by Rachel Dove
‘I’m fine, I’m sorry she thought…’
‘Oh, it’s fine.’ James waved her concerns away. ‘Don’t worry, I won’t tell them any different. It gets me in here. I’m just sorry the dickhead is still harassing you. I can’t believe you’re going through all this on your own. I want to hurt him.’
How much does he know?
‘I’m sorry, I’m not one for gossip, but after the journalists and everything, I Googled you in the waiting room.’
Just what every girl wanted to hear. Sexy, eh? More modern life for you. A bit like Cluedo. Death by Google, with the smartphone in the hospital. She shuddered to think what would come up now by typing her name into the search engine. Before the failed wedding attempt, it was all about the shop, the happy clients, the love stories she had helped turn into that special day. Now, the best she could hope for was an alleged affair with Colonel Mustard.
James took her introverted, stunned silence as embarrassment.
‘Hey, you have nothing to be ashamed about, it’s all him. I get it now, why you were so upset. I’ve been talking to my sister and—’
‘Your sister?’ Maria blanched. ‘Why?’ Did the world need another person knowing her business? ‘The baby?’
James clamped his hand onto hers. ‘No, no, I didn’t say anything about any of this. I would never do that. No, the thing is she’s getting married, and they had a bit of a false start, a wobble, and they broke up, so they cancelled all their wedding plans. They want to start afresh, and I recommended you for the job.’
Maria’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Really?’
James grinned. ‘Yeah, of course! I saw your photo album in the shop. You’ve done so many amazing weddings, I thought you would be great. You’ll really like my sister too. She’s brilliant.’
Maria’s face fell. ‘Yeah, but once she sees the press…’
‘She already has.’ James stroked the back of her hand between his two meaty ones, soothing her. She was going to object, say she wasn’t a child, that she didn’t need to be mollycoddled, but actually, it was quite nice. Plus, she felt like she could burst into tears and fill the room with enough salty water to drown herself in, and the comfort kept them at bay. Closed the dam. Which was good, because she felt sure that if she started crying, she would never stop. Cassie would be here soon too, to pick her up, and she had already threatened to tit punch her if she saw any weeping or other sign of emotion. She was in full-on client PR mode, and she didn’t want to give the ‘blasted local paps any more fodder for the Burgess empire to twist around to their own twisted crapola version of the story’. She had a point, and her boobs were so swollen and tender that the thought of having a tit punch was less than pleasant.
James stopped his stroking and looked at her, puzzled.
‘Where do you go when you do that?’ he asked, and she rolled her eyes at being spaced out again.
‘Sorry, I do that a lot, especially lately. My mother used to call them my dream talks.’
‘When did she pass?’ he asked gently. Maria felt the pang she always got when someone asked that question, and she was catapulted back to that bedside, but she pushed it away.
‘A few years ago now. I still really miss her.’
James nodded. ‘Our dad passed last year. Heart attack, mowing the front lawn. We’re still all getting used to it I think.’
Maria turned her hand over and squeezed his. ‘I’m sorry. It does get easier, with time. Less painful. Or less sharp, anyway. You feel able to look back more, once that eases. Remember the good times.’
‘There were plenty of them.’ He nodded, smiling. ‘I’m giving my sister away, and I want her to have a really special day. Mum really needs it too. It might be the only wedding she has.’
Maria opened her mouth to ask why not him, but she closed it again. It wasn’t her business. Time was, she would think anyone who didn’t want to get married was crazy; that they just needed to find ‘the one’ to change their minds and get them high kicking up that church aisle, or on that plane to Vegas. But now it all seemed so futile. Someone once said life was what happened when you were busy making plans. No shit. Well, it seemed she needed this as much as James and his family did. She needed the money too.
‘I’ll do it,’ she said. ‘If your sister really doesn’t mind me doing it, let’s arrange something when I’m feeling better.’
James beamed, pulling out his phone and sending a text.
‘There, I’ve let her know. No backing out now.’
The door opened then, and they both flinched. Cassie, looking pale, wrinkled and slightly shocked, popped her head around the door.
