The Book of Eve

by Julia Blake

  ‘We were at a silly charity lunch,’ explained Annaliese, pulling a face. ‘Scott called to tell us he and Andrew were on their way to hospital, so could we please pick up Mimi’s hospital bag on our way here.’

  For the first time, I noticed Robert was clutching a trim navy blue weekend bag and I shot Scott an admiring look. In the middle of a headlong, panic stricken dash to the hospital with a worried father-to-be, he’d stayed calm enough to think of such practicalities.

  ‘So how is Mimi?’ Robert asked. ‘Has there been any news?’

  ‘They were prepping her for a C-section,’ I explained, slightly proud of my insider knowledge. ‘She has something called placenta praevia, that’s where the placenta is lying across the neck of the cervix and stopping the baby from coming out.’

  ‘Goodness!’ exclaimed Annaliese, shooting Caro a telling look. ‘It sounds like Mimi was very lucky you picked today to pay a visit.’

  We settled down to wait. Time ticked by, nearly forty minutes, before the double doors opened and Andrew emerged, broad face splitting under the weight of a huge grin that stretched from ear to ear, red hair incongruous with the blue scrubs straining to fit over his sturdy frame.

  ‘It’s a girl!’ he declared proudly. We clustered round him, exclaiming and congratulating, kissing cheeks and shaking hands, our relief manifesting itself in loud, good natured teasing.

  ‘How’s Mimi?’ we asked and Andrew nodded his head.

  ‘She’s still under from the general, but the doctor has told me she’s going to be fine,’ he replied, and we all exclaimed in relief.

  ‘When can we see them?’ Annaliese enquired eagerly.

  ‘Like I said, Mimi’s still under and even when she wakes up she’ll need to get cleaned up and changed,’ Andrew said. ‘But I know she’ll want to see you, so perhaps you could come back at visiting time this evening, so we can introduce you properly to the newest member of the group.’

  ‘Of course,’ smiled Annaliese and gestured to Robert to hand over the bag. ‘We brought her things with us.’

  ‘Bless you, Annaliese,’ Andrew took the bag gratefully. ‘I know she’ll be pleased to have them. Now, I’m going to go and see my daughter,’ he paused, the grin flashed across his face again. ‘My daughter,’ he repeated wonderingly. ‘I’m a dad, it doesn’t seem real, I’m a dad.’

  ‘And a wonderful one you’ll be too,’ Annaliese reassured him, laughing. ‘Now, you give them both a big kiss from all of us and we’ll be back later.’

  We all turned to go, but Andrew’s voice quietly called me back. ‘Eve?’ I looked at him, brows raised in enquiry and he held out his hand. ‘Can I talk to you, just for a moment, please?’

  ‘Of course,’ I muttered, surprised, glanced at Annaliese as though asking her permission.

  ‘I’ll wait outside for you,’ she said, and followed the others as they left the room. I glanced up at Andrew, who smiled and to my surprise caught me up in a big bear hug.

  ‘Eve, thank you,’ he said. ‘On the way here, in the car, Scott told me what happened and the doctor said if you hadn’t come along when you did it could have been a very different story. Thank you so much, you saved them both.’

  ‘Well, I don’t know about that,’ I mumbled, flushed with embarrassed pleasure. ‘I only did what anyone would have done.’

  ‘Maybe so,’ Andrew dismissed my objections impatiently. ‘But the fact remains you did it, you’re the reason my wife and daughter are alive and well. So, thank you, Eve, I’ll never forget what you did today.’

  Outside, I found Annaliese waiting for me, her warm smile and undemanding presence a welcome tonic from the rollercoaster day of emotional highs and lows. It seemed a hundred years since I’d left the flat that morning. I wondered what had been happening in the real world.

  ‘Alright?’ Annaliese asked. At my somewhat wobbly nod, her smile softened and she slipped an arm easily round my shoulders. ‘Hungry?’

  I stopped to consider, realised I was famished. ‘Very,’ I agreed, and she laughed.

  ‘The others have gone down to the car,’ she informed me. ‘We’re planning on having an early dinner somewhere, before coming back here this evening. Want to come?’

  ‘Yes please,’ I replied, grateful for anything which would extend my time with them. Arm in arm, we made our way through the hospital and out into the car park, where the others were waiting by a large 4x4.

