Another Glass of Champagne

by Jenny Kane

  ‘Sure, no problem.’

  Kit exchanged glances with Peggy as they watched Jack disappear towards the exit.

  ‘I’ve never seen him so subdued.’ Peggy looked back over her shoulder. ‘That boy has grown up. Megan told me he had.’

  Kit, who had a good idea how Jack would be feeling, said, ‘He has. And not before time.’

  Jack hadn’t got far from the hospital when he found himself pulling his mobile phone from his pocket and, without thinking about what he was doing, he called Rupert’s number.

  ‘I don’t suppose you fancy a drink or a meal or something tonight, do you? I feel a bit weird. A bit flat maybe, I’m not sure ...’

  It had only taken one sip before Kit and Peggy had mutually declared their coffee undrinkable, and had set off back to Pickwicks to find an anxious Megan and Scott waiting for news, glasses of champagne already in hand.

  Catching the significance of his wife’s raised eyebrows, Scott beamed his familiar white-toothed smile and poured out two more glasses of bubbly. ‘Well, it’s never too early to wet the baby’s head, is it!’

  Megan raised her glass. ‘Don’t keep us in suspense then: what news? Has Amy had the baby? Did Paul make it in time? I’ve been ringing you both, but there’s been no answer.’

  ‘No baby yet, and yes, Paul is there. Although it was all nick of time stuff.’ Kit pulled her mobile from her bag, noting the list of missed calls and messages. ‘Sorry, guys, I turned my phone off in the hospital and forgot to put it back on.’

  Peggy’s hand dived into her pocket! ‘Whoops, so did I. Sorry!’

  Scott was amazed. ‘But you two never forget to have your phones on!’

  The women shrugged as Kit said, ‘Must have been the excitement of it all. Honestly, I’ve never shopped for things so quickly in my life – and speaking as a fervent anti-shopper, that’s saying something. I hope I got Amy the right stuff.’

  ‘I’m sure you did.’ Peggy smiled, ‘Amy was tired but doing well. It shouldn’t be much longer now.’

  Scott took hold of Peggy’s hand. ‘And what’s your excuse for not reconnecting with the modern world?’

  His wife smiled. ‘It could possibly have been the shock of witnessing Jack being responsible and sensible.’

  Rupert was waiting for Jack outside the Tube. ‘So, why do you feel weird and a bit flat then?’

  ‘For that conversation, I am going to need at least two pints, and quite possibly a large plate of chips.’

  ‘We’d better go the nearest ghastly gastropub then. Come on.’

  Letting himself be led along the road into the nearest pub, Jack felt semi-dazed. So much had happened in the last few hours. He craved time alone to let it all sink in, and yet, at the same time, he was afraid to be on his own in case his growing melancholy took root.

  Sensing his friend was trapped under some heavy thoughts, Rupert sat Jack down at one of the only free tables, and then went to the bar and ordered two plates of fish and chips and a couple of pints of beer. It was good to be the one taking charge for a change, rather than being the one who needed help and advice.

  Collecting some cutlery, he placed the tray of drinks down before sitting opposite Jack.

  ‘Are you ready to tell me why you feel weird, or would you rather I made small talk for a while?’

  Warmed by Rupert’s consideration, Jack shared his thoughts. ‘I feel weird because I have just come from the maternity hospital. Amy has gone into labour. I was with her at the time, so I was the one who had to call the ambulance, go with her, hold her hand, and take care of her while the others tracked Paul down.’

  ‘Blimey.’ Rupert took a small sip of beer. ‘And once Paul arrived, even though you’d been looking after Amy until that point, you were no longer required. Were made to feel in the way, even?’

  ‘That’s it. I know it wasn’t personal, and that Amy and Paul need each other now more than ever, but ...’ Jack let his sentence trail off, and took solace in a deep draught of beer. ‘Odd to think that while we’re here all comfortable, about to eat chips, Amy is in the middle of having a baby. It feels right and wrong at the same time.’

  Taking another mouthful of his beer for Dutch courage, Rupert said, ‘Tell me to mind my own business, but would I be correct in assuming that once upon a time, you thought that if you were ever with Amy in a delivery suite, you’d be the one expecting the baby with her?’

