Page 53 of The Christmas Competition

I lifted my phone out of my pocket. “I’m texting him now.”

“Atta girl.”

Hey, Kerr. Just wondering if I can take you out this weekend. Maybe to the Christmas market? I’ll even treat you to a Christmas-​themed treat.

I eyed the screen for a moment, hoping the little typing bubbles might appear immediately, but of course they didn’t. It wasn’t as if he’d be staring at his phone, waiting for me to message.

I placed it back in my pocket. “Right. We’d best get on, Dr. Campbell.”

“Indeed. Keep me posted on the Kerr sitch.”

“Will do.”

We left the nurses’ station, each off to perform our respective duties. I headed in to see Anna—​I wanted to get an extra set of observations for her because she had seemed a little more clouded at this morning’s round.

Just as I got to her bay, my phone buzzed in my pocket. My heart swooped and I fumbled to get it, hoping that it was a reply from Kerr. And I was in luck.

Sounds great. I’ve got a shift at the animal rescue center Saturday morning but are you free in the afternoon?

Yes. You might have to drive again though, sorry

No problem. You heard about your car, btw?

Yeah Greg says should be done by the end of the week and he’ll update me on Friday.

Cool. If it’s ready then I can take you to his place on Saturday, after the market, to pick it up.

Thank you

Breathing a happy sigh of satisfaction, I pocketed the phone and entered Anna’s room. She looked bright and well, sitting in her armchair doing cross-​stitch.

“Morning,” she said, looking up with a smile.

“Good morning.” I brought the machine around to take a set of observations. “You look brighter than earlier on.”

“Yes. I didn’t sleep that well last night, the wind was quite loud. So I’m afraid I was a bit groggy first thing,” she told me as I placed the blood pressure cuff on her arm and set it to start.

I placed the pulse oximeter on her finger, then lifted her chart to fill in the measurements. She certainly seemed very lucid today, and that was brilliant.

“You look very . . . happy today,” she said, smiling at me. I realized that I still had a sappy smile on my face after messaging with Kerr.

“Yes,” I said, placing the chart back at the end of the bed and removing the equipment from her arm. “I’ve had a bit of good news.”

“Oh yes? Do tell.”

I wasn’t sure whether to give her the gist or not, seeing as she still thought I was “Bonnie” and married with a child.

“Although of course, if it’s private, Nisa love, then that’s no problem.”

I froze for a second. She hadn’t used my name before—​that was a big breakthrough. Attempting to cover my delight, I moved carefully as I finished storing away the equipment. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it and upset her.

I shifted over to sit on the plastic chair next to her. “No, it’s not private really. It’s just that I have a date at the weekend. I’m not sure if I mentioned to you that I’m . . . getting divorced.” A flush of exhilaration caused me to sit straighter. Saying that out loud was cathartic. I’d been afraid up until now to even think it, never mind voice it. But now I found that it was what I wanted, and it made me realize something. Drew hadn’t explicitly asked me for a divorce, and initially I had taken that as a hopeful sign that this separation was merely a trial basis, even when he took up with Aileen. But now it occurred to me that it would be typical of Drew to not want to put his eggs in one basket. He would hedge his bets and keep me dangling. Also, he’d expect me to sort it out and file for the divorce just like I’d been the one to organize everything for him when we were together.

“Oh goodness!” Anna said, mouth dropping open and touching my hand. “I didn’t know that. I am sorry.”

“Thank you, but that’s okay.” I smiled. “There’s someone that I like. Well, I used to hate him, but now I like him and we’re going on a date to the Christmas market.”

Anna laughed. “Sounds a little complicated. But you know what? What’s for you won’t go by you.”