‘Hey. Sorry, can I come in?’ She looked from James to Maria, and they both nodded. Maria discreetly pulled her hand away, feeling a bit like a scarlet woman.
Cassie came in and gave her a hug, patting James on the shoulder as she passed.
‘Hey, James. Maria, how are you feeling?’
‘I’m fine. I think I can go home soon, but I haven’t been discharged yet. More to the point, what are you doing here this early? It’s not visiting hours. Did you flatter your way in, like James?’
‘Nope,’ she said, wincing. ‘I brought Tucker in last night and they kept him in.’
‘Oh no! Did something happen? Oh Cass, your date was last night. I’m sorry.’
Cassie huffed and flicked her hand backwards. ‘No, it’s fine. I forgot about our date, and I ended up smashing my car door into him.’
James stood up. ‘Did he attack you? Where is he?’
Cassie gave him a gentle shove in his chest, pushing him back into his seat.
‘At ease, Macho Man. No, he was coming to check on me, and he surprised me. A little too much, and I overreacted ever so slightly.’
Maria giggled. ‘Oh God, I’m sorry. Is he okay?’
Cassie looked suitably ashamed. ‘He has four broken ribs, a nasty cut on his forehead, a split lip, three broken toes and a broken left arm.’
‘Toes?’ Maria asked, confused.
‘I may have stamped on his foot as I got out of the car too.’
‘Jesus, how hard did you hit him?’ James said, holding his fingers up to her in the shape of a cross. ‘Remind me to never annoy you!’
‘I know. Listen, he lives on his own really – his flatmate works away a lot – and he’s pretty beat up, so the nurses won’t release him till he has a carer. The man can’t tie his own shoes at the moment, so I kinda said he could stay with us. That okay? I feel so bad. He’s a chef at that fancy place, On the Square? He can’t work or anything!’
Maria thought of poor Tucker, in pain and unable to look after himself.
‘No problem – it’s your house Cass. If you’re sure he’s not a serial killer, I’m fine with it.’
Cassie looked relieved. ‘Good. I’m only doing it so he doesn’t sue me, no other reason. I’ll sleep on the couch.’
‘No, you can’t do that, I’ll sleep on the couch.’
‘Er, I don’t think so. You’re not well yourself.’ She eyed James over Maria’s head, being discreet for once.
‘I agree, Maria, not in your condition.’ Maria looked at him, and James just winked. ‘You’re not going to fit on it soon, anyway.’
Cassie slapped him across the back of the head, as Maria burst out laughing.
She was suddenly very grateful her crappy old wiring had given up the ghost. Having James in her life seemed so easy, and she was glad to have his friendship.
Chapter 11
Darcy was sitting glumly in the hospital canteen, listening to the clangs of pots and pans and ching of plate on plate from the kitchen. He had been nursing the same acrid cup of vending-machine coffee for the last hour, waiting for the staff to change over, so he could once again try to get up to the wards to see Maria. He needed to explain things, make her understand why he left. He hadn’t meant to make her so ill, but obviously the stress and strain of losing him had just proved too much. He had tried to explain this to the
doctors, but of course they wouldn’t speak to him with Cassie interfering. He understood she was looking out for her friend, but still, did she realise that what Maria needed to get better was him? She was angry, sure, but still, they were going to be married. They could sort it all out, get back on track. His mother would have to understand, and given the news column inches they had been getting, perhaps she would relent, finally accept Maria as a good choice. The pressure sometimes was intolerable, but Darcy had soon realised that being without Maria was even worse. He took another swig of coffee and shuddered at the taste. The canteen had started serving breakfast now, and he could see coffee on the menu. Anything had to be better than the swill they sold in the machines. He would have to remember to mention it to his mother, for a future project.
He joined the queue, pulling up his jacket collar to try to stay hidden from the other people. Thankfully, at this hour, the canteen only had the odd exhausted and distracted-looking visitor in it, and a few tired hospital workers. Two nurses were ahead of him in the queue, chattering away to each other.
