Springtime at Wildacre: the gorgeously uplifting, feel-good romance (Animal Ark Revisited Book 3)

by Lucy Daniels

  It’ll be okay, she thought. After all, the first event was going to be an ultrasound scan for Zoe. There were few places Mandy felt more at home than at Animal Ark and it would give them something to talk about.

  We can count the puppies together. Maybe I’ll show them the little hearts beating!

  The thought was cheering, and she turned another genuine smile on Jimmy as he called the dogs over to begin the walk back down to Wildacre.

  She told Helen all about her conversation with Jimmy the next morning. They were alone in the clinic, doing some much-needed prep in between appointments: Adam was out on a call and Emily, in keeping with her reduced workload, was having the morning off. Mandy’s mum still seemed very lacking in energy, and Mandy was glad she’d had time to take her breakfast in bed before work.

  ‘It’s just that now it’s so important to Jimmy that it all goes right with me and the twins,’ Mandy said. ‘What if I mess it up?’

  There was sympathy in Helen’s eyes. ‘I do get it,’ she said. ‘But you’ve always known that Jimmy had children. There was always going to be baggage attached.’ She looked round from the sink, where she was washing some surgical instruments and smiled over at Mandy. ‘I think you’re worrying over something that’ll never happen.’

  Mandy, across the room, slid a scalpel handle and some forceps into a sterilisation pack. ‘You’re probably right,’ she admitted. This was what she loved about Helen. The nurse was always so practical.

  ‘You know, I’ve seen Jimmy out with the twins a few times when I’ve been walking home,’ Helen went on. ‘He brings them round into the lane to feed Holly and Robin.’

  ‘Really?’ Mandy was surprised. She had never seen them there, but the mental image was lovely, and a little bit calming. Holly and Robin were two young donkeys she had rescued before Christmas last year, and the idea of the two nine-year-olds feeding them was very sweet.

  Helen turned off the water and dried her hands. ‘Abi and Max will love coming round to see you. You’ve got so many lovely animals here. And what about Zoe and her pups? Most people whose pets are having a litter must feel some worry, but Jimmy and the twins have their own exclusive vet. You’re going to be the best stepmother in the world, with all that going for you.’

  Stepmother. Mandy’s eyes went wide and she almost dropped the next scalpel on her foot. She was about to deny that she was anyone’s stepmother, when the door to the clinic opened and Helen rushed through to see who had arrived. Slipping the sealed surgical kit onto the autoclave shelf, Mandy let out a small sigh. It was going to be fine. Helen was right. How hard could it be to do a good job with two sweet, caring nine-year-olds in the room with her?

  An hour later, she was finishing up with one of her rescue dogs in the paddock beside Animal Ark when two figures, one tall, one small arrived on the far side of the field. Mandy squinted into the bright spring sunshine and the figures resolved into Susan Collins, Mandy’s friend, and her almost-four-year-old son, Jack.

  The rescue dog, a handsome black Labrador called Brutus, looked over at them, then glanced up at Mandy as if to say, ‘Is it okay?’ Mandy smiled and gave him a scratch behind his ears, pleased that he had looked to her rather than barking. He had been quite reactive when he first arrived. Susan waved and stopped a few metres away with Jack as Mandy waved back and took the Lab inside the rescue centre. She returned a moment later with Sky trotting at her heels to find Susan and Jack feeding carrots to Holly and Robin.

  When Jack had first visited the donkeys six months earlier, they had all been rather wary of each other, but now Jack was super-confident. He chatted away to the pair, holding out the pieces of carrot, his hand flat, as Mandy had taught him. Holly and Robin stood politely, their long, grey ears pricked as they took the titbits. Jack reached up to run his small hand down Holly’s neck and the little jenny leaned her head on his shoulder, making him laugh as she sighed in his ear.

  Mandy walked over to stand beside Susan. ‘They’re looking wonderful, as always,’ Susan told her. Mandy nodded, pleased that her friend had noticed the donkeys’ good health. Their eyes were bright, their fur clean and fluffy. ‘He’s convinced they’re “his” donkeys.’

  Mandy breathed in, relishing the freshness of the air. It was a wonderful fresh morning. ‘I wish I could keep them here for him,’ she said. ‘I’m still looking for a home. They take up too much room to stay here forever.’ They watched for a few moments longer. ‘I need to take Sky out for a run,’ Mandy told her friend. ‘Will you and Jack come? You can come back afterwards for tea. I’ve got some lovely new rabbits for you to see.’

