At that moment, Desmond turned.

“Desmond,” said Candy, smiling. “I thought you had been moved to the surgical wards.”

“Only at the end of the month,” said Desmond, beginning to push Aunty Bibi in the wheelchair.

“It’s all been Desmond’s work, you know,” said Aunty Bibi then, looking up at Candy. “He thought he could keep it a secret, but you know me, Candy – I always find things out.”

Candy smiled at that, but also shook her head. “I don’t understand…”she said.

“It’s Desmond who organised this convalescent home for me,” Aunty Bibi explained as she looked up at Desmond adoringly.

“Really?” asked Candy, falling into step next to Desmond. The ambulance was waiting to transport her aunt to the frail care centre.

Desmond shrugged, “It’s nothing really,” said Desmond. “I know the own–”

“He saved the owner’s life once,” interrupted Aunty Bibi.

Candy looked into Desmond’s face, but she could see that he didn’t want to talk about it. No doubt her aunt would give her all the details later.

“Let me help you inside,” said Desmond, changing the subject, and assisting Aunty Bibi up the ramp into the ambulance. Aunty Bibi waved cheerfully before the ambulance personnel closed the doors.

“I’ll see you soon,” said Candy happily.

As the ambulance pulled away Candy turned to Desmond. “I really can’t thank you enough,” she said, “for all you have done for my aunt.”

Desmond smiled and nodded. “It was a pleasure,” he said. “She really is an amazing lady.”

Candy stood still for a minute. “And there is something else Desmond,” she said softly. “I never thanked you for the roses. For your kindness to me … after that awful day.”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Desmond softly. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, but it does matter,” said Candy earnestly, as she looked into his soft brown eyes and she felt her heart miss a beat. “It matters so much. You see I didn’t realise they were from you. I thought they were from…” Candy paused and dropped her head.

“It doesn’t matter Candy,” said Desmond again, and then she felt the touch of his wonderful hand against her cheek, and she looked up at him. “I really do understand. And I don’t want you to feel upset. Come out with me tonight and we can forget all about it.”

Candy smiled broadly and raised her hand to touch his. His hand was just as comforting as she remembered it.

“That would be lovely,” she said, meeting his eyes again, and feeling herself drowning in their depths once more.

And then she suddenly remembered that she was on her lunch break, and she looked down at her watch in alarm. “Oh no!” she cried, beginning to walk very fast in the direction of her ward, “I’m going to be late again!”

“I’ll see you later,” called Desmond after her, and then, even though it was against the rules, Candy began to run.

***

Tell us: Do you agree with Desmond that they should just ‘forget about’ Candy’s misjudgement and make a new start?