Page 48 of Mending Hearts at the Cornish Country Hospital (The Cornish Country Hospital #6)

Drew didn’t see the man standing in front of the neighbouring car at first, but the aggression in his tone as he addressed Drew made him look up sharply.

‘I should have known it would be someone like you, but I thought you might at least have had a better car.’ The stranger staring at him gave a bitter laugh.

He was taller than Drew, with a muscular build, but it was the look in his eyes that was worrying: a kind of vacant stare that made it seem as if he might be on something.

It wouldn’t be the first time someone had confronted Drew.

The nature of his job meant there’d been a couple of threats in the past, but he’d never had someone lying in wait for him before and a frisson of apprehension prickled his scalp.

‘I’m sorry, do I know you?’ He kept his tone even and non-confrontational, but he made sure not to turn his back to the man.

‘No, but you’re about to and I don’t think it’s going to be a happy acquaintance, seeing as you’re shagging my wife and doing your best to take my place as my son’s father.

’ The man grimaced, his eyes darkening and the vacant look seeming to clear.

He looked far more focused now he knew he had the right person, and his identity was no longer a mystery to Drew either.

It had to be Jesse. His description of Eden as his wife was the only thing that didn’t fit, but there was always the chance that was another secret she’d kept from Drew.

‘Jesse.’

‘Oh, so you know I exist then?’ Jesse took a step towards him, but Drew stood his ground.

From what Eden had told him, her ex had been verbally aggressive and manipulative, rather than physically violent, but that didn’t mean he could rule it out.

Drew wasn’t a coward, but he was far from being a fighter either.

He had more chance of talking himself out of the situation, than using his fists.

He might not be a natural at small talk, but when it came to the bigger, more important kinds of conversations, he could more than hold his own.

‘Of course I know you exist. Eden’s told me a lot about you.

’ Drew was still being careful not to give away anything in his tone.

He’d sometimes been accused of sounding emotionless in the past, when stressful situations had made him want to detach from reality, but suddenly that aspect of his autism felt like a superpower.

He could almost pretend it wasn’t him standing in front of Jesse, having a conversation he didn’t want to have.

What he really wanted to talk about was how badly Jesse had let Eden and Teddie down, and to ask how he could possibly have turned his back on his son, or loved him less because he didn’t fit an ideal Jesse obviously held.

He couldn’t say any of those things, though, not if he wanted to find out what Jesse was really here for, and to try and protect Eden and Teddie from that.

Drew was just glad she wasn’t at the hospital, because it meant whatever Jesse’s motivations might be, at least she was safe.

‘And what exactly did she tell you?’ A muscle was going in Jesse’s jaw, and his hands were clenched into fists.

Drew wasn’t going to lie, it wouldn’t help any of them to pretend Eden had painted Jesse as something he clearly wasn’t, but he needed to pick his words carefully.

From what she’d told Drew, Jesse needed help and if Eden was ever going to know true peace, they needed to make sure he got it.

She couldn’t cut the father of her son out of her life completely, so they had to find a way of managing his presence that was right for everyone, especially Teddie.

Even as the thoughts were rushing through Drew’s head, he realised that he was still thinking in terms of ‘us’ and ‘we’, as if he would be a part of whatever happened after this.

He had no idea if that was true, or even how they were going to get past the confrontation Jesse had engineered, but suddenly he knew without question that he wanted to be a part of Eden and Teddie’s lives.

She might have lied, but with Jesse standing in front of him, Drew could understand why she might have felt she didn’t have a choice.

‘She said you were together a long time and that you tried to make things work after Teddie came along, but in the end you couldn’t do it.’

‘That was her choice, not mine. I wanted Eden to stay, but she came running back here to Mummy and Daddy.’ Jesse almost spat the last few words. ‘She was always a little princess, having that option to fall back on. She’s got no idea what it’s like not to have anyone.’

‘Eden didn’t have the easiest of times growing up, you must know that.

’ Even as Drew said the words, he realised it was probably a mistake, but he didn’t seem able to stop himself.

Eden wasn’t a princess, she’d had to fight her whole life, and she was still going into battle every day for Teddie.

She was incredibly strong, because she had to be.

‘Oh piss off and get real. So her mum was a bit of a drinker. Christ. So what? Me and Sadie were the ones who had it hard. Do you know what life is like when your mother’s a whore and your father’s her pimp?’ Jesse was so close to Drew now that he could smell the stale alcohol on his breath.

‘No, and I can’t even imagine how hard that was, but you and Sadie managed to get out of that world, and make good lives for yourselves.

That takes a lot of strength.’ Drew wanted to tell Jesse that he understood, more than the other man might have believed possible.

Their situations may have been worlds apart in some ways, but there were clear parallels running between them all the same: a toxic relationship between their parents that had blighted their childhoods.

‘That’s just it, though, isn’t it? You think you’ve got out of that world and left it behind you, but it’s all still in here, isn’t it?

’ Jesse jabbed a finger towards his head.

‘I’m broken up there and nothing can fix it.

Not drinking, not drugs, not sex. I even tried therapy for a bit after Eden left, but nothing works.

It’s like I don’t even want to be in this body, but you can’t escape from yourself, can you? ’

‘Do you feel like it’s getting worse?’ Drew had no idea how Jesse was going to react to his question, but to his surprise the other man nodded. It was as if all of the rage had flooded out of him, leaving the kind of broken, defeated man he’d described standing in his place.

‘The past couple of weeks things have been so bad, it feels like my head might actually explode. Eden was the closest I got to feeling like I was fixed and I need her back. If I’ve got her and Teddie again, maybe I can finally get myself straight.