  ‘I know, ghastly isn’t it,’ laughed Annaliese. ‘But it’s so useful for carting everyone around. Scott drove Andrew here in his car, so you two will have to come with us.’

  We drove to a nearby village, whose trendy gastro pub had been mentioned in the Sunday Times. It’d only just opened and the sulky teenage waitress was unsure if the kitchen was cooking yet, until the manageress spotted and recognised Annaliese, bustled excitedly into the kitchen, before rushing to bring us drinks and menus, agreeing that yes indeed, it was a beautiful evening, and of course it was alright if we ate in the garden.

  Robert ordered champagne and we drank to celebrate the safe arrival of the baby. Miles and Ferdie, alerted to the situation by Annaliese’s various phone calls, tracked us down and joined us, their faces both concerned at Mimi’s dreadful experience and relieved at the happy outcome, as the day’s events were related to them and I basked in the glory of being the hero of the hour.

  The day had settled into a balmy, sunny evening and we sprawled at our table as the garden slowly filled with other diners.

  Blinking in the strong sunlight which slanted through the trees, dappling us with moving shade and patches of warmth, I was aware we were the noisiest and by far the most glamorous people there. I hoped I wasn’t letting the side down, pleased I’d decided to wear my most sophisticated clothing that morning. How long ago it seemed, it felt a million years had passed since I’d crept from Mike’s bed for the last time.

  As I ate the amazing food, I mentally calculated whether my bank account would explode when I presented my card to pay for my share, but, in the end, the bill was appropriated by Robert who gave the waiter a piece of plastic, my feeble offer to contribute being waved away. Relaxing over coffee, completely mellowed by food and wine, I determinedly thrust from my mind all thoughts of what would happen later, after we’d been to see Mimi and the baby in hospital. Where should I ask them to drop me off?

  My instincts told me to stay away from the flat and reluctantly decided it would have to be my parents. I looked up and found Scott studying me, his eyes still and impenetrable, I stared back, until at last he smiled and said. ‘Are you coming to the hospital?’

  ‘I’d like to,’ I replied, ‘If that’s ok?’

  ‘Fine by me,’ he shrugged. ‘I told Robert I’d drive so he could have a drink, so you’ll have to tell me where you want dropping off afterwards.’

  ‘Do you not drink?’ I stalled, fiddling with a coaster.

  ‘Very rarely,’ he replied, and Annaliese, who’d been listening, leant closer.

  ‘That’s Scott’s only bad point,’ she pouted. ‘He won’t drink, only occasionally at birthdays, weddings and bar mitzvahs, he might indulge in a little champagne.’ I looked at Scott in interest.

  ‘Don’t you like the taste?’ I asked.

  ‘Not particularly, and I don’t like not being in control,’ he answered, then with bulldog like tenacity returned to his original question. ‘So, where shall I drop you? Same place as before?’

  ‘Erm, well, I don’t think I can go back there...’ I stuttered. ‘I think there’s been some trouble and I don’t want to get involved.’

  ‘Trouble?’ he asked, his head rising like a tracker dog’s picking up an escaped prisoners scent. ‘What sort of trouble?’

  ‘There’s this guy, Mike,’ I began. ‘He was, well, he was sort of my boyfriend, only not really, not anymore, and we we
re living together, although I was thinking about trying to find somewhere else, and he, well, he got himself into trouble with the police and I think they may raid the flat and I don’t want to be there when they do.’

  ‘Quite,’ he agreed dryly.

  ‘Eve, how terrible,’ exclaimed Annaliese. ‘What on earth are you going to do?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ I admitted. ‘Move back in with my parents, I guess, only I really don’t want too.’ I gave a little laugh. ‘It doesn’t help that I lost my job today, well, let’s just say, I finally decided I couldn’t stand working there anymore.’

  ‘You poor thing,’ Annaliese squeezed my hand in sympathy. ‘So you’re homeless and looking for a new job?’

  ‘That about sums it up,’ I replied, and gave a devil may care shrug worthy of Scott himself.

  Annaliese looked thoughtful. ‘What sort of work would you be looking for?’ she asked.

  ‘Well, anything to do with words really, I wanted to be a journalist, but now I’m not so sure, I love facts, I love finding out things and writing about them, but how many jobs are around that involve that?’

