To Mend a Broken Heart Read online

  “I told you, I knew you'd be good at this.”

  “I'm not good. I'm barely standing up and I'm spoiling your fun. I'm going to wait over there,” I point to a cluster of seats outside the rink, “I want to see what you can really do.”

  Daniel helps me over to the side and waits for me to climb off the ice. When I'm seated and comfortable, he takes off. He looks so handsome in his big brown jumper and beanie. It might be a nice day outside, but it’s freezing in here. I sit and watch as he moves with grace and elegance over the ice, he skates backwards and forwards, he jumps and spins in the air and lands perfectly back on the ice. He is mesmerising to watch. While I’m watching him, an old lady comes and sits next to me and watches him, smiling as Daniel whizzes around the rink.

  “You're a very lucky lady he’s so handsome and the best skater I've seen in a long time,” She tells me, “How long have you been married?”

  “Oh, we're not,” I smile, “We're just friends.”

  “That isn't a look of friendship on his face when he looks at you sweetheart, that is a look that says he’ll do anything for you if you only ask. I know that look, my Bert used to look at me in exactly the same way.”

  “Daniel doesn't think of me like that. He’s helping me through a very difficult time, he is one of my best friends. Nothing more.”

  “And because of that, he has fallen in love with you. It's clear to see, even if it’s not to you.”

  We watch as Daniel's feet leave the ice, he spins then lands perfectly on the ice again. I look back at the old lady but she’s gone, back sitting with her family a few tables away. Daniel finishes another circuit of the rink and climbs off, coming to sit next to me.

  “Well?”

  “I'm impressed, you didn't say you were like Olympic standard!” I bump his arm with my shoulder.

  “I am not Olympic standard. I just spent a lot of time with my Dad ice skating. He played hockey.”

  “Well, you're really good. It was awesome to watch.”

  “Thank you. Ready for a mocha?”

  “You're having a mocha?”

  “No I am not, disgusting things.” he laughs pulling me to my feet.

  “They are heavenly!”

  “Then let's take you to Heaven shall we?”

  I bite my bottom lip and stifle the laugh I feel in my cheeks. The man is testing me, I was sure of it. When we get to the little café, Daniel orders a mocha and a cappuccino. Then he turns and asks what I want to eat. It’s only ten-thirty so I opt for a muffin. Daniel orders a double chocolate muffin for himself, just like I knew he would and pays for everything, again, just like I knew he would. We grab two seats and tuck into our muffins. When I cheekily steal a piece of his, he leans over and steals a piece of mine too, scrunching up his face at me.

  “Mine is much nicer.”

  “You don't like blueberry muffins?”

  “I don't. Muffins are supposed to be chocolate.”

  “You're a chocoholic!”

  “I know. And proud.”

  “What are we doing for the rest of the day?” I ask, sipping my mocha.

  “Is it weird that we have become a we?” Daniel asks, looking at me over the top of his cup.

  “Sorry, I just assumed, you’ve probably got stuff to do, I’ll just finish this and th—” Daniel leans over and places a finger over my lips stopping me from talking. He shakes his head then laughs at me.

  “I wish I hadn’t mentioned anything now. I want to spend the day with you, I just meant, is it strange we’ve become a we and we’re not dating.”

  “I don’t know, is it?”

  “I don’t think it’s weird. Is it weird for you?”

  “Honestly? No, it’s not. I feel so comfortable with you, so—”

  “Happy? Safe?”

  “That.” I hold my hand out and he slips his fingers around mine.

  “So, if you’re happy to spend the day together, I have something I’d like your help with at home.”

  “What is it?”

  “Dinner.”

  “You want me to help you with dinner?”

  “I’d like you to come over for dinner, the thing I need help with is hanging some new photos, I’d really like your opinion.”

  “It depends… What are you cooking?” I tease, sipping my drink.

  “I was going to make, what is, the most incredible chicken caesar salad.”

  “So that’s chicken and salad?” I frown.

  “No. Not the way Jamie Oliver does it. It’s the most delicious chicken and salad with the most spectacular croutons, I’m probably not selling it very well, but you’ll have to trust me.”

  “Trust that your salad is better than any other salad I’ve ever had before?” I raise one eyebrow at him and try not to laugh.

  “Yes.”

  “I’m prepared to take the risk. You and your salad have a lot to live up to now, you know that?”

  “I think we’re more than up to the challenge.” he smirks at me.

  “We’ll see won’t we?” I grin.

  * * *

  “I really like that one.” I point to the black and white photo of Poppy blowing bubbles.

