Read Online Sunrise for Two by Merlot Montana - Free Book Online

friend.” They finished their
coffee in comfortable silence and slid into the jolting morning
traffic.
    “ Have you
remembered that I'm finishing late tonight?” Julia asked anxiously,
she loved their routines and she hated the idea of Harry having to
struggle into a taxi.
    “ Mike is
giving me a lift, he told me he was going to empty all the crisp
packets out of his car.”
    “ Oh good.”
Julia said unconvincingly, feeling slightly disconcerted, her
exclusivity and closeness to Harry were very important to her. She
slid into a space in the car park and handed Harry a packet of
paracetamol. “Are you sure you're going to be okay
Harry?”
    Harry nodded. “I'm always
okay.” She wheeled down to the IT portacabin and thanked Mike for
the first coffee of the day. There were two people off sick, and
Belinda was in a worse mood than usual. She sent Harry an email
about mandatory training and sat in her office with the door
closed.
    Harry answered the phone
and tried not to cough. She thought anxiously about the blood
results. If the system went down today then the whole hospital
would grind to a halt. She answered the phone to a series of
unhappy clinicians and rescued Mike from a pharmacist in a very bad
mood. Rafiq slipped outside for a much needed break and picked up
her favourite salad. He slid it onto her desk while Belinda was
reading out the updated fire safety policy. “Just once it would be
nice if you thought about me too.” Belinda told him, and started
reading the policy from the beginning again.
    The IT secretary
interrupted her, and Belinda focused her displeasure on the anxious
woman. “Lady Caroline is here, our new hospital patron.”
    “ I know who
she is.” Belinda said bitingly, she read her trust newsletter from
cover to cover. She buttoned up her jacket and put her clipboard
down. Lady Caroline swept into the room with her husband and
daughter following. Belinda noticed with a degree of satisfaction
that her daughter had not inherited her good looks, and she stepped
forward with her hand out to preparing to show them round her
scruffy kingdom.
    The visiting dignitary
arched an eyebrow in quiet disdain, she looked past her to Harry
and said imperiously “Aren't you going to say hello?”
    “ Hello
mother.” Harry said quietly, feeling the quiet surprise from Mike
and Rafiq. Her sister smiled sympathetically at her, and she took
another mouthful of coffee and looked up into the cool blue
eyes.
    “ Harriet the
heads of the hospital are holding a fundraising event. You are
required to attend.”
    “ Mother the
IT department needs me more.” Harry replied, feeling her vowel
sounds crystallising back into the accent of her childhood. Lady
Caroline turned to look down at Belinda.
    “ Can you
manage without her?”
    “ Yes of
course.” the plump woman in the badly fitting suit told her, unable
to ignore the disappointment in her most loyal employee's
eyes.
    “ Excellent.”
Lady Caroline said without a trace of warmth, “Now Harriet I
brought your crutches and something decent for you to
wear.”
    Her sister stepped
forward and Harry led the way into the disabled toilets. “I can't
do it Libby.” she said unsteadily, “I haven't used the crutches for
ages, and I've got a cold.” She took a deep breath and wished more
than ever that she was miles away from her mother’s unsympathetic
influence watching a box set.
    “ Do you want
me to tell mother, you don’t feel up to it?” Libby asked
gently.
    “ No thanks
honey, you know she won’t accept that. But thank you it's good of
you to offer.”
    “ I asked her
not to bring them.” Libby said softly. She helped Harry into her
braces and into the expensive dress Lady Caroline had chosen. At
five foot eight with a fondness for fried food, she towered over
her lovely older sister. “If it's any consolation you look
beautiful,” Libby told her, “and I'll be by your side all
day.”
    “ Thank you.”
Harry said unsteadily, remembering