Things Aren't Always What They Seem

No excuses of apologies for this one, it's a love story plain and simple.

As always constructive comments and criticisms about the writing are appreciated but please don't write and tell me the characters suck, they aren't real, they're just a figment of my imagination.

Please remember it is just a story.

Enjoy

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Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Sliding in behind the steering wheel of her car Niamh Staunton inserted the key into the ignition and took a breath.

"Please just for me..... please."

She looked upwards and murmured quietly to herself before trying to start the engine.

'Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.... Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr'

"Noooooooooooo."

Sitting back in her seat she groaned out loud, her heart sinking as the engine turned over but, just as she had expected, failed to actually start.

"Please, this time. Just for me, please." Looking up to the sky she implored quietly and taking another deep breath, she tried the key a second time.

'Brrrrmmmmmmmmm... Brrrmmmmmmmmm!'

Much to her relief, her car started.

'Thank fuck, it must be my lucky day.'

She couldn't help but, not for the first time, thank whoever the guardian saint of cars was as she pulled away from the kerbside. Listening to the engine of her Vauxhall Corsa protesting noisily while she drove towards the town centre she wondered what she would do when the vehicle finally died for good.

More than ten years old the fourth or fifth hand little car wasn't exactly in pristine condition but it was all she could afford. Somehow though, it struggled on and managed to get her to and from work as well as the occasional social event, which was its main purpose in life.

However, over the last few weeks it had started to become increasingly more unreliable; most days it was reluctant to start and there always seemed to be some new disturbing noises to worry her. It meant that lately she was continually concerned that it was going to give up and completely die on her. Every rattle or groan made her just a touch more apprehensive about whether she was actually going to get to her destination or not.

So, it was with a palpable sense of relief that, twenty minutes later, she finally pulled in to the side of the road, just a few doors away from the small coffee shop where she was due to meet her friend.

Turning off the engine she sat there for a moment and contemplated what she could do about her ailing vehicle. The only real options for her were to have it fixed or to get a new one and both were way out of her budget. As a nurse her salary barely paid her enough to live on let alone leave her with a surplus to pay a garage to mend or replace her car.

Sighing resignedly, she put the problem to the back of her mind and got out. Locking her vehicle, before heading off to her appointment.

Reaching the entrance to the café she paused and composed herself. It had been a while, almost a year in fact, since she had last met up with Julie and she knew she was in for an interrogation as to what she had been up to.

As prepared as she could be she swallowed apprehensively and pushed open the door.

"Nia!"

Already in the coffee shop waiting for her Julie Carter jumped to her feet with a shriek and embraced Niamh as soon as she entered, before insisting on buying their drinks.

"It's been absolutely ages, how have you been hon?" Julie sat down opposite her putting the two coffees on the table.

Before she could respond her friend immediately launched into the intense cross-examination she had been expecting.

"So, what are you up to these days? Are you seeing anyone? It's been more than a year since you and.... and well you know..."

She didn't finish her sentence, letting it hang in the air, both of them well aware of what had happened.

A rather frazzled Niamh shrugged, "I've been alright I guess. Work has been really hectic but at least I'm completely over that cheating piece of dog shit now."

Letting her mind wander back she thought about the disaster her brief relationship with the loathsome Jason Harris had been and how badly it had ended.

She had rejected Jason's first attempts to ask her out but he had persisted and, laying on the charm, she had eventually relented and agreed to go on a date with him. Initially it had been great and they had had a good time but once he had got her into his bed he had changed.

Becoming controlling and manipulative he had started to treat her badly, lying to her on numerous occasions, until she finally caught him out one evening; unexpectedly turning up at his flat and letting herself in while he was having sex with another girl.

The ensuing arguments and break-up had been acrimonious in the extreme and it had taken her a long time to get over it.

"Well, you certainly sound like you are."

Julie laughed at the expected venomous response she got to her question.

"Now I'm currently renting a flat with a friend and enjoying the ward I'm on." Niamh grinned, brushing a stray strand of blonde hair back from her face.

"And men? What about a man? Is there anyone special in your life at the moment?" Julie looked at her enquiringly.