  “I do too, but I love this one, and that one, and that one over there,” he points to another framed photograph sitting on the table, “This is why I need your help.” he runs his hands over his face and looks at me.

  “Well, why don’t you make one of those photo walls?” I suggest.

  “A photo wall?”

  “Yes, it’s like a wall covered in photos. All different shapes and sizes, all framed and making up a whole wall. They are all so beautiful, how can you possibly choose?”

  “I can’t. You can.”

  “Oh, no, no, no!” I walk backwards and raise my hands up in surrender, “You are not doing that to me”

  Daniel laughs and looks at me, his eyes are surprisingly happy seeing as I know this must be incredibly difficult for him. He comes to stand next to me and looks down at the many photos he has scattered all over his table. He picks one up, a beautiful photo of Poppy sitting outside.

  “Maybe I’ll go with the photo wall idea. Where would it go though?”

  “How about in your reading room? You said you both loved it in there, so it would seem fitting to go in there?”

  “I like that idea.”

  “Well, I am full of good ideas!” I tease him.

  “You have one or two yes.”

  “So, we’ll need more frames.”

  “A lot more frames, I think.” he laughs.

  “Then I guess a trip to the shop is in order, don’t you?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “You know, I’ll need paying for this, right? All these good ideas and helping you arrange it?”

  “I’m making you dinner, that can be your payment!”

  “You’re going to pay me in salad leaves?” I asks incredulously.

  “I’ve told you,” he says stepping closer and looking down into my face, “They are not just salad leaves!”

  “Dress it up however you like, they are just salad leaves!”

  “You’ll see later, they are not. Now, let’s get going before the shops close!” he turns me around and pushes me forward, out of the lounge door.

  “You’re getting bossy!”

  “And you’re going to make us get to the shop when it’s closing!”

  “I’m coming, I’m coming!” I call, as I head to the downstairs loo, peeking my head around the door before I close it I add, “After I’ve been to the loo!”

  I hear his laughter while I’m in the toilet. I look at myself in mirror and grin. It’s impossible to be with Daniel and not smile, he is everything that is good about life. I don’t remember the exact point life started being a little easier and less painful, but I hope it is going to continue.

  * * *

  I have to give it to Daniel, these aren’t just salad leaves. The dressing, the hot chicken and bacon and the most incredible croutons I’ve ev
er tasted make this caesar salad the most incredible salad I have ever had. I look over at Daniel who has an I told you so look on his face and burst out laughing. Whether it’s the look on his face or the two glasses of wine I’ve had with dinner, I’m not sure, but I can’t stop myself from laughing once I start and before I know what’s happening, there are tears streaming down my face and for the first time in what seems like forever, they are happy tears. When I finally get it together and stop laughing, I look over at Daniel who is sitting there with a huge grin on his face and an emotion in his eyes I’m not sure what to do with. The old lady’s words from earlier come back to me and I begin to think, maybe she is right. Does Daniel feel more for me than friendship and if he does, what am I supposed to do?

  “Coffee?” he asks, still smiling.

  “That would be lovely, thank you.”

  We both stand and head into the kitchen, clearing the dinner things into the dishwasher, Daniel begins to get everything ready to make a coffee.

  “I really don’t know how you work that.” I gesture to the coffee machine.

  “Bruce?” Daniel asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

  “Bruce?” I scoff, “You’ve named your coffee machine?”

  “Yes, I’ve named my camera too. All my most loved things have names.”

  “Why Bruce?”

  “Bruce Almighty. The best coffee machine there is.” he grins.

  “Oh good Lord, do I want to know what your camera is called?”

  “Ansel.”

  “Ansel?”

  “As in Ansel Adams?”

  “Oh, well at least that one makes sense.”

  “All my names make sense!” he chuckles.

  “Right…”

  “Why don’t you go sit in the lounge, I’ll make us coffee and then come in. I might,” he leans closer and whispers to me, “Even have a box of After Eights I might let you share.” he pulls back and winks.

  “Well, how could I resist, coffee and After Eights?”

  I head into the lounge and kick my shoes off, tucking my feel underneath me. When Daniel comes into the room later with our coffees and chocolates, I’m so comfortable I could fall asleep. I sit up in an attempt to wake myself up a little and make space for Daniel on the sofa. He hands me the box of chocolates and I greedily take three, one just never cuts it.

  “So, not wanting to get all deep on you, but what do you want to do with your life, Katie? What’s on your bucket list?” Daniel asks, his voice slightly slow from the alcohol he’s consumed.

  “I want to see the world.”

  “What do you want to see?”

  “I want to go on the Orient Express. I want to visit Denmark and Sweden, I want to go to New York City and I really want to take a road trip through America.”

