Free When You Walked Back Into My Life by Hilary Boyd

himself, no more than that. Fantasies that he still loved her were nothing short of imbecilic, she knew. And here was Jake, willing to take her on.
    Yes, I enjoyed it too. Bad head now! See you soon,
she texted back to Jake on the spur of the moment.
    *
    Flora mooched around for the rest of the weekend, checking her mobile a ridiculous number of times, and gradually getting more and more angry with Fin. Why did he ask for my number if he wasn’t going to use it? she asked herself repeatedly. What does he want from me? But however much she talked herself down, the feeling that she might see him again drove her heart to race, put her off her food, made her languish on the sofa, dreaming, like a lovesick teenager.
    She was glad when it was Monday again.
    ‘Morning Keith,’ she said, stopping by the porter’s desk.
    Keith’s face lit up. ‘Florence! Haven’t seen much of you recently. How’s it all going?’
    ‘Not so bad,’ Flora replied. ‘You?’
    For once Keith Godly didn’t pull a face. ‘Yeah. Not so bad my end either. Been out a bit …’ He looked embarrassed and hurried on. ‘Nothing serious yet.’
    ‘Know the feeling.’ Flora decided the porter did look different this morning, his heavy face topped with the dark buzz-cut somehow brighter, a light in his normally troubled eyes.
    ‘Do you now? So you’ve got something brewing too?’
    ‘You could put it like that,’ she laughed.
    Keith nodded approvingly. ‘Nothing like a bit of action to lift the spirits, eh?’
    Mary looked relieved to see her and immediately pulledher into the kitchen before she even had time to take off her coat.
    ‘Happened again. Sunday night, just like last week. She was as twitchy as hell all night. Calling out all the time, saying she was uncomfortable, or wanted a wee, anything and nothing. Seems she just wanted me there.’
    ‘But she didn’t seem ill?’
    ‘I took her blood pressure, which was quite high, but it often is. And she doesn’t have a temperature. I’m saying, it’s just like last time.’
    Both of them stood thinking for a while.
    ‘You don’t think it has anything to do with Pia do you? I mean, that’s two weeks running that she’s been like this on a Sunday night. And Pia stayed over Saturday night both weeks, didn’t she?’
    Mary nodded, reaching for the kettle and filling it. ‘Pia said she needed the extra work, and I must say it was grand having the night off.’
    ‘So Pia was here all weekend each time.’
    Mary looked at her, frowning. ‘Are you thinking there’s something going on?’
    Flora told her about what Rene had said.
    ‘But can you imagine Pia being mean to anyone?’ Mary countered.
    ‘No, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t, does it?’
    ‘Should you talk to Dorothea again?’
    ‘I suppose. But I don’t want to put something into her mind about Pia if it’s not true.’
    ‘Christ,’ Mary muttered. ‘Pia seemed very bright and breezy about the day when I came on. How can we find out then?’
    ‘I’ll try again, and I’ll tell Rene. Not sure what else we can do.’
    Mary’s brow darkened. ‘If anyone’s bullying that sweet old lady, she’ll have me to answer to.’
    ‘Well, hold on. Let’s establish some facts first. It’s probably nothing to do with any of us.’
    *
    Flora waited till she had settled Dorothea. It was a gloomy day, and she put the lamp on next to the old lady’s chair, then sat down opposite her on the sofa.
    ‘Dorothea, I … er … I wanted to ask you about Pia.’ This wasn’t the first time she had asked, but the old lady was always vague in her replies.
    ‘Pia?’ She looked blankly at Flora.
    ‘You know, the nurse who looks after you at the weekend.’
    Dorothea looked away, then down at her hands.
    ‘Dorothea?’
    ‘What is it that you want to know?’ she eventually replied.
    ‘Well, I was wondering if you like having her here.’
    There was a very long pause.
    ‘I think she’s … helpful.’
    Flora was puzzled by the