Knowing Me Knowing You (43 page)

‘
He’
s in bay two, just across there.
H
e’s had an MRI and a CAT scan and we’ll have the results in the morning. He’s very lucky someone found him when they did. The doctor will be able to tell you more in the morning,
’
the nurse told her
.

She pointed to a bay Kate had already glanced at without recognising the occupant. Looking a second time
she saw it was Joel. His face was swollen to almost twice its usual size and his lip was stitched up. She put her hands to her mouth, unable to hide her shock.

‘
Are you OK?
’
the nurse asked, seeing Kate’s reaction.

‘
Is he conscious?
’
Kate questioned.

‘
Oh yes, he’s just resting.
S
o don’t stay too long please and keep your voice down,
’
the nurse said quietly.

Kate took a deep breath and then propelled herself over to the bed, swallowing her concern and horror as best she could.

She sat down on a chair next to his bed and studied his horrific injuries. His handsome face was now a patchwork of red and maroon bruises and cuts. He looked like someone who had done ten rounds with David
Haye
without a gum guard or a referee.

‘
Joel,
’
she whispered.

His large eyes flickered open and he looked at her.

‘
Kate,
’
he said, sounding uncomfortable.

‘
Well, now, isn’t this a fine way to get my attention? I mean if you wanted attention you just had to say. And what have you done to your face? That nice make-up lady at ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ isn’t going to be happy with you,
’
Kate attempted to joke as she squeezed his hand.

Joel attempted a smile and then winced in pain.

‘
What happened? I told you to drive carefully. Why didn’t you listen?
’

‘
I wasn’t in the car,
’
Joel replied.

‘
Then what happened?
’

‘
I got jumped on the way home, by three or four guys,
’
Joel said, stifling a cough.

‘
Attacked? What, you mean mugged?
’

‘
Yeah they took my wallet,
’
Joel responded.

‘
Well have you told the police?
’

‘
Not yet. I will, they’re coming in the morning, I think.
’

‘
How could someone do this? And why did you make them fight you for your wallet? You should have just given it to them,
’
Kate said crossly.

Joel didn’t answer.

‘
Are you hurt anywhere else, apart from your face?
’
Kate asked with a swallow.

‘
It hurts pretty much everywhere,
’
Joel informed her.

She squeezed her eyes tight and tried to stop the tears escaping.

‘
Hey, don’t cry, looks are superficial remember and I’ve been told the inside is going to be just fine,
’
Joel told her.

‘
You have Hermione to thank for me being here. She left a message about a fitting for your wedding suit and the hospital called her to try and find your next of kin. Shall I ring your mum and dad?
’
Kate offered.

‘
No. No, I don’t want to worry them,
’
Joel said.

‘
But, they’ll be expecting you.
’

‘
No, they won’t.
’

‘
But you were going to stay with them,
’
Kate reminded him.

This time it was Joel’s turn to sigh.

‘
You told me you were going to stay with them,
’
Kate repeated.

‘
I know.
’

‘
You lied to me,
’
Kate said, taken aback.

‘
Because I didn’t want to make things difficult for you, I thought if you thought I was going away it would just make it easier. I know you’re still in love with Matthew,
’
Joel spoke, unable to keep the sadness out of his voice.

‘
I’m not,
’
Kate replied automatically.

‘
Kate, we agreed to be honest with each other didn’t we?
’
Joel said with a cough.

‘
Yes, and now you’ve lied about visiting your parents.
So much for you always telling the truth.
’

‘
I know I shouldn’t have done that but I did it for the right reasons.
’

‘
I don’t know how I feel about anything at the moment,
’
Kate admitted.

‘
It’s OK.
’

‘
No it isn’t, it’s not right, I mean I’m not that sort of person, I mean we’ve kissed and we’ve....,
’
Kate began.

‘
Slept together,
’
Joel spoke.

‘
Yes. We shouldn’t have done that.
’

‘
Shouldn’t we?
’

‘
I don’t know.
’

‘
For the record, it didn’t feel wrong to me.
’

Kate shook her head.

‘
I don’t want to let you go Kate, not if there’s the slightest chance you could feel the same way about me as you do about him,
’
Joel spoke.

‘
He hurt me and he threw me away.
’

‘
I would never do that, ever.
’

‘
I know.
’

Joel coughed and tried to sit up to reach his glass of water. Kate reached for it and helped him drink it. He spilt some out of the corner of his mouth and Kate hurriedly reached for a tissue to mop it up.

