‘Miss?’ he asks. ‘Are you okay, miss?’
I turn my head slightly to look at him again, willing my eyes to focus, and for the fog in my brain to clear. He’s calling me ‘miss’. Must be one of my students. And then it comes to me where I’ve seen him before. This man isn’t a man, he’s still a boy really. It’s Callum. Callum Carson. I take a breath and sit up, ignoring the sensation that my brain has come detached and is floating freely inside my skull.
I also realise that the woman standing by Daisy’s pram is actually a teenage girl – it’s Hannah Slater. These two wouldn’t harm my baby, would they? I haul myself up onto my knees and reach up to grasp the handle of Daisy’s pram, sighing with relief as I see my daughter, sound asleep.
‘We’ll call an ambulance,’ Callum says.
‘No, please,’ I say. ‘Don’t want any fuss. I’ll be fine in a sec. How long was I out for? Do you know?’
Callum looks at Hannah, who shrugs. ‘Only a few minutes, I think,’ he replies.
‘Was she okay when you got here? My baby?’
‘She seemed okay,’ Hannah says.
‘But was she upset?’ I ask, suddenly terrified at what could have happened if Callum and Hannah hadn’t been around. Someone could easily have taken her.
‘No, she’s been fine,’ Callum says. ‘Hasn’t cried once. Been sound asleep.’
‘Thank goodness,’ I reply, my heart rate finally slowing. How could I have thought these kids could have meant us any harm? ‘And thank you. Thank you for coming over and making sure we were okay. I’m grateful.’
‘It’s no problem, miss,’ he says, blowing a dark curl out of one eye. ‘We’ll walk you home if you like.’
My water bottle is at my feet. With an unsteady hand, I pick it up and drain the last few drops. The liquid revives me a little. ‘Thanks, but I think I’ll be okay now.’ I put the empty bottle to my forehead to try and cool myself down, but the plastic is disappointingly warm.
‘What if you pass out again on the way home?’ Callum says.
I don’t want to rely on Callum and Hannah to look after me like I’m some kind of invalid, but actually, I don’t think there’s any way I can walk home alone in this state. I really do feel wobbly.
‘You already know Hannah, don’t you?’ Callum says. ‘Seeing as you live next door.’
‘Yes.’ I smile up at my beautiful young neighbour and she gives a grudging smile back. I never really warmed to this girl, either as a neighbour or as one of my pupils, but here she is, helping me, so I have to be friendly.
‘Don’t tell my mum and stepdad, will you?’ she says, tucking a strand of pale blonde hair behind her ear. ‘About me being here with Cal, I mean. They’d go mad, even though we’re just friends.’ She rolls her china-blue eyes.
‘Sure,’ I say. ‘It’s none of my business.’
‘Thanks.’ This time her smile is more genuine, and so is mine.
Lorna won’t be happy if she finds out they’re seeing each other, even if it is just as friends. She made her feelings about Callum pretty clear. But I won’t be the one to snitch on Hannah. Anyway, it’ll be hard for the two of them to carry on their friendship once the Parkfields move away from the area.
Callum holds out his hand to help me up, and I accept, struggling from my knees to my feet like an old person. ‘Thank you,’ I say, panting a little. ‘I feel like a bit of an idiot, fainting like that.’
‘You couldn’t help it, could you, miss? Probably got dehydrated or something.’
‘Yes. Stupid of me to be out in this hot sun without a hat.’ I begin to walk unsteadily alongside the two of them while Hannah pushes Daisy in her pram.
‘I can take her,’ I say.
‘I don’t mind,’ Hannah replies, ‘if you still feel ill.’
‘Honestly, it’s fine,’ I say, itching to get to my daughter. ‘I can use the handle to lean on.’
Hannah stops pushing and I take back my daughter’s pram. We all seem to have run out of conversation and the journey is becoming slightly awkward.
‘Do you know,’ I say, ‘I’m actually feeling loads better. I think I’m okay to go on by myself.’
‘Are you sure?’ Callum says. ‘You still look really pale, miss.’
‘Honestly,’ I reply. ‘I’m fine.’
‘But—’
‘She said she’s fine, Cal.’ Hannah nudges him in the ribs and he flicks her cheek with his finger. They have a mini play fight, laughing, eyes flashing, and I think that even if they aren’t romantically involved now, they soon will be. I wonder if Dom and I were ever like that – unable to tear our eyes off one another.
‘So, thanks again,’ I say. ‘Take care.’ I walk away before Callum has the chance to protest further. By my calculation, it will take me at least twenty minutes to get home. I’m not even sure how I’m managing to stay upright at the moment, but I don’t want to intrude on Callum and Hannah’s afternoon. I’m relieved that they took the time to check on me but I just want to get home now.
I continue walking, leaning heavily on the pram handle to keep my balance. As long as I don’t pass out, everything will be fine.
* * *
By the time I eventually get to my house, the sun has dipped in the sky. I go straight through to the kitchen and have a long, cold glass of water and two paracetamol. Daisy is still asleep so I check the locks before taking a cool shower. Feeling a shade better, I bring Daisy into my room and lie on the bed in my cotton dressing gown while she nurses. As she feeds, I stare out of the window at the distant tree tops and the azure sky, my mind pulsing with everything that’s happened today, softening at the memory of Callum and Hannah’s concern over my wellbeing.
The click of the front door brings me back to the present.
‘Hey, it’s me!’ Dom’s home.
‘Up here!’ I call back, my voice weak. I wonder if he heard me, but then I hear his footsteps on the stairs.
‘Hi.’ He comes into the bedroom bringing a welcome dose of normality with him. I instantly feel less strange and woozy.
‘Hi. Good day?’ I ask.
‘Not bad. You?’
I tell him about my funny turn at the park, and also about my two unlikely rescuers.
‘Hannah and Callum? What was she doing there with that waste of space? You sure he wasn’t helping you so he could get a reward?’ Dom asks, his expression darkening.
I frown. ‘You really don’t like him, do you? I know he was rude to you, but he’s just a young lad, that’s all.’
Dom sighs. ‘He’s not my favourite person, but I’m glad he was there to help you.’
‘Me too. It was pretty surreal, passing out like that.’
‘Must have been scary.’ He sits on the edge of the bed and kisses my cheek. ‘Maybe you should go back to the doctor’s. Are you still feeling dizzy?’
‘To be honest, I think it was a just mild case of sunstroke. Stupid really. I shouldn’t have gone out for so long in that heat.’
‘Well, as long as you’re okay now. Can I get you anything?’
‘Thanks, but no, I’m fine. Daisy’s almost finished, we’ll come downstairs with you.’
‘Okay, great.’ He stands and starts unbuttoning his shirt. ‘I’ll get changed. Going to go training in a bit if that’s okay? But I’ll make you a cup of tea first.’
Five minutes later, I’m sitting on the sofa in the back room, while Dom paces around the kitchen with Daisy propped over his shoulder, rubbing her back in the hope that she will give a nice, big, satisfying burp.
‘I found out something interesting today.’ I dunk half a digestive biscuit into my tea, and wonder how Dom will take my news.
‘Oh yeah?’
‘I had a look online and saw that Martin did build that basement. It wasn’t built with the house. He applied for planning permission in 2008.’
‘Kirst, you went online to look for that? You really think Martin is some dodgy sex fiend?’
‘Ugh, no. I don’t know. But it’s a strange thing to build, don’t you think?’
‘Maybe. Maybe not. It could be a wine cellar. To be honest, I really don’t care what he gets up to, as long as it doesn’t affect us.’