’ Jesse’s eyes were glassy and he was almost pleading, but even if he got what he wanted it wouldn’t fix his problems. Drew needed to try and make him see that, otherwise he was never going to give Eden and Teddie the peace they needed to be happy.

‘She can’t fix you. I know you might wish that was true, and she probably does too, but you need more help than any one person can give you.

I know you said you tried therapy, but even that’s not an easy fix.

It can take time to find the right support and the right combination of help, but you can’t put all this on Eden. She can’t solve your problems for you.’

Jesse lurched forward in response, and for a moment Drew was certain he was going to hit him, but he grabbed Drew by the collar of his shirt instead.

‘What the hell do you know? You just want to keep Eden and Teddie here with you.’ Jesse’s breath was hot on his face, and Drew was aware that whatever he said next might make the punch he’d expected a reality.

It didn’t matter, though, he couldn’t back away from the truth, whatever the cost. Not now.

‘You’re right, I do want Eden and Teddie in my life, but that’s not why I said what I said.

I know what it’s like to want to fix something in someone else’s head and to try everything you can to make things better, and still not be able to do it.

’ Drew held the other man’s gaze, Jesse’s eyes seeming to bore into his soul, but he didn’t say anything and he didn’t loosen his grip on Drew’s collar ether.

All Drew could do was keep trying to make him understand.

‘My mother was battling demons for years and I thought if I could just be what she needed I’d be able to make her better, but nothing I did changed how she felt inside.

She tried taking the edge off by self-medicating, but that didn’t help either.

She wouldn’t accept the help she needed, and looking back I wish I hadn’t tried so hard to fix her, because then maybe she would have realised she needed that help instead.

Nothing Eden can do will change how you feel, not in the long term.

Just don’t put her or your sister through what I went through when I lost my mother.

Give the people who are qualified to help you a second chance. It’s the only way you’ll get one too.’

For a moment Jesse tightened his grip on Drew’s collar, bringing his hands together and almost lifting Drew off his feet, before finally letting him go, tears streaming down his face as he did.

‘I’ll never be what Teddie needs. I couldn’t cope with him being the way he was, because I thought I’d caused it with all the things that are broken in my head.’

‘You’ve made mistakes, but that doesn’t mean things can never get better.

You need to concentrate on getting well, Jesse, and everything will be easier, including building a relationship with Teddie.

’ It wasn’t Drew’s place to say whether that bond could ever be rebuilt, or even if it should.

But everything he knew about Eden told him she’d be willing to give Jesse a chance to be in his son’s life, if he could prove he’d earned the right to do that, and if she believed it was in Teddie’s best interests.

‘Step away from Dr Redford right now, the police have been called.’ Ryan, a burly hospital security guard who Drew had once had an interesting chat with about solar eclipses, came running over, with one of his colleagues following close behind.

‘It’s okay, Ryan. I think we’ve got things sorted here.’ Drew had barely got the words out before a car screeched to a halt behind him, and Eden’s father jumped out.

‘Thank God you’re okay, Eden’s been on the phone in hysterics, she’s been calling you non-stop.’ Dave didn’t seem to notice Jesse at first. ‘She wanted to warn you… Oh my God, Jesse. You bastard! I didn’t think you’d actually come here.’

Dave took a step towards him, his eyes wild, and Drew knew what would happen if he didn’t intervene. Dave’s feelings towards Jesse might be understandable, after all he’d put his daughter through, but hitting him would only make a terrible situation even worse.

‘It’s okay.’ Drew put a hand on Dave’s arm. ‘We’ve had a good talk about things, and I think Jesse is ready to speak to someone about getting the support that might really help him.’

He turned to look towards Jesse, who nodded slowly. He was barely recognisable from the angry and aggressive man who’d threatened Drew. ‘I don’t even know where to start and I’m scared that nothing will work, it hasn’t before, but I really do want to try again.’

‘You can’t trust Jesse to do what he says. He’s just trying to get himself out of trouble, he’s an expert at it, but we’ve heard it all before.’ Dave shook his head, any empathy he might have had for his grandson’s father clearly having long since evaporated.

‘He’s right not to trust me, I don’t even trust myself and I can’t be given the chance to walk away. Maybe we should just let the police come.’ Jesse was furiously wiping his eyes with the back of his hands, but he couldn’t disguise the fact he was still crying.

‘No.’ Drew moved back towards the man who just a few moments earlier had been gripping him by the neck.

‘I’m going to take you into the hospital and we are going to ask to speak Joe Carter, one of the consultant psychiatrists.

I’ll stay with you until we know there’s a plan for getting you back home and into treatment with the right professionals, where you can see your sister and she knows you’re safe. ’

‘Thank you.’ Jesse nodded and Drew’s shoulders slumped with relief.

He knew this was a million miles away from being over.

There’d be no quick fixes and there was a chance that Dave would be proved right, and that Jesse would quit long before any treatment plan could make a difference; he’d done it at least once before.

The trauma of his past had damaged Jesse in a way that Drew was nowhere near qualified to unpick.

It didn’t excuse his actions or the way he’d treated Eden, but it did explain them.

Drew liked to believe that no one was beyond help as long as they wanted it, now Jesse just had to prove that he did.

Whatever the outcome, at least Drew could say he’d tried.

After what had happened with his mother, he’d never forgive himself if he hadn’t.

Her death had taught Drew that some things couldn’t be undone, and sometimes there was no opportunity to go back and try to do things differently.

At least Jesse had the opportunity to try.

Drew had a chance of making things right with Eden and Teddie too, and that was another thing he’d never forgive himself for not trying to do.