Seven Days Horizons

by Ruth Hay

  * * *

  The day of surprises continued. Wesley had looked online for tickets to Scotland. He soon discarded the idea of plane travel. He did not want to expose his wife to Heathrow Airport with its crowds of frantically rushing travellers from all over the world. He found first-class tickets on a train heading north and booked them immediately. They could be at the train station in thirty minutes and speeding away from London and all its concerns.

  His strong desire to protect his family told him this was the right solution. He needed to extract Zoe from what was surely going to come; a media frenzy. When they were safely far away he could introduce their new reality in a slow, calm manner and together they would work out a way to move forward. At all costs, Zoe must not be harassed by intrusive, curious strangers at this delicate stage in her pregnancy.

  He threw some underwear into a bag and searched his bedside table for a stash of cash he kept there. Cash was going to be the preferred way to keep their location secret for a few days. He had no time to call ahead. There were too many such calls to be dealt with. For now, the first priority was to get Zoe away from London before the Sunday papers destroyed their secluded private lives forever.

  * * *

  Zoe allowed herself to be swept up in the excitement of Wesley’s plans for the weekend. She had not seen him this animated since he had sprung on her the trip to the luxury resort in Mexico. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she should be protesting about this sudden departure. It must be the effect of my hormones, she thought, as she found a small case and filled it with essentials for overnight.

  “I simply can’t summon a single worry today,” she said to her reflection in the bathroom mirror. “We are off on an adventure, Baby Boy, and your daddy is in charge.”

  * * *

  Wesley’s brain was working at a furious pace all the while he drove to the train station and tried to talk calmly and sensibly to his wife.

  He would leave the hired car in a monitored parking lot with the keys inside, then take Zoe to the train at once so they could settle in before departure. On a Saturday heading north, there was a good chance the first class carriage would be comparatively quiet. This would suit his plans to tackle the new reality with Zoe. He could not think beyond this step although a host of other important requirements were beginning to collect in the back of his mind.

  Work responsibilities for both of them.

  The outside chance Michael and Isobel were away from home.

  The fear their whereabouts would be discovered and reporters would meet them in Glasgow.

  Anything, anything at all, impacting negatively on Zoe.

  * * *

  They were in luck. The carriage was almost empty of passengers. They had a double seat booth with a table between them and when the train pulled away from the station, Wesley took his first real deep breath in what seemed like hours. They were safe for now. He insisted on ordering a meal from the menu and plied Zoe with yogurt and milk shakes and sandwiches and a chocolate bar. He ate sparingly. He was not sure his digestion could withstand all the adrenalin he had poured into his stomach but it was good to see Zoe demolishing her food and talking happily about the scan and the photos Dr. Ambrose had given her.

  “I think I might wake tomorrow and imagine it was all a dream, Wesley, if not for this picture. It’s real now, isn’t it, my darling? Oh, I will have to start saying, ‘he’. Can you believe we are having a boy? I can hardly wait to see if he looks like you. I think he will be tall, of course, but he could have dark hair like mine or a fair mop like yours or, a combination of both of us. That would be best, wouldn’t it? I hope he has your beautiful eyes and your nose. I am so glad you made me come on this trip. I just can’t wait to tell my father he is going to be a grandpa and Aunt Isobel will be so pleased for us.

  You know, when I saw them a few weeks ago, I asked them how my mother was when she was pregnant so they will not be overly surprised at our news but all the same it’s going to be a real thrill for them both. I don’t think Dad ever expected to be a grandfather. There’s something wonderful about a new generation coming along, don’t you think Wesley? I saw the way the Beck family rallied around Marian and Aylward. It’s something that affects people in many different ways. I am so excited to tell Sandra and Ian the good news. I think I’ll call them from the train. There’s Wi-Fi here now. And I must get in touch with Carla in Los Angeles. She’ll be over the moon when she hears we are both pregnant at the same time. Wouldn’t it be absolutely fantastic if our children could get to know each other and play together? Oh, I know I am babbling on here, Wes. But I just can’t seem to help it. My excitement is brimming over. This is such a magical day.”

  Shortly after this unprecedented spell of one-sided conversation, Zoe Morton fell sound asleep. Wesley made sure she was comfortable then took his phone and moved a few seats away to where he could still keep an eye on his wife. He needed to make a few calls and he did not want to alert Zoe about the circumstances.

  He reached Beth at home and told her he would be out of contact for a few days.

  “Are you well, doctor?” She knew absence from his practice was highly unusual for Wesley Philips. Something must have caused this.

  “I am quite well, Beth. Don’t worry about me. Try to re-schedule as many patients as you can and put Franklin on alert for any emergencies.” He did not intend to say any more than this but it suddenly occurred to him it would be advisable to forewarn his receptionist.

  “There may be some unusual enquiries about me in the next little while. I want you to be aware of this and give out no information whatsoever. If necessary, call the police.”

  This statement was alarming for Beth. “Has something happened, Dr. Philips? You sound very worried.”