  ‘That all sounds lovely,’ Susan replied. ‘Come on, Jack, we’re going for a walk with Sky!’

  Ten minutes later, they were on their way. There was a short track between a stone wall and a fence that led from the Hope Meadows paddock over to a small patch of woodland. Reaching it, Mandy let Sky off the lead. It was wonderful just how relaxed her beloved collie was with Jack. She leaned on the trunk of a silver birch tree. There was a slight breeze playing against her face. The leaves over her head were rustling and the dappled sun danced on the ground. Jack was laughing as he chased Sky. Susan was standing a little away from her, watching the pair of them. How peaceful it was, Mandy thought.

  She watched as the lithe black and white body raced along the fence that bordered the land a few fields down from Animal Ark. There was a notice attached to the fence.

  ‘Planning permission,’ she read. ‘Westbow Holdings Ltd.’

  She moved a little closer to read the details. There was to be a small furniture factory where now there were ancient fir trees. She frowned. What a pity to cut them down. Would it disturb her animals, she wondered? Not that she expected perfect peace, but it would be bad for the whole neighbourhood if there was noise that set off the rescue dogs barking. Susan arrived at her side, puffing from her exertions, her hair tousled. ‘Have you seen that?’ Mandy nodded towards the notice.

  Susan shook her head. ‘A factory in Welford? No, I haven’t heard anything about it,’ she said with a shrug. Turning, they walked through the trees. Jack trotted ahead with Sky. Mandy’s mind was still on the planning notice, but Susan grinned at her.

  ‘Did you know I’d started online dating?’ she said.

  This revelation shoved the factory from Mandy’s mind. She had been lucky enough to meet Jimmy in Welford, but she could see the appeal of trying to find a partner online. Her own life was busy enough – with working in the nursery and having Jack, Susan’s chances of meeting new people were likely even more limited.

  ‘No, I didn’t! How’s it going?’ she asked.

  Susan laughed. ‘Up until last night,’ she said, ‘I would have said it was going well. I’d been chatting to a few people and finally selected this guy called Sam for a date. He sounded lovely, sweet and sensitive.’

  They reached a shallow stream that ran through the trees. Jack crouched on the edge, peering down at the water as it ran in a gully between rocks. Sky was sitting beside him, peering too.

  ‘I’m guessing he wasn’t quite so lovely, sweet and sensitive in real life,’ Mandy hazarded.

  ‘I should have worked it out when he asked me to drive,’ Susan said. ‘I took it as a good sign at first. Jack’s …’ she smiled ruefully and lowered her voice, so the little boy wouldn’t hear her, ‘… his dad, Michael – he wasn’t around for long, but he always had to drive everywhere. The one time I drove him, he clung onto the door handle the whole way.’

  Mandy curled her lip. ‘What an idiot.’

  ‘Yup. But Sam, it turns out, just wanted free transport. He spent the first two hours telling me a sob story about his ex. When he started to tell me about the correct way to raise children, I finally picked up the car keys and told him that if he wanted a lift home, he’d better come now and come quietly!’ She laughed again. ‘I know it’s not easy to take on a ready-made family,’ she said. ‘I would like someone else in my life, but Jack has to come first, so
anyone else will have to fit around us. Their mind has to be open.’

  Mandy sighed as her mind flitted to Abi and Max. Was her mind open enough? She certainly didn’t have any set ideas on child rearing.

  Ahead of them, Jack had stood up. Arms outstretched, he took a small step onto a stone in the smallest shallowest part of the stream. His heel slipped on the rock. Almost in slow motion, he teetered backwards, then fell full length into the glittering water with an enormous splash. His face was filled with shock. In a trice, Susan had scooped him up. For a moment, Mandy thought he wasn’t going to cry, but after the most enormous intake of breath, he let out a howl. Susan, practical to the end, crouched beside him, hugging his little body to herself despite the mud, offering warmth and comfort until the spasm passed. She really was a wonderful mum, Mandy thought.

  Chapter Three

  Mandy glanced at her mobile. It was just after ten o’clock. Jimmy was due in at eleven with Zoe for her scan. She stood for a moment, a twinge of nervousness gripping her stomach. The twins were coming with him. She had met them before, but being introduced as ‘Dad’s girlfriend’ made everything different. It felt almost as if they were right back at the beginning of their relationship and she had first-date nerves. She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders, then opened the door and marched across the paddock to the rescue centre. She would use the time to do something productive.