The slim blonde nurse shook her head, "Nope, definitely no men. After that arsehole I'm totally off of them."

"Oh, come on Nia, you've been single and celibate for well over a year now. There must be some young doctor or whatever on the horizon."

"No, there's no one really."

Julie raised an eyebrow, "No one really? That tells me that there might be. Come on, tell me everything."

Niamh chuckled, "There is this doctor, Brian Carson. We've chatted over coffee a few times but that's all. Don't go buying yourself a new hat."

"You like him then?" Her friend persisted.

"He's ok but if I'm being honest he doesn't really do anything for me. I'm not interested in finding a boyfriend anyway." She declared resolutely, "I'm quite happy going along as I am."

"Boring!" Julie gave up probing for gossip and changed the subject, "So, go on tell me about work then. How's it all going?"

"I'm on the paediatric ward. It's difficult sometimes but so rewarding, and the ward sister is great to work for."

Filling her friend in on what was happening in her life the two of them fell into an easy conversation. For the next half an hour the pair caught up on everything they had been doing, until Niamh paused and looked at her watch.

"Sod it. I really have to go Jules or I'll be late for my shift." Niamh finished the last of her now cold coffee and stood up.

Julie did likewise and the pair embraced as they went to say goodbye.

"It's been great to see you. We must have a night out sometime. It must be ages since we last had one." Julie told her as she let go of her, "And no putting it off like you have been."

"Between your husband and my shifts, it isn't always easy to find the time."

"I know, I know. Text me when you're off and we'll arrange something."

Saying their farewell's, the two girls parted company and Niamh walked back around the corner. Her good mood starting to evaporate as she was again faced with the problem of what to do about her car.

That was when she noticed the blue BMW Series 2 sports coupe that pulled in at the kerbside, stopping a few cars back from hers.

'That's exactly what I need.'

She thought, smiling to herself, before going back to her own concerns and murmuring, "Something nice and sporty."

Sliding into the driver's seat she fastened her seat belt and, checking her watch again, turned the ignition.

'Click.'

She groaned in frustration as the engine failed to start and tried again.

'Click.'

'Click.'

"Shit, shit, shit!" Closing her eyes, she swore out loud and rested her forehead on the steering wheel.

"Now I'm going to be fucking late." She cursed again before popping open the bonnet and clambering out.

Standing with her hands on her hips she stared at the non-functioning lump of metal wondering what she was going to do. She knew nothing about mechanics and if she couldn't get her car to start she would end up being late for her shift at the hospital.

"You fucking useless piece of fucking shit!"

Niamh kicked the front tyre of her car in frustration then stood back, glaring at the broken vehicle in front of her, tears starting to well up in the corners of her eyes.

'Could she get a bus?'

'Could she afford a cab?'

She was so preoccupied pondering the alternatives available to her, none of which would get her to work on time, that she failed to notice the young man who had stepped out of the BMW.

However, judging by the way he stopped and stared he clearly saw her.

+++++++++++++++++++

Pulling in to the side of the road Alex Wainwright checked his watch and decided he had enough time to grab a take-away coffee before continuing his journey. That was when he noticed the car two spaces in front of his; the bonnet up and the driver, a girl, standing looking at the engine.

Slipping out of his own vehicle he stood watching her for a moment, wondering if he should just ignore her and not get involved. However, as he got a little closer he could see she was exceptionally pretty and, judging by her uniform, a nurse.

Unable to walk away leaving a girl in distress, especially an attractive one, he simply felt he had to stop.

"Having trouble?" He was just a few feet away from her when he spoke, "Want me to...."

The girl whirled around, stopping and staring open-mouthed, barely able to breathe when she found herself staring into a pair of warm hypnotizing brown eyes that looked back into her blue ones. Within a fraction of a second her heart rate had leapt by several dozen beats a minute and she was sure that the guy who was standing there must hear it, the way it thumped against her ribs.

"Oh err.... yeah.... I... it umm.... it err.... doesn't want to go and I'm going to be late for work."

