Healing David

He smiled.

In a hoarse voice, he said, "Thank you. Thank you Helen. And you, Angie, thank you."

He smiled again.

Angie gathered up the wipes, tissue and condom and put them into a small plastic bag, then packed that and the iPods into her handbag.

There were voices in the corridor. Angie looked at Helen. "Better go, babe?"

Helen hugged David, long and hard. He stood up, towered over her. They carried on hugging. "I love you," mumbled Helen. "Thank you," David said again.

Helen slowly disengaged herself. Angie went up to David, stood on tiptoe, kissed him on the cheek. "Nice meeting you, David. I hope that was nice for you. I hope you feel better soon. And when you're out, if you ever need to relax ... well, Helen knows how to find me." One last dazzling smile from her. A shy smile from him.

The two women left the room. In the corridor, Dr Sandhu was approaching, accompanied by her nursing staff. "Ah, hello Miss Wheeler. And I assume this is a friend of David's?"

"Angela Headley," said Angie. "Pleased to meet you."

"How is your brother today?"

"Well, Doctor, I must say he seems a little better. He smiled, and said a few words. I think he was very pleased to see Angela."

"Excellent. Very encouraging. I will see him now. Goodbye, Miss Wheeler, Ms Headley."

In the taxi on the way home, Angie asked the driver to drop her at the retail park. "Gonna spend some of this," she said to Helen, as she transferred the banknotes Helen had given her from an envelope to her purse. "Ellie needs some summer clothes. She's growing so fast. Here, this is a picture of her." She showed Helen a snap of a pretty, smiling little girl, skin a shade lighter than Angie's, hair in frizzy bunches.

"She's lovely," said Helen. "Really lovely." Everything seemed like a dream to her now.

"Well," said Angie. "Not a bad day. Your brother got what he needed. Ellie will get something she needs. There's a bit left over for me. And you did a good thing. And I think you enjoyed it. Ah, here we are. This is where I get out." She gave Helen a peck on the cheek. "Take care darling. I hope it all works out. And if you need a bit of extra cash I can always put in a word with Rosie. Maybe just as a maid?"

The car pulled up. Angie got out and gave Helen one last wave. Helen watched her walk away, her skirt swaying around her perfect bottom, which Helen knew was naked under there.