For a second Brad felt something twisting around his heart. He wished more than anything that Melody could be here with him now. He’d never experienced Christmas in a cold climate, and he’d love it if his daughter could see this with him. He’d even seen an ad posted on the hospital notice-board the other day about a Santa’s grotto with real, live reindeer down on the Ayrshire coast. If only he could take Melody to see something like that. The thought instantly clouded his head with difficult memories and yearnings.
He watched as a father lifted his daughter up onto one of the huge white horses with red reins on the merry-go-round. As the music started and the ride slowly began to move, he could see the father standing next to the horse, holding his daughter safely in place as her face glowed with excitement.
‘Brad?’
He turned abruptly. Cassidy was watching him with her all-seeing, all-knowing brown eyes. She gave his arm a little tug. ‘Are you okay?’
She followed his eyes to the merry-go-round, the question hesitating on her lips.
This wasn’t the time to be melancholy. This was the time to be positive and thankful that he could create new memories with someone who tugged at his heartstrings. He reached out and grabbed her leather-gloved hand. ‘Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight in your grandmother’s coat? That red suits you perfectly.’
He pulled her forward for a kiss, ducking underneath the black furred hat that was currently containing her wayward curls. ‘Do you remember those little girls who used to be on top of the chocolate boxes at Christmas? That’s just what you look like.’
‘Welcome, everyone.’ The compère’s voice echoed around the square and they turned to face him.
‘Who is he?’ Brad whispered.
‘Some reality TV star,’ she whispered back, ‘but I’ve no idea which one.’
The guy was swamped in the biggest coat Brad had even seen. He obviously wasn’t from around these parts. ‘We’re here in Glasgow tonight to light up our Christmas tree.’
There was a cheer around about them.
‘Can anyone guess what colour the tree lights will be this year?’
He waited as the crowd shouted out around him. ‘Let’s count down and see. Altogether now, ten, nine, eight...’
Cassidy started to join in, shouting down the numbers with rest of the crowd. ‘Come on, you.’ She nudged him.
Brad smiled and started chanting with people around them. ‘Five, four, three, two, one!’
There was a gasp as the tree lit up instantly with a whole host of red lights, like winter berries on the tree. A few seconds later they were joined by some tiny silver twinkling stars. A round of applause went up then, and only a few seconds later, Brad noticed Cassidy blink as a cheer erupted all around them. People were holding their hands out and laughing as the first smattering of snow appeared in tiny flakes around them. It only took a few seconds for some to land in the curls of her hair and on her cheeks. She gave a big smile, looking upwards to the dark sky. ‘Nothing like a little dusting of snow for the occasion.’
Brad pulled his hand out of his thermal glove and held it out like the people around them. ‘First time I’ve been snowed on,’ he said, watching as the tiny flakes melted instantly as they touched his hand. ‘This is fabulous.’
Cassidy sighed. ‘Wait until the morning. If the snow lies on the roads and streets, it will be even more treacherous than before. In my experience snow generally means we’ll be more busy at work.’
Brad grabbed her waist again. ‘Work? Let’s not talk about work. Let’s go and have some fun.’
They walked around some of the nearby market stalls. Cassidy sampled some sautéed potatoes with onions and bacon then moved on to the next stall to try their vast array of chocolates. ‘What’s your favourite?’ Brad asked. ‘I’ll buy you some.’
Cassidy’s nose wrinkled and she glanced over her shoulder. ‘Actually, I’m a tat collector. I’d prefer another ornament for my Christmas tree.’
He gave her a surprised look. ‘A tree ornament instead of chocolate? I would never have guessed. Well, let’s see what they’ve got.’
She was like a child in the proverbial sweetie shop as she oohed and aahed over tiny green sequin trees, little white angels and traditional wooden crafted Santa Claus ornaments. A few moments later Cassidy had selected a Russian doll for her tree with red and gold zigzags adorning its tiny wooden frame. ‘This is perfect,’ she said. ‘I’ve never seen anything like this before.’
Brad smiled and handed over some money, but not before picking up a second one for Melody. She would have loved this stall, too.
They walked over to the nearby booth to collect their skates and spent a few minutes sitting at the side, lacing them up. Cassidy stood up, wobbling around as she tried to gain her balance. Brad appeared at her side, equally unsteady. ‘Are we ready for this?’ He held out his hand towards her.