  ‘I know of one,’ Annaliese stated in excitement. ‘You could come and work for me! My research assistant has just moved back to Australia and I need someone to do all the tedious checking up of facts and making sure I don’t get things wrong. I really can’t be bothered to do it, so I need someone who enjoys, well, research.’

  I stared at Annaliese in shock. ‘Work for you?’ I gasped shrilly and Annaliese’s face fell.

  ‘Well, only if you want to, sweetie,’ she replied.

  ‘Want to? Oh my god, it’s like a dream come true! Are you sure, oh thank you, thank you so much! I can’t believe it.’

  ‘You’re welcome,’ she laughed, sharing in my enthusiasm.

  ‘Now, I’ve just got to find somewhere to live,’ I declared. ‘And I’m all set.’

  ‘Oh, well that’s easy,’ she replied. ‘You’ll come and live with us of course.’

  ‘With you?’ Again my mouth gaped open in shock.

  ‘Why not, it’ll be fun,’ Annaliese declared.

  ‘But... but, I can’t...’ I spluttered.

  ‘Of course you can,’ she stated firmly. ‘It’s the easy option all round, you get a home and I get a new friend and a research assistant. Oh Eve, it will be wonderful having you live with us.’

  I was speechless and simply hugged her tightly, nodding my agreement into her shoulder, hearing her rich chuckle in my ear, and the excited chatter of the others. Then, I opened my eyes, and looked straight into Caro’s grimly hostile gaze, felt the waves of antagonistic mistrust which seemed to ooze from her very pores, and knew one person, at least, who didn’t think it would be so wonderful.

  After dinner, we all went to the hospital to visit Mimi. I insisted the others visit with her first, so was the last to make my way down the corridor to Mimi’s private room. ‘Hello,’ I whispered, hovering in the doorway. She glanced up and smiled, I marvelled how her hair had fallen neatly back into its chic bob, no sign that not so long ago she’d been tearing it out in handfuls.

  ‘Eve, come in,’ she gestured towards the chair by her bedside. Nervously, I shuffled further into the room, noticing the tube that snaked out of her hand and up into one of those drip thingies, and the lines of stress that pulled at the skin around her eyes and mouth.

  ‘How are you?’ I asked and Mimi gave one of those shrugs only French people can do, her face pulling down in a moue of distaste.

  ‘I have felt better,’ she confided. I smiled in shared sympathy, then stiffened slightly as Mimi went to hand me her precious bundle. I’m not very good with babies, well, I’m an only child and so are my parents, so I’ve not had much experience with them. I’ve never really held one; and certainly not one less than four hours old. Apprehensively, I sank down into the chair and took the baby from Mimi, settling it into my arms, feeling my heart thud with anxiety.

  She was asleep, her enviably long eyelashes lying perfectly arranged on peachy coloured cheeks, eyes shut fast in the slumber of absolute innocence. Her little mouth was puckered into a rosebud kiss and one small fist protruded from the blanket, clenched firmly around the hem, and I marvelled at the minute fingers, so perfect, so incredibly tiny. A tuft of dark red hair stuck up like duckling fluff and I wondered if it would stay that colour.

  ‘She’s beautiful,’ I breathed in awe, glancing up at Mimi’s love struck eyes and besotted expression as she gazed in total rapture at her little miracle.

  ‘She is,’ agreed Mimi. ‘And it’s all thanks to you, Eve. What you did today, you saved her life and mine as well, and I wanted to thank you. I will be eternally grateful to you, Eve. If you hadn’t found me when you did, I would have been there all day and could have bled to death.’

  I smiled, blinking back tears at her earnest tone. ‘What are you going to call her?’ I asked; needing to change the subject before my emotions completely overwhelmed me.

  ‘Esther Annaliese Eve,’ Mimi replied, and I blinked in surprise. It seemed an impossible amount of names for such a small scrap, then I realised the significance of the last name.

  ‘You’re naming the baby after me?’ I gasped, touched beyond belief. ‘I don’t know what to say, that’s awesome, thank you...’

  ‘No, thank you, Eve,’ said Andrew, stooped, lifted Esther from my arms. ‘We won’t forget what you did today, ever.’

