LITMIR.BIZ

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accessibility, within the parameters, is great for customer relations. I doubt I’m the only one who can read you. Whatever happened in Rome, it left you sore and wary of men. Am I right? You’ve been avoiding potential, you know, involvement. Am I right again?’

      ‘I was a vibrant, happy girl a year ago. Now I’m a boring old spinster.’

      I shrug, unable to speak. My throat is thick with tears.

      ‘You’re not old or boring, Rosa. You’re a beautiful young woman, if only you came out of your shell and realised it.’ Nurse Jeannie pauses. ‘And you’re not alone, remember that. You’re never alone.’

      ‘You mean we’re one big happy family here?’

      ‘I’d like to think so. In the staffroom, anyway.’ Nurse Jeannie stands up. ‘Would it help if I told you, totally off the record, that Pierre Levi’s comments on your performance are the most complimentary of all?’

      I stare at her smiling face and feel my own face flooding red hot.

      ‘Really? Even though I’ve only really met him once?’

      ‘Funny. That’s exactly what he said.’ Nurse Jeannie keeps her eyes on me. ‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have mentioned it. Be careful there, Rosa. He has a reputation.’

      ‘Yeah. I’ve been reading Wow! magazine, too.’ I catch myself, but she’s still grinning. ‘Honestly, Nurse Jeannie. He’s got two broken legs, post-traumatic stress and insomnia. How dangerous can he be?’

      Nurse Jeannie closes my folder and holds it against her chest. ‘He’s recovering from severe injuries but you can’t deny the charisma’s still there. For those who could be susceptible. And I don’t just mean you.’

      I tip my chin up in an effort to look defiant, and to hide the twinge of jealousy.

      ‘Why? Who else is likely to fall under his spell?’

      ‘Anyone who gets too close to the flame might get burned. That’s all I’m going to reveal. Our rules are in place for a reason. On the record you must remember at all times that he and all the others are our patients. What the French call les malades. We, the staff, we’re the strong ones. Not just physically. Mentally we’re in charge, too, until our charges are better and ready to leave us.’

      My blush increases and I turn away to open the door to her office. ‘I hear what you’re saying, Nurse Jeannie. I’ll be the epitome of professionalism from now on.’

      She comes over and puts her arm round me.

      ‘Listen, my assessment of your probation period isn’t solely based on Mr Levi’s comments, though I’ve singled them out because he’s, well, higher profile than most. Everyone has noticed the escalation in his progress since those first grim weeks when he was admitted. He’s sitting up, he’s eating more, he’s doing well with his physio to strengthen his upper body – in short, he’s thriving. We like to think we achieve all that as a team, but you’re part of that team, Rosa, and judging by what he’s written here you’re very much part of his recovery, too.’

      I let her push me out of her office and we stand together for a moment. She’s still got her arm around me. No one is around. I don’t know how professional or otherwise this is, but I press my lips against her round cheek and give her a kiss.

      ‘Thank you, Nurse Jeannie. That’s really given me a boost.’

      ‘Good. And our Mr Levi has had a bit of a boost, too, this morning. He’s just received some momentous news.’ She squeezes me then pulls away, rubbing at the newly peroxided tips of her hair. ‘His attacker, Margot Levi, the woman they arrested? She’s just died in prison.’

      I look away from her, down the corridor. ‘Divine justice.’

      ‘By all accounts she was an absolute monster. But Mr Levi wanted his day in court. He would have revelled in seeing her punished properly for what she did. Personally I think it will be better for his state of mind if he is spared all that.’

      ‘I wonder if he’s OK?’

      ‘You can go and see him when he’s next on your list.’ She taps my rota sheet. ‘But know this, Rosa. I will be asking him for full feedback afterwards.’

      ‘Received and understood. And Nurse Jeannie?’ I grab at her arm again. ‘Thank you.’

      She pauses, leans in against my cheek and whispers, ‘Don’t tell anyone, but I – well, I like you, Rosa. I really like you.’

      She puts her finger to her lips and walks away. I dance a little jig while nobody’s watching. Now I can’t wait for my next rota slot to admit me to room 202. In fact I’m due to finish soon, so, if he’s going to write nice things about me, I want Pierre Levi to say them to my face.

      I knock on room 202 and slide in.

      It’s the evening, and the sun is shafting in through the garden door, right across his face. But Pierre Levi isn’t avoiding the daylight today. In fact, he’s sitting up in bed, his bright-blue silk pyjama top unbuttoned to halfway down his chest. The frame has been pushed to the end of the bed, the sheet drawn off his poor legs, but he’s facing the sun. Somewhat unnecessarily he’s wearing sunglasses. Is it really to shield his eyes? Shield himself from prying eyes? Or an attempt to regain some of his cool?

      ‘Haven’t come to try and wash me have you, Rosie?’

      I laugh and come up to the bed. ‘No. I’m just clocking off, actually. I just wanted to thank you for the glowing report you provided for my assessment.’

      ‘Not a problem. I know how important independent validation can be.’

      ‘That sounds very formal.’

      ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to. You cheered me up the other day. Not an easy task.’ He pauses, leans back against the pillows. ‘So what do you do when you clock off? Turn into a pumpkin?’

      ‘Sort of. I have to change out of this horrible uniform and put some other clothes on and get to my other job.’

      ‘Another uniform? Do tell me about it, Rosie.’ He waves me towards the visitor’s chair beside the garden door. ‘Tell me about life outside this infernal room.’

      ‘Nothing much to tell. I live on a houseboat.’ I sit down and the shiny leather squeaks. ‘On the river Thames, obviously, down on Cheyne Walk.’

      ‘Eccentric. But adorable.’ He yawns, rolling a red grape between his fingers so listlessly it’s as if the fruit weighs a ton. ‘On your own?’

      ‘I used to live there with my sister, Francesca. The one who saw you performing in New York. But then she went to Rome, and then I followed her, and we lived together there until she met Carlo, and then she went to New York and I came back here. Back to the houseboat.’

      He doesn’t say anything. Just pops the grape into his mouth and holds it there for a moment.

      ‘Shall I go, Mr Levi? You seem –’

      ‘What about this moonlighting lark? You said you worked in a bar?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Oh, come on, Rosie, Give me more than that. What do you do? Serve drinks? Mix cocktails? Wipe down the tables? Bounce undesirables out of the door?’

      ‘Not exactly. I told you, it’s pretty hush-hush. I’m not really allowed to say.’

      He swallows the grape, spits the pip out on to the floor. Tears another one off the bunch.

      ‘What do you wear? For work? When you take that hideous overall off?’

      ‘A dress. A smart dress. Look, Mr Levi, I ought to go. I’ll be late.’

      I stand up, pushing the chair roughly against the wall. At last Pierre seems to notice me. The black glasses turn towards the noise I’ve made.

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