‘So what happened then, in the end?’ the nurse with long black hair tied into a French braid asked her friend, who had short red hair – shocking red in fact.
‘You should have seen it! Vic from security came and tossed him out.’
Darcy’s ears pricked up, and he hunkered his frame down in on itself. Thankfully there were a couple of people between them, equally caught up in their own thoughts.
‘Damn, that poor girl. What’s he even doing here anyway? Come back for the engagement ring or something? Cheap git.’
He wanted to tell them that, of course, she still had the ring, and he didn’t want it back, but he just shuffled with the queue, trying his best to blend in and earwig.
‘I know, right? I hope that big bloke who brought her in knocks him out. I think they’re together. He likes her anyway, I can tell.’
Darcy bristled. What big man? Darcy had assumed one of the journalists had phoned an ambulance, or Lynn. Was this who they meant? He hadn’t seen anyone hanging around, other than himself. Unless… there was that big pushy git from the shop that day, the electrician. He clenched his jaw, remembering seeing them together that day, his hands on her. They’d looked so comfortable with each other. Too comfortable.
‘Oh well, that’s nice. She deserves it.’
‘I know, but—’ she dropped to a whisper now ‘—she’s pregnant. Don’t tell anyone, or I’ll be shot at dawn!’
The nurse’s companion gasped, and her friend shushed her. ‘I mean it, Karen, you can’t tell anyone! If it got out, I’d lose my job. Her solicitor friend is some kind of crazy woman who threatened to sue anyone who opened their mouth.’
Karen nodded at her friend, wide-eyed.
‘I promise I won’t, Shar. What’s she gonna do?’
‘Shar’ sighed sadly. ‘I don’t know, love. Men are total shits, aren’t they?’
Karen nodded vigorously. ‘Yep, that’s why I have Brutus. I tell you, dogs are much more loyal. A dog walker, a place by the fire and a belly rub, and he gives me no hassle. Better off without them.’ Shar nodded and they bought their grapefruit and muesli and moved to a table. Darcy was already leaving, hugging the walls at the sides of the canteen to avoid being seen.
Pregnant? he thought to himself. I’m going to be a father! The thought of what his mother would say, and the idea of having a baby seat in the back of his Porsche, had him running for the car park faster than Jack Flash. He needed time to digest this piece of news. Time to make a plan. What would his mother say? She had managed to spin the story of the jilting to suit the Burgess empire, but that suited her ends anyway, as she had never wanted the marriage to go ahead. His cold feet had been a delight to her, but this? Having a baby with a woman she didn’t like, out of wedlock? After he had jilted her and gone on honeymoon with a mystery woman? This would take a PR whitewash, and no amount of spin could magically make a baby disappear. An heir to the Burgess empire. Imagine if it was a boy!
He pictured his mother, taking in the news, and decided to keep quiet. Just for now. He would keep a distance, watch from afar. Let Maria get better, get back to her life. Maybe then she would contact him herself, to talk about it. Then they could decide together.
Maria was a rational person, she would see sense. She knew what it was like to lose a parent, so surely she wouldn’t deprive her child of one? And even before it was born? She just wasn’t like that. Then, once he was there, at her side, it would only be a matter of time before they were back together. Then they could marry, and the whole thing would be put to bed. His mother would have to accept her then, given that his blood ran through her child. Their blood. Burgess blood. The little mite would be the next leader of the Harrogate tea empire. Little Darcy Junior. If it was a boy, of course. It might be a girl, which was fine. She could maybe take over her mother’s little business. That would keep Maria happy, and then they could keep trying, till little Darcy Junior came along.
There, it was all arranged. By the time Darcy had left the car park to go and shower and sleep at home, he had arranged the next fifty years of Maria’s life, and that of her many offspring.
