Divided Loyalties Read Online Free PDF Page B

the buggy towards the shore.
    ‘Are you kidding? And miss an occasion of
high
drama? It’s Olivia we’re talking about here.’ Carrie smiled at her sister. ‘If you have tears to shed,
prepare to shed them.’
    An hour later, Shauna sat at her father’s hospital bedside and tried not to fidget. ‘I’ve had an ECG and a stress test and blood tests. They’re waiting for the
results,’ Noel informed her self-importantly. ‘I wonder have my arteries narrowed. I heard them talking about an angiogram. It’s possible I might have to have a bypass. Poor Tom
Cowen had a bypass and died on the table, never even woke up from the anaesthetic. It would make you think twice about going under the knife, wouldn’t it?’ He focused his watery,
grey-eyed gaze on her.
    ‘Don’t be worrying about these things until they happen,’ Shauna murmured, trying not to be sharp. Why did he always have to turn everything into a drama?
    ‘Sure you won’t have to be worrying about it. You’ll be on the other side of the world, deserting us all,’ her father said tartly.
    ‘Were you waiting long for a bed?’ She ignored the jibe.
    ‘Long enough. Your sister was very kind to me.’
    ‘Yeah, Carrie’s great.’ Shauna knew he was getting at her but wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of rising to his bait.
    ‘Why didn’t you bring the little one up to see me?’ he asked petulantly. ‘I’d like to see as much of her as I can. She won’t know me when you finally get
sense and come home to live for good.’
    ‘Carrie’s minding her in the car – that’s why I’m only staying a few minutes. A hospital ward’s no place for a toddler; it’s not fair on the other
patients. If you want to come down with me, I’ll bring her into the reception area,’ she responded coolly.
    ‘The world and his mother comes in here. That’s nonsense,’ Noel contradicted, unimpressed with her argument. A young trainee nurse walked by and smiled at them.
    ‘Ah it’s Nurse Carey, the prettiest nurse on the ward and the best at giving injections.’ He smiled with saccharine sweetness that had Shauna gritting her teeth in irritation.
‘You’re a great girl,’ he went on, looking around at the other patients to make sure they agreed with him.
    The nurse gave a self-conscious smile and hurried on. Shauna bit her lip. She wanted to tell him to stop acting like an old fool, embarrassing young girls with his nonsense. What a notice-box he
was. If they only knew what he was really like, she thought irritably.
    ‘A grand little girl and respectful with it,’ he added pointedly, a scowl replacing the honeyed smile.
    ‘Right, I’m going to let Carrie and the kids up. If you want to come down with me, come on. If not I’ll say goodbye,’ Shauna said crisply, standing up.
    Noel put on a weak, plaintive voice. ‘I don’t think I’d be able for it,’ he murmured, lying back against his pillows.
    Tough
, Shauna said silently. ‘Do you need anything?’
    ‘I’ll get Carrie to fetch my few bits and pieces. I don’t want to be putting you to trouble.’ He sighed deeply.
    ‘Grand,’ she replied airily. ‘Sleep well tonight.’
    ‘You might want to tell your brother that I’m in hospital in case anything untoward happens.’
    ‘Well that’s unlikely, but if I’m talking to Bobby I’ll tell him.’
    ‘Not that he’ll be that worried, I’m sure,’ sniffed her father.
    Probably not
, she wanted to say, but she felt she’d been bitchy enough. ‘I’ll send Carrie up,’ she said in a kinder tone of voice. ‘’Bye, Dad.’
She made no effort to kiss him.
    ‘’Bye, Shauna,’ Noel said tiredly and turned his head away.
    ‘How is he?’ Carrie asked, handing Chloe to her a few minutes later at the car.
    ‘Martyr mode. I’ve to let Bobby know he’s in hospital in case anything “untoward” happens.’ She threw her eyes up to heaven. ‘I asked him if he needed
anything but he said he’d ask you to get his bits and