  Pulling up the lid of her laptop, she opened the Hope Meadows website and immediately relaxed a little. She had taken some photos of the rabbits she’d shown to Susan and Jack. How sweet they looked with their sad little faces and long floppy ears. She added them to the list of animals for immediate rehoming. They were in perfect health and didn’t need any rehabilitation. There were some new photos of the kittens to add as well. Two of them had their eyes open now. It was still a while before they could be rehomed, but someone might easily fall in love with them in the meantime.

  She opened the Hope Meadows e-mail inbox. There was a query about Holly and Robin. ‘I was wondering,’ the woman wrote, ‘whether they would be suitable to be ridden?’

  Poor little donkeys, Mandy thought. They weren’t even a year old yet. She sent a polite reply, explaining that the young donkeys would not be ready to be ridden for three or four years. For a moment, she let her imagination run far into the future. She would love to break them in herself. But realistically, she had to hope they wouldn’t still be with her in three years’ time. They took up space in her field that she would need for other furry residents. They no longer needed specialist young-donkey food, but the bill for their feed and straw still added up.

  The phone on the desk rang and Mandy jumped, then lifted the receiver. It was Helen. ‘Jimmy’s here with Zoe,’ the nurse told her. Mandy felt a little stir of excitement mingling in with her nerves. It would be lovely to scan Zoe and see how the puppies were progressing. She was sure this was going to be fine.

  Abi and Max were waiting in reception with Jimmy. She was struck again by how alike they were. Abi’s hair had been cut into a rather severe-looking bob since the last time Mandy had seen them. They were dressed similarly, in jeans and T-shirts, though Abi’s had a cartoon superhero Mandy didn’t recognise on it and Max’s had a cat fighting a triceratops. Mandy couldn’t help wondering if it was meant to mean something.

  Both had intense green eyes like Jimmy’s. Both were staring at her.

  ‘Hello, Mandy,’ said Jimmy, with over-the-top cheerfulness.

  ‘Hi,’ Mandy said, managing what she hoped was a welcoming smile. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if she should hug them, but she was relieved when both returned her greeting without seeming to expect anything more. She bent, instead, to welcome Zoe, burying her hands and leaning her cheek against the soft fur, smelling the sweet scents of grass and damp earth. The husky’s enthusiasm, as she wagged her tail and licked Mandy’s hand, offered a temporary distraction from the awkwardness.

  She straightened to find Max’s eyes still on her. Abi was looking up at Jimmy. ‘Will we be able to see the puppies’ hearts, like we did with Mum’s baby?’ Mandy glanced back at Max. He was watching her still, his gaze wary. She wished he would look somewhere else.

  ‘Maybe we will?’ Jimmy looked at Mandy too. At least he was smiling.

  ‘Hopefully,’ she replied. A momentary worry gripped her. What if there were no heartbeats? She gave herself a shake. There was no reason to suspect any problems with Zoe’s pregnancy. It was her first litter. She was two years old: fully mature, physically ready.

  ‘Will we find out how many puppies she’s going to have?’ Abi was looking up at Jimmy again.

  In turn, he looked at Mandy. ‘Will we be able to tell?’ he asked.

  ‘It depends how many there are,’ Mandy told Abi. ‘If there are only one or two, we can probably count. If there are lots, we can get an idea, but we won’t know for sure until she has them. Will you bring her through?’ she asked Jimmy. It was better to get things under way, she thought. If Abi had any more questions, she could deal with them as they came up.

  The ultrasound scanner was in a small area off the prep room. There were no windows and the light had a dimmer switch. Helen had already set the machine up so that everything was ready to go. Zoe was panting, Mandy noticed, which meant that she was either nervous or hot. It wasn’t especially warm, though the husky’s thick coat meant that she was always better prepared for winter weather than the warmer months. Still, it was likely Zoe might be anxious with the unusual situation. It was important everything was calm. The dim light in the ultrasound room was better than the bright glare that was sometimes necessary in the consulting rooms at least.

  ‘I need her to lie down on her side,’ Mandy told Jimmy. ‘Then I’ll shave some of the hair from her tummy. I need good contact with her skin to get a clear picture.’ She was feeling less self-conscious, now that she could focus on Zoe.

  ‘How long will the scan take?’ Abi asked Jimmy. Mandy hesitated. She could answer, but she hadn’t been asked, Jimmy had – would it be rude? Would she seem like she was butting in?

