This Could Change Everything(74)

Her heart hammering, Essie raced across the road and knelt beside Giselle, who was white-faced and trembling with shock. ‘Oh God, are you OK?’

Giselle took a couple of steadying breaths and manoeuvred herself into a sitting position. ‘I think so. What an idiot.’

‘He just rode off, the bastard! If we call the police, they’ll be able to catch him on CCTV.’

‘Not him.’ Giselle shook her head. ‘I meant me. It was completely my fault, I just wasn’t concentrating.’ She managed a smile. ‘Lucky it was only a bike and not a bus. I’m fine, really.’

‘Look, Daddy, balloons!’ A small boy further along the pavement was pointing above his head, and Essie followed his gaze. ‘Damn,’ she muttered as she saw her three balloons sailing up into the sky.

‘Oh no, were they yours?’ Giselle was dismayed. ‘I’m so sorry. I’ll buy you new ones!’

‘Let’s not worry about the balloons,’ said Essie. ‘I’d rather make sure you’re all right.’

Once she was back on her feet, Giselle said, ‘Honestly, I’m not hurt at all.’

‘Are you sure you shouldn’t get yourself checked over?’

‘There’s no need. I didn’t even crash to the ground, it was just a stumble. I should have been looking where I was going.’

‘I called out to you before it happened, but you didn’t hear me,’ said Essie.

‘Sorry, I was miles away.’

Essie studied her more closely. ‘Is everything all right?’ Beneath the determinedly bright smile, there was a hint of tension.

‘With me? Everything’s fine!’

But the underlying anxiety was still there. Concerned, Essie lowered her voice. ‘Are you sure?’

Apart from the traffic swishing past them, there was silence. For a couple of seconds Giselle gazed past her at the weir beyond the balustrade. Finally she said, ‘It’s just life, I suppose. Stuff happens out of the blue and it knocks you for six. All of a sudden everything’s different and your whole future’s veering off piste. Well, you know how that feels, don’t you? It happened to you too.’

‘I think sooner or later it happens to us all.’ Essie’s heart went out to her. ‘But it’s bound to be scary, having a baby when you hadn’t planned for it to happen. I mean, it’s a whole human being and you’re responsible for it!’

‘I know, I know. It is scary.’ Giselle nodded and mustered another smile.

‘You’ll be a brilliant mum.’

‘I hope so. Look, d’you fancy going for a coffee and something to eat? I mean, if you’re not busy . . .’

‘Oh, I can’t.’ Essie pulled a regretful face. ‘I have to get back. I need to take some stuff home to Zillah, then my shift starts at six.’ Sensing that Giselle was wanting to offload her anxieties about the baby, she added, ‘But I’m free for lunch tomorrow, if you are? We could go to Aqua, my treat. Then we’ll have time for a proper chat . . .’

But Giselle was already shaking her head. ‘I’m working tomorrow. Oh well, never mind.’

‘We’ll do it some other day, definitely. Any time you like,’ Essie assured her. ‘Just say the word.’

‘I will. Go on, you’d better get back to Zillah.’ Giselle gave her a hug. ‘Thanks for coming to help. And I’m sorry about the balloons. Will you at least let me give you some money for them?’

‘Don’t worry.’ Essie waved away the offer. ‘Lucas asked me to pick them up for Maeve’s birthday tomorrow and gave me twice as much cash as I needed. I’ll just go and buy some more. And you look after yourself,’ she added.

‘I will.’

‘Be careful crossing the road, too.’ Essie was struck by another idea. ‘Ooh, we could meet for lunch on Saturday if you like? I’m free then.’

‘Thanks, I’d love that.’ Giselle smiled. ‘I’ll check my shifts and let you know.’

When Conor had made his promise to Scarlett, he hadn’t expected that she would ever actually need to take his place. But that was fate for you: sometimes it seemed as if it had a sense of humour all of its own.

He’d only said it on Tuesday. Now here they were, just four days later on the morning of the next wish, and Zillah was regarding him like a stern – yet still glamorous – headmistress.

‘You can’t do it.’ She shook her head. ‘How would you feel if it was your germs that finished him off?’

Conor’s shoulders slumped in defeat. He’d woken up with a high temperature, a banging headache, a sore throat and one of those irritating coughs that announce to the world that you couldn’t be more infectious if you tried. If he’d been due to work today he would have gritted his teeth and got on with it. He was also completely capable of taking photos. But when the recipient of the wish was so dangerously weakened by his own illness, the prospect of passing on an active virus was a risk they simply couldn’t afford to take.

That would practically be murder.

‘OK.’ He nodded, because he didn’t want to be a murderer. ‘You’re right.’

Essie said eagerly, ‘Do you want me to tell Scarlett she’s doing it?’