Free Ivy Lane: Autumn: by Cathy Bramley

sweetest, most elaborate things anyone had done in order to see little old me. I thought I might burst with pride.
    ‘Listen, I know I’m not much of a prospect, always flying off to the next project, never staying in one place for long. That’s the nature of my job. Most of my stuff is wildlife.’
    ‘Yes. Alf told me.’
    Aidan groaned. ‘I’m sorry. I should have said something earlier. I was very upset to hear about Alf. And Nigel said you found him?’ He studied my face. ‘That must have been awful for you.’
    I nodded and swallowed a lump in my throat.
    He pulled a hand out his pocket and laid it gently on my arm.
    ‘But the thing is, overall, I think I’m an all right type of guy,’ he murmured softly. ‘But if there’s someone else in your life, then obviously I’ll go my merry way and never darken your door again.’ He gave a self-deprecating laugh. ‘Look, I have to ask, is it Charlie? Are you and he . . .?’
    ‘No! Gosh, no!’ I laughed and gasped at the same time and Aidan clasped his chest with mock relief.
    The fog suddenly swirled and lifted and I realized that we were next to a clump of apple trees at the edge of Dougie’s plot.
    ‘Charlie and I are— Oh my goodness!’
    Before I could fill Aidan in on the situation between Charlie and I, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye: just a short distance away I could see a pair of feet on the ground, with the worn soles facing upwards. As I stared, the rest of a prone body came into focus.
    ‘Aidan, look!’
    I dashed over and dropped to my knees, closely followed by Aidan. It was Dougie, lying face first in the soil, seemingly fast asleep.
    ‘Dougie! It’s me, Tilly, wake up!’ I shook his shoulders, but he didn’t make a sound. The beam of the street lamp didn’t stretch this far and I could barely make out Aidan’s face.
    ‘I think he’s unconscious,’ he said.
    ‘Get Karen from the pavilion, she’ll know what to do and see if you can find a torch.’
    He jumped to his feet and hesitated. ‘You OK?’
    I nodded and Aidan sped off up the road.
    ‘Come on, Dougie, wake up,’ I pleaded. Still no response. I couldn’t bear it if anything were to happen to him, especially coming so soon after Alf. A wasp buzzed low to the ground near his face and I wafted it away. ‘You’re not supposed to be out at this time of year,’ I muttered crossly.
    I leaned back to rest on the trunk of a tree. There were still fallen apples on the floor around my knees and I picked one or two up and threw them out of the way.
    It seemed so awful leaving him in this position on the cold wet ground, but I didn’t dare roll him over until Karen had taken a look. I gingerly reached for his hand and held onto it, hoping that somehow Dougie would know that I was there.
    I heard the door to the pavilion bang in the distance and suddenly a herd of footsteps charged towards us, led by Aidan carrying a torch. Another wasp drifted by and I tutted as I flapped a hand at it.
    ‘Over here,’ I called.
    The entire community had evacuated the pavilion and Karen had to push her way through to Dougie. She crouched down and felt for his pulse.
    Charlie appeared and knelt down by my side. ‘OK?’
    ‘Fine, thanks,’ I murmured.
    ‘Here, I brought your coat. You must be freezing.’ He laid it over my shoulders and I wriggled my arms into it.
    ‘You’re a star,’ I groaned. The sudden layer of warmth was bliss. I hadn’t realized just how cold I had been.
    I sought Aidan in the crowd, but the beam from the torch blinded my eyes and I couldn’t make out specific faces.
    ‘He’s probably passed out from too much of that homebrew,’ said Vicky with a sigh.
    Karen batted a wasp away and shook her head. ‘I think he’s gone into anaphylactic shock,’ she said, rolling Dougie over and going through his pockets. ‘Damn, he hasn’t got his EpiPen.’ She sat back on her heels. ‘He’s breathing, but it’s faint. He needs hospitalization and he