Read Online The Way We Were by Sinéad Moriarty - Free Book Online

in. When he mentioned going to a clinic outside the city, she had felt her chest tighten. Why the hell did he want to go wandering about in a strange place?
    Damn Declan whoever-he-was and John bloody Lester and their sodding do-gooder trips. Alice didn’t want Ben going anywhere but the hotel and the hospital where he was operating on the minister. She’d already lost her parents – she didn’t need to lose her husband too.
    She had tried not to show any emotion because she didn’t want the girls to worry. Well, Alice doubted Jools would even notice she was worried, but Holly would. Holly was a terrible worrier. Alice often wondered if that was why Holly was so studious. Reading and working out facts and figures seemed to calm her down. Alice found herself wishing she had such an effective coping mechanism. As it was, she thought about Ben constantly and couldn’t shake the anxiety that had settled on her.
    When Alice arrived at work on Friday morning, Kevin was waiting for her. He followed her into her room, handed her a strong coffee and closed the door.
    ‘Brace yourself, we have thirty patients in today.’
    Alice sighed. She hadn’t slept well and she had been hoping for an easy schedule. Today all she wanted was someone to hold her hand and reassure her that Ben was all right. ‘Who’s first?’ she said as she sipped her coffee.
    ‘A new one. Miranda Langton refused to say what it was for. She said it was private and she wasn’t going to discuss it with “the receptionist”.’
    ‘Yikes! Well, don’t scratch her eyes out when she comes in.’
    Kevin turned on his heel and, waving an arm in the air, said, ‘Maybe just a little scratch.’
    When Kevin brought Miranda in ten minutes later, he introduced her: ‘Dr Gregory, this is Miranda Langton, date of birth July the eighth nineteen fifty-seven.’
    ‘What?’ spluttered Miranda.
    ‘Sorry?’ Kevin looked the picture of innocence.
    ‘Excuse me, I was born in nineteen sixty-seven.’
    ‘Oh, really?’ Kevin raised his eyebrows in surprise. ‘So you’re not fifty-five, then?’
    ‘Certainly not,’ Miranda said, unable to look furious because of all the Botox she’d had.
    ‘Wow.’ Kevin tilted his head and winked at Alice, who suppressed a smile as her brother took himself and his revenge out of the room.
    After back-to-back appointments all morning, Alice had a twenty-minute lunch break and tried repeatedly to call Ben. Once again his mobile went straight into voice-mail. She left another message: ‘Ben, call me. I’m getting worried. I need to know that you’re okay. Call me, please. I miss you.’
    Kevin came in and handed her a latte from the coffee shop next door. ‘Any word from Eritrea yet?’ he asked.
    Alice shook her head.
    ‘He’ll be fine,’ Kevin said, picking at a salad. ‘He’s probably up the side of a mountain in some clinic in a cave with no service.’
    Alice nodded. She wanted to believe him, but she couldn’t help worrying.
    ‘How’s the birthday girl today?’
    Alice took a sip of her coffee. ‘Demanding! I made her pancakes with whipped cream and Nutella this morning.’
    ‘How many did she eat?’
    ‘Three.’
    Kevin gasped. ‘Think of the calories.’
    ‘For goodness’ sake, it was a special occasion.’
    ‘It would take running a full marathon to burn that off.’
    ‘Don’t you dare mention calories to her. I don’t want my girls worrying about their weight – it’s dangerous.’
    Kevin smoothed his fitted shirt. ‘I know, but you don’t want to be a fat teenager, believe me. The only kids who got bullied more than me at school were the fat ones.’
    ‘Jools has a lovely figure.’
    Kevin paused. ‘Yes, she does, but teenagers can put on weight easily so I’m just saying she should be careful and lay off the Nutella pancakes.’
    ‘You’re just jealous. When was the last time you ate chocolate?’
    ‘My body is a temple and, besides, fat gays don’t get laid.’
    Alice laughed. ‘I