Taken totally by surprise at her reaction she stammered, struggling to collect her thoughts and speak normally.

Looking back at her Alex froze, like her gasping for air as he found himself completely mesmerised. Gazing into her eyes it felt like he was drowning in two deep azure pools and he momentarily lost the power of speech.

One moment everything had seemed perfectly normal to him and then, without warning, it wasn't.

His heart rate jumped, hammering so loudly in his chest he felt it was about to burst out of his body. At the same time, he could feel the flock of butterflies in his stomach and he struggled to think of what else he could say.

"Err... umm... do you want me to... to take a look for you?" He eventually managed to find his voice.

Finally mumbling his question, he let his eyes devour her, trying to commit every beautiful detail to memory.

Firstly, he revised his initial assessment of her. She wasn't just pretty; she was absolutely stunning.

She had longish dirty blonde hair, although he couldn't say how long it was because of her pony tail, but it definitely hung down below her shoulder blades. As he had already noticed her blue eyes were simply captivating and standing in front of her he felt he could just gaze into them for hours.

He estimated she was about 5' 5" or 6", although it was difficult to gauge her shape under her uniform. If he had been tasked with guessing he would have said she was a modest 34B with a trim waist, nicely shaped hips and a firm pert backside.

Guessing her to be roughly the same age as his 24 years he reluctantly dragged his eyes away from her body when she answered him.

"Sorry... what... did you..."

++++++++++++++++++++

"Do you want me to take a look at your car for you?" He grinned at her sending a warm feeling straight to her core and making her go weak at the knees.

Still staring at him the second thing Niamh noticed, after his eyes, was that he was absolutely gorgeous. Not in a film star kind of way but more in a sort of really cute guy who lives across the road manner.

He was a lot taller than her, probably about 6' 2", towering over her petite 5' 4".

Taking in the rest of him she decided that he was about 23 or 24, her age, and most definitely cute, his slightly untidy brown hair matched his eyes and was long enough to brush the top of his collar.

Trying not to let him see she was studying him she hurriedly let her eyes wander up and down his body unable to help but notice that under the smart casual clothes that he was wearing he looked fit and toned.

She looked up suddenly remembering; her last boyfriend had been a gym rat, spending hours working out, and in the end he had cheated on her more than once with girls he met there.

Dragging herself away from that thought it took her a moment before she realised that he had spoken.

"What... sorry... I wasn't...?"

"Your car? I asked you if you wanted me to take a look at the engine for you?" He breathed deeply and repeated his question again, this time giving her a disarming smile.

"Are you a mechanic?"

Still thinking about her former boyfriend Niamh responded rather more tartly than she had intended or he deserved.

He grinned again, not taking offence and sending her heart rate up several more beats a minute in the process.

"No, but my dad was and he taught me a bit about engines, plus I'm guessing that you need to get to the hospital."

"What? Hospital? How do you know where I work?"

Suddenly Niamh became slightly alarmed, wondering how he knew where she worked.

"Your uniform. It's a bit of a giveaway. I take it you're a nurse?"

"Oh, oh sorry, yes, yes I am." She blushed, totally embarrassed, as she realised what he had meant with his observation, "Please, if you can get it going I'd be ever so grateful."

"Well, no promises but I'll see what I can do."

He grinned again, giving her goosebumps, and she couldn't help but smile back at him.

Her expression changing as the unwanted memory of her ex, Jason the gym rat, crept back into her head.

Stepping aside, she watched him intently as he peered at the engine and began to poke around, deciding once again that he must work out regularly, judging by what she could see of his physique under his clothes.

Despite the fact she was single and had been for well over a year she wasn't interested in finding a man, certainly not another fitness freak like Jason had been. Her last boyfriend had been a serial cheater and had left her heartbroken when she had finally found out about his infidelities.

But she had to admit that this guy was certainly cute and caused an unexpected reaction in her.

"Mmmmmm."

The sound of his voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Can you fix it?" She asked hopefully.

"Maybe, let me just see." Alex responded glancing up at her.

Shaking her head she checked her watch, shifting from one foot to the other as her blonde ponytail swayed from side to side while she tried to calm herself down.