  ‘I’m not sure,’ Jimmy told her, ‘but just be patient and we’ll find out soon enough. Zoe needs us all to be quiet now, though. Okay?’ He looked at Abi and then at Max. Max gave a solemn nod, Abi made a zipping motion across her mouth.

  Mandy felt a rush of gratitude. Jimmy handled that well, and now she could get on with the scan.

  Zoe is so good, she thought, as Jimmy asked the husky to lie down, then roll over, and she obeyed at once. ‘Maybe you could gently steady her back leg,’ she suggested to Abi, whose eyes widened as she did as Mandy said. Both children were kneeling close to Zoe’s hind end, Jimmy was at the front, stroking the husky’s head. Mandy showed Zoe the clippers, then switched them on to get her used to the noise, waiting for the husky to be completely settled again before she wielded them over the dog’s abdomen. Once the skin was clear of hair, she put the clippers away and reached for the ultrasound handpiece.

  The first puppy appeared on the screen almost immediately. Mandy shifted the probe slightly. ‘Look,’ she said, pointing to the screen. ‘Can you see there? That’s the first puppy’s head.’ She twisted the probe again. ‘And there’s his or her heart there,’ she told them with a smile.

  ‘Can you see it beating?’ Jimmy asked the twins, who nodded, their eyes wide as they gazed at the black-and-white screen in the dim light.

  Mandy moved the instrument. The white outline of another pup came into view within the black circle of the uterus. ‘There’s another,’ she told them. Inside the uterine horn, the tiny pup was wiggling its legs. Pressing a few buttons, marking the edges of the skull on the screen, Mandy took some measurements. Both pups were a good size. She began to search again, following the uterus backwards towards the cervix, then forwards up the second horn. After twenty minutes, they had found five puppies. All of them seemed to be healthy.

  ‘So she’s going to have five altogether?’ Jimmy looked enchan
ted. He gazed from Mandy, to the screen, where Mandy had just completed the last measurement. His hand absently stroked the soft fur behind Zoe’s ear as he turned his gleaming eyes back at Mandy.

  ‘Well, without taking an X-ray, I can’t be sure,’ Mandy told him, ‘but as far as I can tell, there seem to be five. All healthy,’ she added.

  ‘Hooray!’ Abi let out a cheer, then clapped both hands over her mouth, remembering that she had to be quiet for Zoe’s sake. Max’s grin was as wide as Jimmy’s. He stroked Zoe’s leg as Mandy replaced the probe into its holder and began to wipe the gel from Zoe’s abdomen. Max did look very much like Jimmy, she thought. She finished cleaning the husky, who stood up and shook herself, as soon as Jimmy released her.

  ‘I think this calls for a celebration,’ Jimmy said, standing up, and stretching after so long on his knees.

  ‘Can we have pizza?’ Abi piped up.

  Jimmy grinned. ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘And shall we invite Mandy?’

  Pleased to have given so much pleasure, Mandy glanced at the twins, but Abi pouted. ‘Do we have to?’ she asked. Mandy felt her face reddening as embarrassment coursed through her. She was about to tell Jimmy that it was absolutely fine when he spoke calmly to Abi.

  ‘That’s not very polite to Mandy,’ he told his daughter. ‘She’s my girlfriend and I would like her to come. She’s also going to be looking after Zoe and the puppies for us, so I think she deserves some pizza, don’t you?’

  Abi didn’t look thrilled, but she shrugged her agreement.

  ‘Okay with you, Max?’ Jimmy asked, the forced cheeriness back in his voice.

  Max nodded too.

  Mandy still wished she could disappear into a hole. Hold back the stampede, she thought, though she made herself smile. ‘Thank you, that would be nice,’ she said, hoping she sounded more enthusiastic than the twins had managed.

  Jimmy smiled warmly at her. ‘In that case, we’ll see you later,’ he said.

  They made their way back out into the waiting room. Abi walked ahead, stopping at the door to wait. Max stood halfway between Abi and Jimmy, who had waited to walk beside Mandy. Both of the twins were staring again. Zoe’s tail waved gently as she walked ahead of Jimmy on her lead. The husky and Jimmy were the only ones who seemed wholly at ease, Mandy thought. She had to work hard not to flinch as Jimmy reached in to kiss her goodbye. It was a long way from the warm kiss he would have given her had they been alone, but even so, Mandy felt the heat of the twins’ eyes on them. ‘They’re fine,’ Jimmy mouthed, noticing the direction of her uncomfortable gaze, then he grinned again as if amused. ‘See you this evening,’ he said. Mandy let out a sigh of relief when the door closed behind him.