I still haven’t told her anything. I haven’t told anyone, well, except Dr Richards, and not like I needed to tell him, he found out and then asked the questions that I couldn’t escape answering.
    Not this time.
    Bennett and Dad just think I had a concussion from hitting my head when I fainted. They’re pretty hopeless when it comes to medical matters, so they didn’t question anything I told them and didn’t question the doctors or nurses.
    Thank god.
    I look across to the small posy of white and pink daisies. The card says: Hope you are feeling better, C.
    C. for Cam.
    Dad said he dropped them off at the reception the first day I was in here. And he hasn’t been back. The first communication I’ve had with him in two years. And if I could answer him, not quite sure what I’d say. The usual most people say when asked that question. Yes. Of course. Much better, thanks.
    All lies.
    Not sure I can lie to him again. Once was bad enough. So I sit and stare at those daisies and I wonder why. I wonder why he returned that day and what he wanted to say. I wonder why he glared at me before I passed out and why he didn’t just leave me.
    Lots of wondering, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever know. Or even if I deserve to know.
    Probably not.
    Maybe once, but not now.
    Doctor Richards, props himself on the edge of my bed and pats my hand. I question whether he does this with all his patients or just me. But I don’t see why I’d be any more special than anyone else. It's just his gentle bed side manner and his lovely way of caring. It’s nice.
    “Hey, there Ms Ryan, how are you today? All ready to set sail?” He smiles again.
    “Yep. More than.”
    “Good, good. Now do you have any more questions? Anything you’ve thought of.”
    “Not right now. I think you’ve covered it all.”
    He gives a slight frown, and then pulls a card from his white coat pocket. “Here, this is my card. You can call me any time. I’d prefer that you c all and ask, rather than sweating on anything. Okay?”
    I nod. “Thanks.”
    “Bailey, do you have anyone you can talk to about all this?”
    I think on that. Dad, definitely not. He’d freak. Bennett knows some, but I can’t picture telling him everything, I think he might freak too. There’s Cam, but he’s out of the picture, and I really can’t imagine that conversation.
    Gerry is the only possibility. I look up at Dr Richards. “Yeah, I have a friend. I could talk to her, I guess.”
    “Good, good, I really think you need to talk this through with someone. Someone you trust.”
    He pulls another card from the same pocket. “If not, there is another option.”
    I raise my eyes as he hands me a crisp white card with a few pink petals dropping from the corner. Pretty I think. Then I read the name. Dr Lee White, psychologist.
    Holly hell, a shrink!
    I really don’t think that’s necessary. But I smile again and say thanks. Dr Richard gives me one more hard stare, pats my hand and says goodbye, after reminding me to get back on track with my eating and taking better care of myself.
    Yeah, I’ll get right on that.
    My stomach churns at the thought.

    So Bennett is driving me home. He hasn’t said much and I know what he’s wondering.
    Suspicious Minds starts playing on the stereo. Perfect. Why does the radio god always play the right tune at the wrong time?
    Bennett taps the steering wheel to the