  “I am worried, Beth, but you will know about it soon enough, I’m afraid. Just remember what I said and say nothing to any strangers.

  He heard a quick intake of breath on the line.

  “Oh, doctor! I may already have said too much!”

  “What do you mean, Beth?”

  “A strange man asked about you recently and I may have given him just a little information about you. I am so sorry. I know how much you value your privacy. It’s just that he caught me off guard and he really annoyed me too. He was so rude.”

  So that’s how this happened. Too bad! And too late now to do anything about it.

  “Don’t be concerned, Beth. What’s done is done. I’ll be in touch again soon. Take care of yourself and remember what I said about the police. Call them if you are worried.”

  He switched off the phone and sat back to let his anger subside. A slip of the lip had placed them in this situation. He did not blame Beth. She was a good person and many people, more skilled than she, had been fooled by the paparazzi when they had a victim in their sights.

  In some ways it was inevitable. They had managed to evade the paparazzi for years and they could hardly continue in that state forever. The worst thing about this was the timing.

  The next call was to Suzanne. As Zoe’s closest friend, he was sure she would know about the pregnancy. She understood the situation at once and assured him she would cover for her employer.

  “No one questions me around here, thanks to Zoe’s confidence in me. Don’t give it a thought, Wesley. Wherever you are off to, try to relax and enjoy the moment. I will raise the drawbridge on any information. Give my love to Zoe, please.”

  * * *

  Third time lucky, thought Wesley, as he managed to connect with Zoe’s father in the village outside Glasgow.

  “Wesley! Good to hear from you. I hope everything is going well?”

  “It’s a long story, Michael, and I need to cut to the chase. We are both well but we will be staying near you for a day or two. We are arriving today. Now, I know your cottage has no extra space so can you book a room in the hotel for us? I think it’s called The Garfield? It’s the closest one to you.”

  “Of course I can do this. I�
�ll call at once. Isobel will be so pleased to see both of you.

  We’ll look forward to hearing all your news later.”

  Good man, Michael! I am so glad I was able to bring Zoe and her father together again.

  We’ll be safe with him.

  He sat forward and leaned an elbow on the table, supporting his head for a moment of respite. The worst was over now. He still had to tackle a quick call to the London car hire firm to tell them where to retrieve their vehicle and assure them any extra charges would be covered provided they maintained silence about the location. Even if the reporters tracked down the car they would get no further help from the car hire company.

  He cast his mind around to see if he had missed anything crucial but the sense of relief that swept through him seemed to indicate all was taken care of.

  No, wait! One more thing!

  He could not stand the thought of their beloved Dunstan’s Close besieged by a hoard of noisy, destructive reporters, banging on windows and trampling Zoe’s flower beds. It was insupportable.

  He spent a minute or two researching on his phone where local security firms were situated. He found three within a reasonable distance from their home and realized this was not that unusual in the centre of the capital with so many important figures in government and business requiring protection. The second of these companies was happy to arrange for round-the-clock supervision of Dunstan’s Close.

  “Don’t worry, sir. No one will get beyond your gates. If necessary we will beef up the number of our men and install floodlights. We will be in touch with local police forces also, if the situation looks like getting out of control, although it is not likely. We are well experienced in these matters. Rest assured your property is safe in our hands, sir. After all, it’s been our motto for fifty years. ”

  * * *

  Zoe woke up to the sight of her husband gazing fondly at her.

  “You’ve had a good sleep, my darling.”

  “I was dreaming of sitting in the garden with our son in my arms. You were taking our photo and laughing at us. We should really get one of those outdoor swings for the summer.”

  “I like the sound of that. We’ll get one big enough for all three of us to sit on. We can place it under the shade of the trees on the other side of the house where no one can see us.”

  “Isn’t it wonderful to be making plans for the future?”

  “It is indeed!”

  The joy of the moment suffused the air between them until another thought occurred to Zoe.

  “Wesley, where are we now?”

  “We’re just approaching the Lake District. There’s a brief stop at Windermere then we go on to the Scottish Borders with a stop at Carlisle and soon after that we’ll be in Glasgow.”

  She gazed out of the window to where green hills could be seen rising above the fields in the distance.

  “I would love it if all three of us could go back to the Lake District one day. That’s where it all began for us, Wesley. If I had not taken the chance to join my mother’s old friend Valerie there, I might never have had the courage to face my fears and seek out help from you, my darling man. The apartment in Ambleside was such a spectacular place. It holds many memories for me. It was a beautiful spot. Perhaps we could rent it for a week some day?

  Do you know, Wesley, I have had the idea of buying one of the paintings that hung on the walls of that apartment. It would be a lovely reminder of our beginnings. Valerie has a connection to the artist’s wife and I am sure I could get a print, if not one of the original paintings by her late husband the famous artist Lawren Drake. I’ll ask Valerie about this when I call her to tell her about the baby.

  Oh, I am so excited about this! I have the perfect spot in mind to hang the painting in Dunstan’s Close. I knew there was a reason I chose to paint the walls white. They will be a superb background for an art display and now that Abi has shown me Portia’s wonderful work I can add that to the collection. We must tell Aylward our news too. There are so many people who will be happy for us.”

