Free What goes around comes around (Lily’s Story) by O.C Shaw Page A

sponsored me, so she knows where I’m going.  I’ve managed to
raise £250 in total from other staff and a few of the regular patients, which isn’t
bad.  My family, in typical style, hadn’t given a bean.  I don’t pause to talk
to her, instead shouting out my thanks and waving over my shoulder in the same
way Ethan had this morning.
    I’m nervous in the cab on the short drive to the car park
where we’re meeting the coach.  As we pull in I can see a small crowd already gathered
around the door of the coach which is waiting with the engine running.  I pay
the cab driver, giving him a small tip (I always have, I just think it’s the
right thing to do, really) and hop out.  The driver follows me, insisting he’ll
carry my bag to the coach.  I guess the tip thing pays for itself in the end
after all.  It’s all about karma .  The coach driver takes the bag from the
cabbie and stows it in the hold.
    “Thanks,” I say again to the cab driver.
    “No problem,” he says.  “Have fun,” he adds with wink before
walking back to his car.  I can’t remember the last time a man winked at me.  Has
a man ever winked at me before?   I look over to the group standing by the
coach door at the same time as Stuart is looking towards me.  He waves and beckons
me over.  This is it, I guess, time to meet some of the other walkers.  I take
a deep breath to calm my nerves and walk over.
    “Lily, great, you made it in perfect time.  We’re just
waiting for one more person, I think, and then we’ll be ready to go.”
    “Annie?”  I hazard a guess.
    “Ha! Yes, how did you know?”
    “Well she’s kind of unmissable, and I thought I’d have known
if she was here already,” I say, squinting to look at the few heads I can see
already sitting on the coach.  He agrees, turning to the other people who are standing
near him and chatting quietly.
    “Guys, this is Lily.  Lily, do you know anyone?” 
    I look at the group for the first time properly.  There are
about six of them.  Pat, the only other woman, acknowledges me with a nod as I
say,
    “Pat and I use the gym a lot at the same time, um.” I scan
the rest of the faces, who all look familiar, but I don’t know any names. “I’m
not sure of anyone else’s names, sorry,” I say, flushing with embarrassment. 
    Stuart, sensing my discomfort and with the ease of someone
who deals with people professionally, steps in quickly and introduces everyone;
“This is Pat, as you know, Phil, Colin, Pete and Paul.”  As he says their names
I look at each in turn, and they nod and smile at me.  I nod shyly back,
wondering how the hell I’ll ever remember all the names.  They look nice, sort
of normal, and Pete particularly gives me a big smile.  They don’t look like frightening
fitness freaks, so with a bit of luck I’m not too out of my depth.  I feel
hopeful.
    “Can we get this show on the road yet?  It’s a long drive,” a
voice demands from the top of the steps of the coach.  I look up and feel my
jaw drop.  Bloody hell, it’s him , is my first thought.  I haven’t seen
him at the gym since the day he picked me up off the floor when the door
slammed into my face.  It hadn’t crossed my mind someone like him would want to
spend his time on a walking trip.   For the first time I have the chance to
really look at him while he’s talking to Stuart and the others.  I finally
realise why he seems familiar.  He kind of resembles Rob Lowe, which explains
my adolescent physical response to his proximity I suppose, remembering the
passion of my teenage crush.  A closer look at the guy standing on the steps of
the coach, and I can see a few small differences – a narrower jaw,
slightly bigger eyes – but he’s as near as, damn it.  As my gaze reaches
his eyes I realise he’s looking straight at me, one eyebrow raised in a sort of
ironic questioning yet knowing way.
    “Well?” he enquires again, his eye still on mine. For a
moment I’m