‘Yes, competitive rowing. I was thinking more in terms of a Sunday afternoon scull around on the lake. Just put some oars in her hands and see how she does with them.’
‘That’s fair enough.’ Ross wondered whether Laurie was actually capable of taking a Sunday afternoon scull anywhere. He supposed he’d find out soon enough.
‘But how do you get out
onto the lake in the first place? You’ll have to row her, won’t you.’
Laurie shot him an exasperated glance. ‘Look, I know what your reservations are. You think I’d do anything to get back out on the water and from your perspective...well, I can see how you might come to that conclusion.’
‘So convince me.’ Ross decided to give her a little more rope.
‘You have excellent physios and doctors here and there’s nothing I can add to what they can do for these kids. So I tried to think about something I could bring. My own unique selling point, if you like.’
‘Go on...’
‘For Adam, I want to bring an understanding of how frustrating it is to be injured, and how it can eat away at your own belief in yourself. And for Tamara... I just want to give her the feeling of power and speed that she once had when she was running and that she will have again.’
It was a different way of looking at the problem. But this was why he’d asked Laurie to do these treatment plans.
‘Okay. I’ll buy it. We can take Tamara out this afternoon if that’s something she’d like to do.’
‘We?’ Laurie raised her eyebrow and Ross nodded. It was time to step forward again and be a bit more hands on, because he needed to know that this was really right for Tamara.
‘If I come along, you won’t have to do any rowing.’
She looked at him thoughtfully and then nodded. Maybe this last two days had convinced her that he wasn’t simply meddling in her life for the sake of doing so.
‘Okay. Can you row?’
‘Not as well as you, but I’ve lived next to a lake for most of my life.’
She gave him a bright smile. ‘I’ll go and ask Tamara if she’d like to do that then, and come back to you. What time’s good for you?’
‘About three?’
‘Great. I’ll let you know.’ Laurie snapped her laptop shut, put it under her arm, and left his office without a backward glance. Ross was already looking forward to this afternoon, and hoping that Tamara would say yes.
He got to his feet, looking out at the lake. It had been his confidante as a boy, its ever-changing moods a source of endless fascination for him. When he’d come back here a newly qualified doctor, it had been the witness of bright new love, and then of disappointment and heartbreak. But now, staring out over the rippling expanse gave him no answers. Perhaps it had changed sides—those still waters knew that Laurie loved them and had allied themselves with her.
Nonsense. It was a large quantity of H2O, not a sentient being. He was on his own with the question of how he would convince Laurie that he really was on her side, and although he’d taken a first step, there was still a way to go.
* * *
Ross had voiced his reservations about this, but he hadn’t turned the idea down flat. He seemed to be making an effort to give her some room and she appreciated that. She had asked Tamara about it carefully, not wanting to sway her with her own enthusiasm or her wish to show Ross that she was right. And Tamara had liked the idea and agreed. Laurie had lent her a windcheater and given the girl one of her favourite caps to wear, which bore the insignia of the England team.
They walked slowly down to the small jetty by the side of the lake, Ross helping Tamara over the uneven ground. Then together they guided her into the sturdy boat that would carry three with ease, and Tamara sat down in the stern.
‘Okay, so watch carefully, Tamara. Ross is going to row us out a bit and then you can have a go.’
‘All right. We’re not going to sink, are we?’
Ross grinned at Tamara. ‘Nah, we’ve got a professional on our team. I’m going to be following Laurie’s instructions to the letter.’
The chance would be a fine thing. The thought of having Ross do exactly as she told him shimmered through her imagination, starting off with the professional and then branching out into what she might ask him to do by candlelight. It was an intriguing thought but probably better left for later, when she was back on dry land.
‘Let’s hope so, eh?’ Laurie shot Tamara a mischievous look and the girl laughed.
The lighter oars for Tamara were stored in the bottom of the boat, and Ross sat on the bench between the heavier pair, swinging them out into the water.