‘
Thanks. I’m making more mess than
Bethan
aren’t I?
’
he replied with a half-hearted smile.

‘
Joel, when you get out of here I want you to come and stay with me, until you’re better,
’
Kate said determinedly.

‘
But, you don’t have a spare room,
’
Joel stated.

‘
I know. Just don’t tell the nurse, she thinks I’m your sister,
’
Kate replied.

‘
Take it slowly, there’s no rush. Tell him there’s no rush Philip.
’
Kate said as she and Philip helped Joel out of the car and towards her house.

‘
There’s no rush Joel,
’
Philip repeated, feeling he had to.

‘
Thanks Philip,
’
Joel replied, taking no notice.

‘
Mione
, you tell him, he isn’t resting, the doctor said to rest and we’ve got the final in two days,
’
Kate exclaimed as Hermione opened the door to them.

‘
Come in and sit down on the sofa Joel, you have at least half an hour before the cakes will be ready for decorating. Want
a
herbal tea?
’
Hermione offered.

‘
A coffee would be good.
’

‘
No, tea is better for you, have you got some camomile with you?
’
Kate asked, rushing to put the kettle on.

‘
Look, will you all just stop for a minute,
’
Joel ordered.

‘
Joel, Joel,
’
Bethan
spoke, running in from the garden and jumping up onto Joel’s lap.

‘
I appreciate all the help and the trouble you’re going to but I’m fine, I can do things for myself, I’m feeling a lot better,
’
Joel replied, giving
Bethan
a hug.

‘
Good, then you’ll be able to tell me what Kate’s favourite film is,
’
Hermione asked.

‘
That will be ‘Pretty Woman’,
’
Joel replied confidently.

‘
Very impressive, and which toothpaste does she use?
’

‘
Some sort of whitening stuff, probably
Asda
.
’

‘
Ooo
, you’re scaring me,
’
Kate responded.

‘
And last one before I make the coffee, is she a
Ladyshave
lady or a
Bic
razor woman?
’

‘
Bic
razor, definitely, seen those in the bathroom,
’
Joel responded.

‘
Good lad, three out of three Kate, can’t do better than that,
’
Hermione remarked with a satisfied nod.

‘
No, it’s very impressive, seeing as he’s had several blows to the head.
’

‘
Some things you never forget,
’
Joel replied with a smile.

‘
Right then, I’ll put the kettle on. I’ve baked some apple tarts,
’
Hermione said.

‘
Mione’s
recorded the last ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ show to DVD and brought it round; I thought we might watch it later for a laugh,
’
Kate said.

‘
Yeah, OK. Look Kate, you didn’t have to go to all this trouble you know, I wasn’t expecting any of this and…..
’

‘
Sorry about that, this is how we welcome people out of hospital around here. And I hope you’re hungry because I have two Swedish meatball dinners all ready to microwave.
’

‘
Please no, the hospital food was positively great compared to that. Don’t you have eggs for omelettes?
’

‘
Yes but you’re not cooking and I don’t think my culinary skills are up to making omelettes, so I think the meatballs might be the safer option.
’

‘
You’re probably right.
’

‘
But we’ve got tarts and wedding cake to eat first so you might not need any more.
’

‘
Here’s hoping,
’
Joel answered.

‘
Are you warm enough?
’
Kate asked him.

‘
Are you turning into my mother? I’m fine; I don’t need a blanket or anything else except a coffee.
’

‘
Tea.
’

‘
Come on! One coffee isn’t going to halt my recovery.
’

‘
One camomile tea and an arnica tablet, it’s excellent, helps with the bruising,
’
Hermione said, bringing a cup and pill over to Joel.

‘
Thanks,
’
Joel replied.

‘
Apple tart?
’
Hermione offered.

‘
Maybe in a bit,
’
Joel said.

‘
Are we crowding you? Say if we’re crowding you and we can leave the cake decorating for another time, can’t we
Mione
,
’
Kate spoke.

‘
Its fine, everything’s fine, honestly and I’m not an invalid,
’
Joel insisted.

‘
I’d just suck it up Joel; women never listen to a word you say,
’
Philip said, passing Joel an apple tart and sinking his teeth into one.

‘
Philip, that isn’t true!
’
Hermione exclaimed.