Even if he got the car started in the next five minutes she was definitely going to be late.

"Try it now." His voice came from under the bonnet.

"Ok." She slipped into the driver seat and, expectantly turned the ignition.

'Click.'

Her heart sank when nothing happened.

"Hang on a sec." She heard him call out.

Sitting in the car she waited as he fiddled around a little more pushing and twisting wires before he shouted out to her.

"I think that's it. Try it again."

Nia twisted the key a second time and was relieved to hear the engine roar into life.

Leaving it idling she got out and smiled gratefully at him, "Thank you. I really appreciate your help. I'm sorry I was a little snappy earlier."

"That's ok. It was just a loose connection on the battery but you might want to get it checked sometime."

Pulling out a tissue he wiped the smudge of grease off his fingers.

"Well, thanks again...." She paused, feeling as if she should say something more as the two of them stood and looked at each other.

"Well enjoy work." He finally broke the slightly awkward silence and turned away, heading towards the coffee shop she had just left.

"Oh yeah, right, I will." Niamh couldn't help but smile at him as she got back in her car.

Fastening her seatbelt, she paused and looked after him, watching as he walked away, wondering what his name was and why he had created such an unexpected and startling response in her.

'Stop it. He's another gym freak, probably just like Jason.'

She told herself firmly as she sat and watched him for a few seconds in the rear-view mirror before pulling out into the traffic, trying to get the thoughts of her good Samaritan out of her mind, as she hurried to get to work as quickly as she could.

+++++++++++++++++++

Pausing in front of the café he stood and watched her car disappear into the distance before turning away. Once she was out of sight he pushed open the door to the coffee shop and, with his mind still filled with thoughts about her, went inside.

'Who was she?'

'Why had she affected him like she had?'

It was apparent she had some sort of issue with him by the way she had snapped a few times and he wondered what her reason might be.

"Can I help you?"

The barista's voice jerked him out of his reflections.

"Oh sorry, I was miles away. Just a regular cappuccino please. To take-away."

A few minutes later he slid back into his car with a cardboard cup of coffee and pulled the letter out from his inside pocket. Reading it for what seemed like the hundredth time he folded it carefully, putting it back in his jacket and, starting the BMW, pulled away from the kerbside to continue his journey.

Smiling to himself he thought that some things were more important than worrying about why a pretty girl seemed to be annoyed at him.

However, forgetting her was easier said than done and as he drove he kept finding his thoughts going back to her.

'What was it about her that had sent his heart rate sky-rocketing?'

'She was certainly pretty.'

'What had he done to upset her?'

He hadn't had a girlfriend in what seemed like forever, finding most of the girls he met shallow and materialistic, and wasn't particularly looking for a relationship either.

++++++++++++++++++++

"You're late." The paediatric ward sister shook her head ruefully and then smiled as Niamh dashed in to her office just a few minutes behind schedule.

"I'm really sorry Kath. Car trouble. Again."

Sister Katherine Murchison laughed, "When will you get yourself something a bit more reliable than that old wreck you're driving around in?"

"When I earn a lot more than I do here."

"That's a never then?"

Their low pay was a standing joke between them and they both chuckled at the last statement, aware of the poor salaries they both got working as nurses in the NHS.

"Can you do the evening meds please Nia." The ward sister got down to business, "Oh, and look in on young Tommy when you get a minute. He's feeling a bit down in the dumps again."

Niamh nodded.

She had a bit of a soft spot for Tommy. "No problem, I'll make sure I spend some time with him."

Collecting the dispensing trolley, she checked the roster carefully to make sure she had everything. Then, once she was satisfied, she set off doing her rounds and distributing the medication, letting her mind wander on to the subject of Tommy Bradley as she worked.

He was just 10 years old and, without a doubt, her favourite patient.

Ever since he had arrived on the ward a few weeks ago to undergo treatment for his cancer she had got to know him, and his family, quite well. Most of the time he was a typical youngster despite his illness, but there were occasions, mostly when he was by himself, when he slipped into despair over not being able to do all the things his friends did.