The Green Years, Day 39

Esther Green was beginning to wonder where Maisie had got to, when there was a knock at her door

Ian removed the wine glass from Maisie’s hand and replaced it with his own, warm grasp. “I went looking for you after you disappeared at the Angus Hotel that night and found Grace Dalton at the address you gave me,” he said. “She told me why you’d left and I knew that, somehow, I had to let you know how wrong you’ve been about everything and me in particular.”

Maisie allowed her mind to ease, as the pieces of the jigsaw fell into place. “So,” Ian said quietly, “can we start again, Maisie?”

Maisie felt very still inside. She’d longed for Ian Brown to fall in love with her and now that he seemed to have, the rush of desire for him she’d expected to happen, just didn’t!

Somewhere deep inside there was a hesitation which she couldn’t ignore. Now that Ian Brown was available to her, she wasn’t sure at all if he was “the one”.

She needed time to think. What about, she didn’t know, she only knew that now wasn’t the time to make her mind up about Ian Brown.

“Can I sleep on it?” she asked, her eyes giving nothing away. “It’s all been a bit of a shock, you see,” she added, extricating her hand from his, “and maybe you should meet my mum and dad before we go any further.”

Excuses

Her voice tailed off as she ran out of excuses not to tell Ian Brown what she knew that he now desperately wanted to hear.

“Right,” Ian said flatly, “if that’s what you want.” Ian stood up, as did Rebel, thinking it was time for his walk. “I’d better take you home, then,” he said, leaving Maisie in the room while he got her things from the lobby.

Rebel sat on the floor beside her and rested his head on Maisie’s lap. “Sorry, boy,” she whispered, “for ruining your master’s Christmas.”

The drive back to Fintry was treacherous. The snow was lying thickly now and only traffic that needed to be out was on the road.

The windscreen wipers were barely sweeping the snow clear before it began to form again.

Maisie clung to the door handle, bracing her feet against the floor as the car slithered around the corner of Clepington Road and made its way on to Forfar Road.

Ian’s knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, cursing himself for being so stupid as to drive in this weather, but continuing the evening with Maisie after her lukewarm response to his overtures had forced the issue.

Forfar Road dipped steeply towards its junction with the Kingsway and that was where the car began to veer alarmingly into the kerb as it skidded out of control.

Ian jerked the wheel and stabbed at the brakes, but only managed to speed their descent even more.

It was the iron lamp post that stopped them from careering on to the Kingsway, but its impact catapulted both of them into the windscreen.

Esther Green was beginning to wonder where Maisie had got to, when there was a knock at her door.

“She’s probably forgotten her key again,” she muttered, but when she opened the door two policemen towered over her.

“Mrs Green,” said one of them, “is your man in?” Esther stepped backwards, “Joe,” she called, alarm shaking her vocal chords, “can you come to the door? It’s the police!”

Faint

Joe Green shuffled up the lobby, peering over his reading glasses. The police never brought good news and he felt his stomach tighten.

“Whut is it?” he asked putting his hand on Esther’s shoulder. “Can we come in, Mr Green?”

Joe Green nodded and stepped back allowing the bobbies to come in. “I believe Maisie Green is your daughter?”

Esther felt faint. “Maisie,” she said hoarsely, “is she all right?” “There’s been a bit of an accident, Mrs Green. Maisie’s been hurt quite badly and she’s in DRI.”

Joe and Esther Green were hit by a bolt of fear. “She’s all right, though?” Joe said. The policeman nodded.

“She’s in good hands,” he assured him. “We’ve got the car outside, so if you could get your coats we’ll drive you to the hospital.”

Joe and Esther trembled silently during the journey, each afraid to voice their worst fears.

“She’s in here,” the doctor said, leading the way along a corridor to a side ward. “She’s a bit drowsy,” he said quietly into the hush of the ward.

“Her arm was broken when the car hit the lamp post and she was badly concussed when they found her, so she’ll be out of action for a while, but, hopefully, she’ll make a full recovery.”

The doctor faded back into the dimness as Joe and Esther tiptoed cautiously to Maisie’s bedside. “What was she doing in a car?” Esther whispered to her husband. Joe didn’t answer.

“Maisie,” he called gently, “are you awake, lassie?” Maisie’s eyes fluttered open as the sound of her father’s voice filtered through the effects of the chloroform. “Dad?”

“Sssshhhhh, Maisie,” Joe said. “You’ve had a bit of an accident and you’re in DRI, but everything’s fine and the doctor says you’ll soon be on your feet again.”

He turned and looked at his wife. “Mum’s here too,” he said, moving aside to let Esther in to the bedside. “Maisie,” she whispered, “it’s your mum.”

Maisie felt her hand being squeezed, before she fell back into her anaesthetised sleep.

When Chrissie and her mother heard the news of the car accident, their first thoughts were for Maisie.

“Is she going to be all right, Esther?” Grace asked, pouring cups of tea for all of them.

“What I can’t understand is what she was doing in a car and in that weather?” came the response.

Truth

Grace and Chrissie exchanged glances. It was time for the truth.

“She was with a young man called Ian Brown,” Grace explained, “and I think he must have been driving her home or something when the accident happened.”

“Ian Brown?”

“It’s her boyfriend,” Chrissie stated. “At least I think it is. She met him at the Badminton Club.”

“Nobody ever tells me anything,” Esther muttered to herself, getting back to normal now she knew Maisie was going to be fine.

“So you think we can we see her?” Chrissie asked, “at the hospital, I mean.”

“Not today,” said Esther, “but tomorrow I’m sure she’d like a visit.”

Grace nodded agreement. “She’ll be more like herself then.”

Esther finished her tea, taking an appreciative look around Grace Dalton’s house as she left. Some women have all the luck, she thought, fervently hoping that Maisie would be one of them.

More tomorrow.