  Wesley listened with delight. This was a new Zoe. He had no idea how long it would take, (or if it ever would happen), for her to resume her usual absorbed business-woman’s persona. Perhaps, in time there would be a blending of the two. For now, he had the great satisfaction of recognizing that his wife was following one of the stages of pregnancy about which he had read. It might be a trifle early, possibly, but then his Zoe was always ahead in everything. No matter, she was definitely beginning the process of nesting; decorating her home nest in preparation for the coming birth with items of significance to her. It was a lovely thought.

  * * *

  The last part of the train journey went quickly. Zoe happily watched the scenery change and the weather alter as they sped northward. Wesley had finally succumbed to sleep. He seemed to have used up all his frantic energy of the morning and now slept like a child with his legs spread out under the table and his mouth dropping open. She smiled affectionately each time he began to snore and pulled himself up for a second only to fall back to sleep again.

  She was thinking of the design of the nursery. It had to be on the upper level of the house beside their room. One of the bedrooms could be converted for the baby. He would have a bassinet at first. It would be right by her bed and they would make a door between the bedrooms for easy access. She was debating in her head about colours for the baby’s room when the train arrived in Glasgow and Wesley shook himself awake.

  They had the minimum of luggage which Wesley carried. They quickly exited the station and went to the head of the taxi rank on the street. They were soon speeding through the busy streets of the city centre where Zoe pointed out remembered landmarks, but the routes to the east of the city had changed and she sat back while unfamiliar areas sped by until quiet subdivisions took the place of busy motorways and a more country feel was in the air.

  “I always think the cooler air here is fresher than in the south,” she said.

  “Are you cold Zoe?”

  “No, it’s just a thought.”

  Wesley placed his free arm (the one that was not hanging on to the seat belt as the jolting old taxi raced along) around her shoulders as he braced his feet for the next bump in the road. He was berating himself for not hiring a limousine when the taxi finally left the main road and zipped along an avenue of fine Victorian villas then descended a steep hill to the village of Lenzie which lay below in a valley. It was only a short distance from the main road but the village looked as if it had slipped back a hundred years in time.

  Wesley asked the driver to return for them in one hour and the man accepted the cash for the fare and gladly turned the taxi around. He knew of a good hostelry nearby where the beer was renowned.

  Michael and Isobel must have been watching out of their windows for Zoe and Wesley to arrive. They stood on the doorstep with barely concealed impatience and hustled them indoors to a warm kitchen where a fire burned and a table groaned with home-baked goods and pots of jam in crystal jars glistened in the lamplight.

  “Come away in out of the cold,” urged Isobel. It’s been a fine day but the afternoon is bringing clouds.”

  Michael took up his station in front of the fire and waited while his daughter removed her coat and came to him.

  “I have good news, Daddy.”

  “I can tell, Zoe. You have a look of your mother today. She could never conceal it when she was truly happy.”

  “Wesley and I have a son on the way!”

  The small room exploded with exclamations of delight. Hands were clapped together and kisses exchanged. Isobel dabbed at her eyes and retired to fill the teapot with boiling water to hide her emotions, which threatened to overwhelm her.

  Many questions were asked and answered all except the one Michael kept to himself until Zoe and Isobel went upstairs to admire the new bathroom suite, recently installed.

  “So, Wesley, why the urgent departure from London?”

  Wesley quietly fille
d in the details and was relieved to see his father-in-law grasped the situation immediately.

  “Right you are, the hotel is booked for you. I would suggest you keep the Sunday papers away from Zoe tomorrow and it would be best to move on from here in a day or so. Should anyone track you this far, I will make sure they are put off the scent. I booked your room under an assumed name, of course. You are Mr. and Mrs. Hughes for the duration. It would be best if you tell Zoe what’s happening, Wesley. She’s as quick as her mother was at sensing an atmosphere and you don’t want her to worry unduly.”

  “I am so grateful for this help, Michael. I promise to put my wife in the picture tonight and I will reassure her as far as I can. It is so good to know we can rely on you and Isobel.

  I don’t feel so alone now.”

  “Believe me, you have friends here wherever you will go. Zoe mentioned Mull when she came a few weeks ago. Is that an option?”

  “Definitely! We will talk to Sandra and Ian tonight. There’s always been an open invitation at their island home.”

  “It will do you both, I mean all three of you, much good to get away from the hustle and bustle of your London lives for a few days. My grandson needs to feel the northern air around him for a time then he’ll always want to return.”

  * * *

  The taxi arrived as promised and in a short while they were settled in a large room upstairs in the cozy hotel. Zoe declared she was full of scones and cake and did not need anything more to eat but Wesley kept the room-service menu close by, knowing she might need sustenance after he had told her the situation that faced them on their return to London.

  Zoe lay back against the soft pillows as Wesley began to talk. She recognized his manner was serious and whatever he was going to say had to be of prime importance. She gave him her full attention while he outlined the events of the earlier part of their day.