  ‘I should go now,’ I stuttered. ‘Let you get some sleep, you must be exhausted.’ I stood, wincing as the chair leg screeched over the tiled floor.

  ‘I am,’ Mimi agreed wearily. She snuggled the baby back into the crook of her arm, and tenderly adjusted the blanket, as Andrew stroked a large finger gently down one soft tiny cheek. Watching the newly formed family bonding, I felt a lump in my throat and quietly slipped away, eager to rejoin the others.

  Chapter Five

  Acts

  We returned to the Hall. My new home, I reminded myself with a thrill of intense exhilaration, remembering when I was a child, the almost unbearable anticipation of Christmas, how I would be sick with excitement. I felt that way now, jittery, over-stimulated, emotions riding high on adrenalin after one of the most extraordinary days of my life.

  Champagne was opened and we drank to the health of Esther Annaliese Eve, Annaliese’s eyes going suspiciously dewy over the names. Esther had been the name of Mimi’s mother, she informed me, who had unfortunately died of cancer when Mimi was ten.

  Later, Annaliese took me upstairs to show me my new domain. ‘This can be your room,’ she exclaimed, throwing the door open. I gasped at the perfection of the room, positioned as it was at the back of the Hall late evening sun was pouring forcefully through the pair of floor to ceiling windows, bathing the whole room in golden light. ‘Do you like it?’ Annaliese asked anxiously. I blinked at her in stupefaction, how could anyone not like such a glowingly gorgeous room?

  ‘It’s beautiful,’ I gasped, noticing the double four-poster bed, the ornate little Queen Anne fireplace and the quiet sophistication of the furniture. A door led from the room into a bathroom and here everything was sleek and modern. ‘Are you sure this is all for me?’ I breathed.

  Annaliese threw her head back and laughed, a richly amused laugh which set my spine tingling, warmth flooding through my veins. ‘Of course it’s all for you,’ she reassured. ‘I hope you’ll be very comfortable here, but if there’s anything you need, make sure you ask.’

  The private celebration had become a party. As news spread and the phone never stopped ringing, others began to arrive, flushed and excited, eager to wet the baby’s head. I struggled to remember names, feeling the curious gaze of the newcomers, people who’d known Annaliese far longer than I, yet were still in the outer circles. Some seemed to accept this. Others, I felt, were resentful, perturbed a little n
obody had managed to penetrate the clique.

  Finally, I escaped outside for some air, breathing easier as I perched on the stone steps and drained my glass dry, wishing I’d had the foresight to bring a bottle out with me. The sun was beginning to set, a molten glowing ball it turned everything it touched into gold; long shafts of sunlight lay like fingers over the park, brushing tree tips with glitter, and I sighed with pleasure.

  ‘That’s some sunset,’ remarked a voice dryly behind me. I looked up, shading my eyes, to see Scott standing at the top of the steps, a champagne bottle in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other. He climbed down, sat next to me, holding out the bottle in wordless enquiry. Murmuring my thanks, I let him fill my glass, watching the bubbles fizz and gush to the rim.

  ‘So, you’ve decided to take Annaliese up on her offers, have you?’ I gulped champagne, slightly shocked at his forthrightness.

  ‘Erm, yes,’ I replied, turned to look at him. ‘Do you mind?’

  ‘Mind?’ he enquired mildly, raising his brows. ‘Why should I mind?’

  ‘Well, because, none of you have known me very long and perhaps feel you don’t know whether I can be trusted or not...’ I floundered, not knowing how to put into words my vague unease. ‘And I know Caro’s not very impressed with the idea,’ I finished and Scott smiled.

  ‘Ah, yes, Caro,’ he mused. ‘Let me tell you something about Caro, she didn’t particularly like any of us in the beginning. She’s very protective about Annaliese. I think she’s always convinced people are going to take advantage of her generous nature. But Annaliese is an excellent judge of character. I’ve never known her be wrong about anyone, yet.’

  ‘She’s amazing,’ I agreed. ‘I’ve never met anyone like her. I still can’t believe she’s asked me to live here and has offered me a job.’

  ‘Well, get used to it,’ Scott replied. ‘Because that’s what Annaliese does, she adopts people, anyone who needs her help. Annaliese loves to feel needed; I think it makes up in part for not being able to have children of her own.’