3. A Second Chance (27 page)

Epilogue

I’d had a good night’s sleep, a very long, hot bath, several mugs of tea, and was now feeling very much more on top of things.

In an effort to overcome the slight social awkwardness occasioned by the two of us not knowing where to begin, he was fussing around the kitchen doing me some tea and toast since I’d missed breakfast. I was busy at the kitchen table.

‘What are you doing?’ he said, plonking a mug of tea in front of me.

‘Writing my obituary.’

‘What on earth for?’

‘Well, you can’t do it, can you? I never met you before yesterday.’

‘My surprise was based less on the fact that we’ve hardly met and more because you’re not actually dead.’

‘No, but I was. Maybe I’m a zombie. Brains … must have brains …’

‘No brains. Only Marmite.’

‘A very acceptable alternative.’

There was a slight pause. I wondered if perhaps his Max hadn’t liked Marmite. Was this how it was always going to be, with each of us silently comparing this new version of ourselves to the old one. I liked Marmite – maybe his Max hadn’t. This Leon wore black socks – my Leon hadn’t. My Leon had been dynamite in bed. We were good together. Suppose now … we weren’t?

I looked up and he was watching me, following my every thought. That hadn’t changed, anyway.

‘It’s not going to be a problem,’ he said softly. ‘We don’t have to rush anything. We have our whole lives ahead of us and we’ll just take each day as it comes. The first priority is to get you fit and well again. I don’t like women running around the flat with big holes in their chests. It makes the place look untidy.’

‘All closed up now,’ I said. ‘It just hurts a bit every now and then.’

Actually, it still hurt a lot. Mrs Partridge had known what she was doing. I had no choice but to remain here and take things slowly. For a week, at least.

A lot can happen in a week.

And it was about to.

The telephone rang.

Busy buttering toast, Leon ignored it and the machine cut in.

I heard his voice. ‘Please leave a message.’

A pause.

A beep.

Then Dr Bairstow, his voice harsh with urgency said, ‘Leon. Get out. They’re here. 
Run!
’

THE END

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s Series
by Jodi Taylor

For more information about
Jodi Taylor
and other
Accent Press
titles
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www.accentpress.co.uk

Published by Accent Press Ltd 2014

ISBN 9781783751631

Copyright © Jodi Taylor 2014

The right of Jodi Taylor to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

The story contained within this book is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publishers: Accent Press Ltd, Ty Cynon House, Navigation Park, Abercynon, CF45 4SN