Chapter 12
Late October – One Month Later
Maria polished the counter for the twentieth time that morning. Her shop was immaculate, the display showing party dresses and accessories for the upcoming festive season, and fancy dresses for Halloween. On a large rack in the back she had hung some of her best bespoke gowns, to show what she could do on the wedding front. She assumed Annabel would already have a wedding dress, given that they’d had a wedding planned but had cancelled it, but she had to cover all her bases. She hadn’t wanted to quiz James too much; he had helped her enough. They had stayed in touch, and his texts had gone from concerned to cracking jokes. He was very funny, and she felt like she was going through his day with him. He was even going to come and look at the upstairs of the flat, to see whether anything could be done about creating a living space within her workspace. It was great living with Cassie, but it was two bedrooms, and with Tucker there it was pretty cramped. She couldn’t make it worse by filling it with baby crap, and she was going to have to start buying some soon. If only to get used to the idea herself.
Today was the day James had arranged for his sister and her fiancé to come in and discuss their wedding. They had a date in mind, and even James had sounded dubious when he told her over the phone.
‘It’s a little close to your due date, though, isn’t it? Are you sure you’ll be able to do it?’
Maria looked at the dates in her academic diary.
‘It will be close, true… but I can do it. I have to really, James. I haven’t had any other bookings yet, and I can’t really afford to pay for advertising either. I need to make enough to cover my being off. I plan to bring the baby to work anyway. I can work in the back making up the orders, and Lynn will do front of house, but I will have to pay her for the extra hours…’
‘Okay, okay,’ James said. ‘Just take it one thing at a time, eh? Don’t stress out over everything. Listen, I am here to help, honest.’
Maria had smiled down the phone. All he did was help her; it was nice, but she needed to do this on her own. She couldn’t start relying on a man now, trusting him to be there, to be a part of her life for ever. Even as a friend. She had Lynn and Cassie, as always. That would be enough. She could rely on them, always. Besides, this baby didn’t deserve to lose any more people. She hadn’t had the guts to call the father, and eventually she had got the number from Cassie and flushed it down the toilet one night in a fit of tears and low-fat ice cream. What was she going to say? What did she expect him to do? She could only see problems, and as much as she hated herself for perhaps depriving him of something he might really have wanted to know about, she just couldn’t take the chance. Growing up, she had seen too many families living in two parts. How many children lived with parents part-time? It was unavoidable. Relationships broke
down, people fell out of love, new families were formed. She accepted that. The children were still loved, doubly so in fact. She just knew that handing over her child to a stranger for half the week, a stranger who would one day have a family of his own, complete with wife and kids, filled her with dread. She had been just fine after her dad passed, just her mother and her, and Cassie and Lynn. Who was to say this child would need any more? Besides, she hadn’t been the only sad person that night. Not the only one needing comfort. Who knew what he was going through? If it was a fraction of what she was having to cope with, she couldn’t subject him or the baby to any more.
All she knew was, her whole world had shifted in an incredibly short space of time. Without Happy Ever After, she would have felt utterly lost. So that was what she would cling to, making sure her business, and her mother’s legacy, lasted, so she could provide for the tiny scrap of life growing inside her. The rest would just keep her up nights. She hadn’t mentioned to Cassie about moving upstairs yet. She wasn’t sure whether it would take too much money, or whether it would be big enough, but long-term she would need a place of her own. It would be ideal to live above the shop, since she owned it anyway. Then she could live pretty cheaply. If the business was still there of course.
She frowned, taking out her antibacterial spray and spritzing the till. Lynn had taken the day off, unpaid, and had agreed to drop her hours till the baby came. It was beneficial for them both really; Lynn liked to be indoors more in the winter, so the thought of fewer days trudging to work in the cold had appealed to her. She only worked there for the company, Maria knew, and extra ‘fun’ money as she called it. She would squirrel it away half the time. Last year she had booked an extravagant cruise with some of her friends, and had loved every minute. She said knowing she’d earned every penny of the trip made her feel accomplished, less retired and more alive. Westfield was definitely the place for that. If there were some places known as God’s waiting room, this village was the opposite. The retirees around here had more adventures and went on more capers than the younger generations. Her mother had been just the same and would have been right there with them if she had lived longer.
