Chapter 84
Mark finished checking John over. He bandaged a couple of the nastier gashes on his legs and put a butterfly stitch on a cut on his head. After taking his blood pressure and pulse and shining a pen-torch in his eyes, Mark declared that John had been very lucky indeed.
“I’d like you to come in too and get a doctor to give you the once-over,” said Mark.
“Do I have to?” asked John.
“No, you don’t have to. We advise it just in case. You could be concussed. But ultimately it’s your choice.”
“I’d rather not,” said John. “I’m not an emergency and I don’t fancy sitting in an A&E waiting room for hours just to be told I can go home and rest. No offense.”
“None taken,” said Mark. “I wouldn’t want to be waiting around either. Have you got someone at home? Or anyone who can stay with you tonight? I would feel happier knowing you had help at hand, should you need it.”
“He can stay here,” said Annie. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” John protested.
“Don’t argue with me. You’re staying here,” said Annie.
Mark went back to the ambulance to get a stretcher, and John and Annie followed him up the stairs, Annie walking behind to steady John if he needed it.
“I’m not wearing any trousers,” said John when they reached the café door.
“Worried the sight of your legs will be too much for the book club?” asked Annie. She looked down at the marks left on the wooden floor by his wet socks. “I think you need to take those socks off. You’ll get trench foot.”
“You seem determined to get me naked.”
“When you’re my age and single you’ve got to get your kicks when you can.”
John chuckled. “Far be it from me to deny you your kicks, Ms. Sharpe,” he said, reaching down—foil blanket crinkling—to remove his socks. “Satisfied?”
“Hold on for one second,” she said, grabbing one of the pairs of sweatpants from the banister. “Do you want to pop these on to cover your modesty?”
“Oh, now you’re worried about my modesty.” He gave a croaky laugh. And with some difficulty he pulled the sweatpants on. They were too short by miles, but then the foil blanket didn’t exactly ooze high fashion either.
“Come on, then, wet-pants,” said Annie. “Let’s put your fans’ minds at rest.”
* * *
—
For several minutes John was swamped by women. Gemma clucked about him like a mother hen, while Maeve forced another cup of strong tea with two upon him.
“You look like you’ve just run a marathon,” said Sally.
“I feel like it too.” John tried to laugh but erupted into another fit of coughing, which saw Gemma’s clucking go into overdrive.
It was warm in the café, and Annie was pleased to note John’s shivering beginning to subside a little. Then Georgina and Mark came carefully into the café with Alfred strapped onto the stretcher and everything went quiet. Alfred’s eyes were closed, but they fluttered open as a little gasp escaped Gemma’s lips.
“Thank you, John,” he croaked.
“Anytime,” said John. He turned to Annie. “I’m going to follow him up in the car.”
“You most certainly are not, young man,” said Maeve, flinging off her blanket. “Half dressed and half drowned, you look an absolute fright! You stay here, my lad, and get some rest. I’ll be accompanying Alfred to the hospital. Margate, I presume?” she asked Georgina, who nodded.
“Don’t fuss, woman,” wheezed Alfred, his eyes closed again.
“When have you ever known me to fuss, you crotchety old bugger?” Maeve retorted. “I’m only coming to make sure they don’t accidentally mistake you for a sasquatch.”
Alfred’s lips twitched into a smile.
“Could murder one of your bacon sandwiches,” he whispered.
“Behave yourself, and I’ll see what I can do,” said Maeve.
The ambulance pulled away, followed by Maeve’s car, and the others left shortly after. Sally offered to drop Gemma home, since she’d come down in Maeve’s car.
Annie stood by the door and waved until Sally’s car rounded the bend. The rain had mercifully stopped, but the cold wind still howled as though anguished, and the ocean thundered in response.
Georgina had given Annie some advice on what to keep an eye out for with regards to John. For the next twenty-four hours, she would be watching for chest pains, shortness of breath, dizziness or confusion, and fever. Annie hadn’t felt so responsible since the boys were small.