One Moment At Sunrise. Karen Aldous

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СКАЧАТЬ from the passenger seat and scribbled down a note asking her to call him with a suitable time to deliver her bike. He padded back over to the gates and searched for a letterbox or somewhere she would see the note. It was then he heard voices. Turning, he saw Evie pull a gate closed across the track, wheeling a buggy towards him. With her hair blowing in the breeze, and her glowing complexion, his pulse increased. What he saw was even more beautiful than he remembered. As she neared, he clenched each palm, one of them containing the note. He slid it into his pocket.

      ‘Hi,’ he said, feeling himself drawn to the shimmer of her eyes. ‘You look amazing. How do you feel today?’

      ‘Yes, good. Grateful to be alive, as you can imagine.’

      ‘Your leg?’

      ‘Sore, but fine.’

      ‘Good stuff.’ He knelt down to the buggy. ‘Charlotte, I presume. A beauty like her mother. Hello Charlotte.’

      The little girl backed away, eyeing him with suspicion. She held her lips between her fingers.

      ‘If you’re wondering if I’m going to sue you, then don’t worry. You don’t have to be nice on account of me causing trouble.’ Evie said, catching him by surprise. He remained crouched as she continued. ‘Let’s just say we all had a lucky escape. As long as your people make more effort to cordon areas off, to be absolute certain no one is allowed to wander. I won’t make trouble. I take it that’s why you are here?’

      Ben stood up and faced her. ‘Believe me, we won’t take any chances. I had nightmares last night thinking about what could have happened, and I wouldn’t blame you if you wished to pursue a claim.’ He held out a concerned palm. ‘I was told a sign was in place but it evidently wasn’t visible enough, so we are responsible. I’ve brought you a form to fill in to claim any damages.’

      ‘No. I just want to erase the whole incident.’

      ‘Your call.’ Ben stepped back towards the car. ‘And… I’ve brought this. I could have had it delivered I suppose, but I have a new bike for you. I’m afraid your bike was beyond repair. The chassis was weak and deemed unsafe.’

      ‘What, you bought a new one?’

      Ben scratched his collar. ‘Well, yes. You said you couldn’t manage without one, and I did try to get it to you yesterday but they had to build it. I’ve just collected it. It will need tightening in a few weeks, or before if you use it frequently.’

      She held her lip. ‘Oh, Jesus. This is embarrassing.’

      ‘Why?’

      ‘My other one wasn’t even brand new when I had it. You didn’t have to. You could have just got a second-hand one.’

      Ben grinned. ‘I’m so sorry. If you don’t like it, I can return it and get something you would like. You choose.’

      Feeling touched by her concern for his spending, he reached out to the back of his hire car and opened the rear.

      ‘Take a look.’ He reached up and heaved the heavy frame out, bouncing the sparkling new bike on to the gravel. ‘Try it. If you like it, I’ll fit the child seat on.’

      ‘It’s lovely.’

      ‘It’s a hybrid, like your other one, so it can be used on most terrain. Try it for height.’

      Evie stepped away, pushing the pushchair in front of her. ‘No. I can’t accept this. It’s…’

      ‘Of course you can,’ Ben cut in ‘to be honest, I’m more than pleased I can do something for you. I feel terrible after what happened. Please, try it. I can adjust the saddle if it isn’t right.’

      A flash of distrust crossed her face as he watched her pondering in silence

      Clutching both hands, he raised his brows for a response. He was sure he’d done the right thing and the last thing he wanted to do was upset her. It wasn’t only that the whole film would be in jeopardy if they were sued, he also hated to see women upset. You can’t change who you are, he reminded himself. That’s what his sister, Hannah, told him when he raced to her side if she cried or had been troubled. His sisters often took his side. There were five years between him and Hannah. Both she and his eldest sister, Nicola, seven years his senior, were the sweetest. They argued among themselves at times but were just like mini-mummies’ to him, and he’d always felt torn if he had to take sides when the pair of them were in dispute, or if they argued with their mother. They would also protect him from his elder brother too, who constantly jibed him about his dyslexia. He now wondered if his sisters’ closer bond with him was the root cause of his brother’s attention-seeking behaviour. Anyway, this girl was far too wonderful to upset and he needed to change tack.

      ‘Ok. Perhaps it would be better if you tell me what you want?’

      ‘I thought you were going to fix my bike, not… not bring me a brand new one. That’s all. I feel it’s too much.’

      ‘Well, I can’t change the facts. The bike wasn’t fixable and I couldn’t see any second-hand bikes where I was, so I got the next best thing. I promise you, I chose this because it resembled everything about your old one – the size, the colour, the gears, the saddle, even the height should match yours. It wasn’t expensive if that’s what you’re worried about. Try it out before you decide. You definitely can’t ride your old one.’

      She looked down at the buggy and turned it around, shading the girl from the full sun, then gazed up to him, her eyes bright but suspicious.

      ‘I’ll give it a go along the track,’ she relented and pressed the brake down on the buggy. ‘Erm, I’m now going to offend you but can I take your car keys with me? I’m just not happy leaving you with Charlotte.’

      Ben sucked in his amusement but she was quite serious. Instead he smiled. ‘Yes, of course. Chain her to the gate if you want or would you prefer me to go?’

      ‘No. Just your keys.’ She held out her hand.

      Ben reached into his pocket. He shut his rear door before clicking it locked. ‘Here.’ He pressed the keys into her hands, passed her the bike and stepped back against the car, not daring to touch the buggy. She swung her leg over the saddle and rode off. He scratched his head, feeling he should say something to little Charlotte whose mummy was cycling away, but he kept his lips sealed.

      ‘Mummy bike.’ Charlotte said.

      ‘Mummy gone.’

      ‘Where Mummy gone? Where Mummy gone?’

      Ben coughed. ‘Mummy coming back.’

      Charlotte threw herself forward in her pram. ‘I want Mummy,’ she urged in panic

      Ben scratched his neck and looked around him, hoping no witnesses could hear and accuse him of terrorising the child.

      ‘Mummy,’ she called. Evie was now at the other end of the track and turning back. She waved.

      He knelt down beside her. ‘Mummy waving. Wave to Mummy,’ Ben told her and demonstrated by waving his hand in the air. ‘Mummy coming.’

      It seemed to do the trick and the СКАЧАТЬ