Sleepwalk by Ros Seddon Page B

bed. How are you feeling?’
    ‘Spoiled.’
    ‘Yes. Sorry Flick. I’ve used all the bacon and there’s only one egg left but I’ll get you some more.’
    ‘I don’t care about the bacon, or the eggs. You shouldn’t be doing this. I should be making breakfast for you. You’re my guest.’
    ‘Hardly; you’re my patient. Anyway it’s done now and I enjoy cooking.’ He set down a rack of toast and took two plates from the grill pan filled with bacon, eggs and to matoes. ‘It’s ok. I don’t make full English every morning; only on special occasions. It’s normally toast or cornflakes as I’m on my way out the door.’
    They sat down to eat and Felicity couldn’t help thinking……… she wouldn’t ever want him to leave .
    ‘Did you sleep well?’
    ‘Like a log. How about you? You couldn’t have been very comfortable on that sofa.’
    ‘It was fine honestly. It’s quite cosy actually.’
    They ate his incredibly tasty grilled breakfast and he checked her bruising which had come down nicely, then while Felicity went upstairs for a shower he began the washing up, then there was a knock at the front door. David went to the door and found a woman standing there with a toddler in her arms; a little boy about Ollie’s age.
    ‘Oh!’ She looked quite shocked to see him opening Felicity’s front door. ‘Is Flick there?’
    ‘Yes, she’s just upstairs in the shower.’
    ‘Right.’ Wow. This must be ‘ Blue Eyes ’ . Things have moved on! You haven’t wasted any time Flick and …….. I can’t say I blame you ………… ‘Hi, you must be David. I’m Sandy, Flick’s friend.’ She held out her hand and they shook hands briefly.
    ‘Yes. Nice to meet you Sandy. Oh God look at me standing in the doorway; come in, please.’ He stepped aside and she walked past him into the sitting room where the spare duvet and pillow was still neatly folded on the sofa.
    ‘I was worried about her. I phoned her office and they said she wasn’t at work because she’d had an accident so I came straight over because after the cat thing and that thing with the guy from her work…….. Oh…….’ Has she told him about Peter? Should I mention what happened to the cat? ‘So what happened to her ? ………. the accident? Oh…… or is she pulling a sicky?’
    ‘No. We don’t really know. I came over yesterday morning and found the back door wide open and she was kind of semi-conscious in her bed and looked like she’d been whacked across the side of her head with something.’
    ‘Oh Jesus. We should have phoned the police. We should never have buried it. I should never have left her on her own. This is all my fault.’ Sandy sank into the sofa and went quite pale.
    ‘Sorry, you’ve lost me. Are you talking about the cat?’ The sitting room door opened.
    ‘What about the cat? Hi Sand. Hello little Joshy……. Come to Aunty Flick’ Felicity made a bee line for the little boy, picked him up and gave him a big hug and while she did so Sandy gave David a look that automated an oath of silence.
    ‘I was just saying to your…….. to David that you’ve had a tough time recently what with this and with the cat thing. Why didn’t you call me hun?’
    ‘I’m ok Sand, honestly. Probably just fell out of bed and hit my head on the side of the cupboard or something. So, you two have met then?’
    ‘Yes’. Sandy gave her friend an approving look.
    ‘Well, I’ll put the kettle on then.’ Flick went into the kitchen and they heard the tap running as she filled the kettle.
    David turned to Sandy , ‘Look can we talk? Can you wait here with Flick whilst I go into town and get some new locks? I don’t want to leave her alone here.’
    ‘Yes of course……….. David?’
    ‘Yes’
    ‘Do you know what this is about?’
    ‘No. I was hoping you could shed some light on the situation. We’ll talk when I get back.’
    ‘Yes…….. Ok.’
    ‘Ook Mummy!’ Josh came running in with a colouring book and a