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‘Post's in.' Cassie yelled up the stairs.
'Anything interesting or just the usual rubbish?' Jimmy called back as he finished getting dressed.
He heard her say something in reply but couldn’t make it out as he tugged an old jumper over his head. He’d said he would help Duncan finish moving into the flat above the bistro this weekend taking advantage of the apparent lull in criminal activity on the islands since solving Daniel Ugara’s murder and shutting down Chris Brook’s people trafficking operation.
When he and Duncan had left the station to pick up Cassie from the airport there were no active cases and the paperwork was up to date, or least no-one was shouting for anything which meant he’d managed a rare lie in and was hopeful for a full weekend with no-one but Cassie and Duncan making demands on his time.
Stepping into the kitchen and flicking the kettle on he saw Cassie standing in the living room opening the couple of envelopes in her hand, the few pieces of colourful advertising junk having been discarded on the end of the bench ready for the recycling bin.
'There's a letter here for Duncan.' She sounded distracted.
'The flat above the mystery bistro, since neither of you will tell me the name, doesn't have a letterbox and it's only a temporary measure until he sorts somewhere else out. I said he could get his post redirected here.'
Jimmy glanced over his shoulder when she didn't acknowledge him. She hadn't moved and was staring down at a sheet of paper.
'Cassie?'
'It's from the hospital.'
'What is?'
'Duncan's letter.' She sounded upset now.
Jimmy set his cup down and half-joked. 'You do know it's illegal to open someone else's post?'
'You can arrest me later. “Mr Hunter, the results of your tests carried out after your recent procedure on 2 May 2018 showed no abnormal cells. Therefore no further action is required. If you have any further queries please contact your GP practice.” It’s from the lab at the Aberdeen Infirmary. What procedure? What tests?’
‘I don’t know.’ Jimmy held his hand out for the letter.
‘He was living with you!’
‘We aren’t joined at the hip. Give it here.’
Taking the letter from her he looked it over. Ignoring the usual headings and footers she’d read out all the main body of the letter.
‘That’s basically the same letter as I get after my smear test. Which means they were looking for cancer.’
‘Well... it says everything is clear.’ Jimmy managed.
‘But that means he thought it might not be and he didn't say anything!’
‘Cassie.’ He set the letter down on the bench and held out an arm for her to slip under and pressed a kiss to her hair when she curled in close to him. He loved the capable young woman she’d grown into but sometimes he missed the little girl who used to cuddle up when she was worried and wanting comfort. ‘Duncan’s going to be here any minute before we head to his and Mary’s old house. You can ask him then. Go on up and finish getting ready. Something you won’t mind getting messed.’
Cassie gave him an unhappy look then turned and went upstairs to change.
He tapped the folded page lightly before turning away and pouring himself a bowl of cereal, leaning against the sink to eat it while thinking.
He’d seen Duncan morning and night since he’d asked him to stay, while they’d not often sat down for a heart to heart other than the lunch when Duncan admitted he’d briefly thought about ending it; they'd increasingly caught each other up on the day's events but Duncan hadn’t ever mentioned health concerns or a doctor's visit.
He was rinsing his bowl out when there was a quick knock at the door before the sound of a key turning told him it was Duncan.
Drying the bowl he looked over as Duncan came into the kitchen. The other man looked perfectly well as he glanced around the room.
‘You eaten?’ He offered as he went to put the cereal box away.
‘Yeah.’ Duncan sat himself down on the bar stool he’d long ago claimed as his own. ‘Cassie awake?’
‘Duncan’s here.’ Jimmy called up at the ceiling in lieu of answering.
‘Don’t let him get away!’ Cassie yelled back.
Duncan looked back at him in surprise. ‘That sounds ominous.’
‘Hmm. Coffee?’
‘Please. Seriously, what am I supposed to have done this time?’
‘You don’t know?
‘I’m fairly sure most of my sins have already been found out and I haven’t had the time recently to commit any new ones.’
‘A letter arrived for you. Cassie opened it before she realised it was for you.’ Jimmy pushed the page across the bench, then qualified. ‘I think.’
Duncan took the letter with a slight frown and unfolded the page to read it. He made a rueful face. ‘Ah.’
‘That anything to do with why you reckon you've only a few years left?' Jimmy asked as he set Duncan’s coffee down in front of him.
'Hang on,’ Duncan frowned. ‘What few years left?'
'When you were thinking about selling up. You asked how many World Cups I thought we had left, remember? You said three, assuming that includes this year, it implies you don’t think you’re making it to 2030.'
Duncan took a drink and rolled his eyes. 'I wasnae being that precise.’
Footsteps pounded on the stairs before Cassie rounded the doorway, dressing gown pulled on over bare legs and fixed Duncan with an unhappy glare. ‘What’s this about hospital tests?’
‘It’s nothing.’ Duncan glanced at Jimmy who held up his hands in surrender as this was Cassie's show for now, maybe Duncan would finally realise that the people who cared about him wanted to know what was happening.
‘It’s not nothing if they are running tests!’ Cassie's voice cracked and she blinked rapidly.
Duncan, looking concerned, held up a hand forestalling any further objections. 'I had a cyst reoccur. It’s entirely benign, just a collection of fluid which makes it a little uncomfortable but nothing to worry about.’
’You were worried enough to go to the hospital.’
‘No I went to the GP. They drained the cyst and sent a sample for testing via the hospital. All routine.’
‘Some types of cysts can be inherited. Do I need to keep an eye out for anything?’ Cassie fidgeted with her dressing gown, clearly thinking about the signs and symptoms that Fran taught her to look out for after her own cancer diagnosis.
No.’ Duncan shook his head. ‘It’s an epididymal cyst so testicular, and Alan doesn’t need to worry either. there’s no known genetic connection to them. I’d have told you if there was.’
‘Okay.’ Cassie relaxed and gave them a good approximation of her usual bright smile. ‘So what’s first on the agenda for today?’
‘Drinking my coffee while you get dressed, then I have to finish putting the rest of my stuff from Mary’s into storage and take what I’ll need to the flat.’
‘Ten minutes.’ Cassie promised.
They watched her head back upstairs.
‘After Fran, well she worries.’ Jimmy commented mildly.
‘I know.’ Duncan scrubbed a hand down his face. ‘Which was why I didn’t say anything. She had her exams and after you, rightly, brought her back here mid semester she didn’t need anything else to fret about.’
Jimmy grudgingly admitted, if only to himself, he'd have probably done the same. However he hadn't had exams to worry about and Duncan hadn't told him either. ‘How many times?’
‘What?’
‘You said it had reoccured. So it’s happened before?’
Duncan rolled his eyes. ‘This was the fourth time. It tends to be more common in men over forty but apparently I’m special and stared early.’
‘That’s one way to look at it.’ Jimmy took the half hearted glare Duncan aimed at him with equanimity. ‘Still it must have worried you?’
‘Not really.’ Duncan shrugged then allowed. ‘The first time did scare the hell out of me. I was twenty two and ignored it for months before seeing a Doctor. They’ve all followed the same pattern, any differences and it might be another story.’
Accepting the explanation Jimmy nodded, leaning back against the sink again to wait until Cassie was ready.
‘When… if it happens again, you do know you don’t have to do everything by yourself?’
Duncan gave him a smirk over his cup. ‘You offering to come and hold my hand?’
Jimmy laughed. ‘Well I’m not offering to hold anything else.’
End
December 19 - July 20