  “Wow, that’s a lot of things. You would love New York, it’s an incredible place.”

  “You’ve been?” I sit forward, interested.

  “I have. Three times.”

  “Do you have photos?”

  “Of course I do, do you want to see them?”

  “Almost as much as I want another chocolate.”

  “Well, help yourself,” he hands me the box, “I’ll get the photos.”

  Chapter Nine

  After a highly emotional day at the hospital I’m heading over to meet Ginny for dinner. It’s a girly dinner and I am getting a taxi there and back so I don’t need to worry about driving. We are long overdue a proper girly catch up, since I’ve been ‘out of action’ as Ginny called it, I can’t actually remember the last time we went out for something to eat just the two of us. As I step into the restaurant I spot Ginny at the bar, talking into her phone, a big smile on her face.

  “Hey beautiful, come here often?” I ask her, in the best impression of a male voice I can manage.

  She looks up at me and grins, before finishing her call to Ryan. I know it’s Ryan because she is discussing Aidan and what time he needs to be in bed by. When she puts her phone down and leans over to greet me I settle in my seat and order myself a large glass of white wine.

  “So, this is… strange?” I half smile.

  “It’s been a while, but I think it’s right we do this now.”

  “Me too. How was work?”

  “Good, busy as always, but good. Speaking of work, how was the hospital?”

  “Emotionally draining today. There is a little girl there, Amber, she’s six and…” I feel the tears filling my eyes and wipe them away, “She’s dying, Ginny.” I whisper.

  “Oh, sweetie.” she stands and wraps her arms around me, “I’m so sorry.”

  “I wasn’t prepared for it. I don’t know, I guess I knew, I’ve always known they were poorly and that with what they are battling, death is a very real thing, but when it happens… We only found out about it two weeks ago. She has really deteriorated fast. Daniel, he’s a mess, Ginny.”

  “Oh, God, I didn’t even think. How does he do it? How does he find his strength?” she takes a large gulp of her wine.

  “Well, he isn’t doing it right now. He is still coming in, still there, but he isn’t happy. I spent an hour with him over lunch talking to him, trying to get him to talk to me. He’s usually so open about everything, but right now, he can’t talk about it. He is lost to his grief, which with Amber as she is, is only more prominent than it usually is,” I take a sip of my wine and lean back in my chair.

  “I’ve told him to take some time off, to stop for a while, that everyone will understand. But he won’t. I’m just really worried that this is going to make things worse, that this is going to cause untold damage to him, Ginny.”

  “I don’t know what to suggest, he knows what he can take though sweetie. I’m sure he wouldn’t do it if it was hurting him too much.”

  “That’s just it, I’m not sure he would stop if it was hurting him. He worries too much about everyone except himself.”

  We sit just looking at each other for a minute. Not sure what else to say. After a few minutes, Ginny takes my hand a squeezes it. I squeeze it back and it’s like we both decide to change the subject, like we both need to.

  “Daniel took me ice skating at the weekend.” I groan.

  “He didn’t!” she laughs.

  “He did. I was awful, but he was incredible, Ginny, I’m talking like Olympic standard incredible. He did jumps and all sorts.”

  “That,” she grins wickedly, “I’d like to see. Ryan can’t skate to save his life!”

  “Maybe Daniel could teach him!”

  “Maybe,” she smiles, “Are you ready to eat?”

  “I was ready an hour ago.”

  “Then lets go stuff our faces and put the world to rights!”

  * * *

  We’re half way through dinner, I’ve had two glasses of wine and I’m feeling relaxed when my phone rings. I reach into my bag and see Daniel’s name on the screen. I look at Ginny and she nods, telling me to answer.

  “Hi Daniel. Daniel?”

  I don’t hear anything for a few seconds, then his voice comes down the line. It’s a broken, agonised voice, a voice filled with so much pain and anguish I can practically feel it down the phone. My heart aches for him and I know right then before I’ve even said anything to him, that I’ll be leaving Ginny and going to see him.

  “Katie?”

  “What’s wrong?” I speak into the phone, meeting Ginny’s eyes. She’s already waving over the waiter and asking for the bill.

  “I just, I can’t. you’re busy, It doesn’t matter.”

  “Hey, listen, we’re finished,” I meet Ginny’s eyes again and mouth sorry, she shakes her head, no, “I can get a taxi to yours. I’ll be ten minutes.” I tell him.

  “You don’t need to.”

  “Daniel, do you need me?” I ask him, already knowing what the answer will be.

  “Yes.” his broken voice comes down the line.

  “I’ll be there soon. It’s okay.”