They stepped onto the ice together. It was busy, families skating and wobbling with interlinked hands as they tried to find their way around the ice. Brad took a few moments to get his balance—he’d only ever skated a few times in his life but had always managed to stay upright. Cassidy, however, took him completely by surprise.
She let go of his hand and within seconds was gliding over the ice as if it was something she did every day. Her paces were long and even as she bobbed and weaved through the crowd of people on the ice. She spun round, her red coat swinging out around her. Brad held on to the side rail for a few more seconds.
‘Come on, Dr Donovan, show us what you’re made of!’ she shouted from the middle of the rink.
She looked gorgeous. Her cheeks were flushed with colour, and the red coat with its nipped-in waist highlighted her figure perfectly. The perfect Christmas picture.
Her words were like a challenge. And no matter how unsteady he was on the ice, Brad wasn’t one to ignore a challenge. He pushed himself off as best he could towards her, nearly taking out a few children in the process. He reached her in a few seconds with only a few unsteady steps and wrapped his arms around her in the middle of the rink. ‘You’re a scammer, Cassidy Rae. You didn’t say you knew how to ice skate.’
‘You didn’t ask.’ Her eyes were twinkling as she pushed off and spun around him again, skating backwards for a few seconds before ending in an Olympic-style twirl.
‘Show-off,’ he growled. ‘Where on earth did you learn how to do that?’
She started skating backwards around him. ‘In Australia you surf—in Scotland you skate!’ She reversed into him, allowing him to collapse his arms around her waist. ‘That’s not strictly true,’ she said. ‘I skated for around five years but, to be honest, as a young girl I was a bit flighty. I tried ballet, majorettes, country dancing and horse riding before I started skating.’
His head rested on her shoulder, his nose touching her pink flushed cheek. ‘I like the sound of a flighty Cassidy Rae. She sounds like fun.’
Cassidy pushed off and turned to face him again, tilting her head to one side. ‘Are you trying to say I’m not fun now, Dr Donovan?’
‘Oh, you’re lots of fun, Ms Rae.’ He tried to take a grab at her, but his unsteady gait sent him wobbling across the ice. ‘Help!’
She skated alongside him and slotted her hand into his. ‘Let’s just take things easy. We’ll just skate around in a simple circle like the rest of the people are doing.’ She pointed at some kids teetering past them. ‘See? Anyone can do it.’
Brad groaned and tried to push more firmly on the ice. It was easier while Cassidy was gripping his hand, and he gained confidence as they circled round and round the rink. By the time the old-fashioned klaxon sounded, signalling the end of their session, Brad felt as though he could finally stand upright with some confidence.
‘Is that an hour already? I can’t believe it. I was finally starting to get
the hang of this.’
‘We can come back again,’ said Cassidy with a smile as she skated around him again. The rink was starting to empty as people crowded toward the small exit. He watched for a few seconds as Cassidy took advantage of the now-empty ice and did a few twirls. A squeal stopped her in her tracks.
Brad pushed through the throng, reaching a little girl who was being pulled up by her father and clutching her hand to her chest. Her face was pale and Brad could see a few drips of crimson blood on the ice at her feet.
‘Let me have a look at her,’ he said, lifting her up in his strong arms. ‘I’m a doctor.’ He turned his head towards Cassidy, who had appeared at his back. ‘Can you ask the booth if they have a first-aid kit?’
The crowd parted easily, concerned by the cries of a child, and he walked unsteadily to the adjacent wooden bench at the side of the rink. He positioned the child underneath the nearest light and held her hand tightly for a few seconds.
‘What’s your name?’ he asked the pale-faced, trembling little girl.
‘Victoria,’ she whispered. Brad smiled. It was clear she was trying very hard not to cry. Her father had his arms wrapped around her shoulders.
‘She just fell over as we were waiting to get off the ice. Someone must have caught her hand with their skate.’
Cassidy appeared with the first-aid kit and opened it quickly, pulling out some gloves, antiseptic wipes, sterile dressings and elastic bandages.
Brad got off the bench and lowered himself near the ground, his face parallel with Victoria’s. ‘I’m just going to have a little look at your hand—just for a second. Is that okay?’