  Jack sighed. ‘I can’t argue with that. Even though I know how ridiculous and indeed how selfish it is, not to mention how long ago Amy and I were together ...’ Jack trailed off his sentence and shook his head at himself.

  ‘I hope they’re all alright. Everything was happening at such speed, I’m sure they must have had the baby by now.’ He glanced at the phone he’d left on the table between them. ‘No news yet though.’

  Without passing judgement on Jack’s confused feelings, Rupert concentrated on the positives, and raised his glass. ‘To Amy, Paul, and their new arrival. Here’s to a happy and healthy start to life.’

  ‘I ought to go home.’ Megan’s watch told her that it was already seven o’clock. ‘Nick and I are supposed to be going out later. Are you sure there are no messages on your phones yet, guys?’

  Kit and Peggy simultaneously checked their mobiles again and shook their heads.

  ‘Promise you’ll call me as soon as you hear from Paul. Any time. Promise?’

  Rupert chewed his first chip thoughtfully, as if trying to decide whether to tell Jack something or not.

  ‘What is it?’ Jack noticed the considered expression on his companion’s face. ‘You look trapped in indecision.’

  ‘I was.’ Rupert laid down his fork. ‘I was wondering if I ought to tell you about my father.’

  ‘And? Are you going to, or are you already wishing you hadn’t mentioned it?’

  Rupert couldn’t help but laugh. ‘It’s frightening how well you know me already!’

  Jack held his tongue and tried not to let his eyes kept drifting to the phone in the hope of news from Amy, as Rupert began to explain.

  ‘You told me, when we had dinner the other day, about your ex, Toby. About how you went over to Spain to come out to your dad together. Was your dad really as calm about it as you said he was?’

  Cradling his glass, Jack said, ‘I was very lucky. Dad and his girlfriend Jane were so kind. I wish I’d told Mum before she died, although Dad said she’d worked it out years before. They were respecting my right to come out to them when I was ready.’

  ‘And you had no idea that they knew, or had at least suspected?’

  ‘Not a clue,’ Jack scowled at his former self, ‘but I was so full of myself back then, I probably wouldn’t have noticed even if I’d lived with them. I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive myself for not talking to Mum about my life before it was too late.’

  Quiet for a moment, Rupert said, ‘It sounds as though she would have understood your decision not to say anything until you were ready, though.’

  ‘She would have. We were really close.’ Jack took another sustaining drink, ‘Ironically, I was on my way to tell her and Dad everything the day Mum told me about her cancer. Naturally, I kept my news to myself. It suddenly all seemed so trivial.’ Jack looked up. ‘Anyway, we were going to talk about your folks, not mine.’

  Rupert frowned. ‘My family, sadly, aren’t quite as easy-going.’

  ‘They have no idea you’re gay?’

  ‘I’m sure my mother has her suspicions. She’s never said anything though. She wouldn’t dare.’

  Jack’s eyes narrowed. ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘My father.’

  ‘He’d take it badly?’

  Rupert laid down his knife and fork so he wasn’t tempted to stab his meal as the frustration he felt about his father threatened to spill over. Steadying himself as he caught Jack’s concerned expression, Rupert said, ‘“Victorian” sums up most aspects of my father.’

  ‘Ahhh. I see.’

  ‘Yo
u do?’

  ‘You told me last time that he had made his money in the City. That he goes to a Club, and that he lives in his own rarefied atmosphere of what he considers to be proper. Plus, you’re his only child. The only boy of parents who had children later in life.’

  With a sad nod of his head, Rupert said, ‘You’ve got it. It wouldn’t be so bad if he was an easy person to stand up to, but he’s one of those men who can’t conceive of the idea that he could ever be wrong. The rest of the world should come into line with his way of thinking and not the other way around ... I haven’t even told my parents about my current job, Jack! I love it, it’s the best job I’ve ever had as far as I’m concerned, but to my father ... Let’s just say it doesn’t have the required executive status.’

  ‘I see.’ Jack cut some batter from his fish. ‘And how about your mum?’

  ‘Mother – I have to call them Mother and Father, not Mum and Dad – is lovely. When it’s the two of us on our own we get on fine, and the tension that tends to linger whenever Father’s around isn’t there.’

  ‘But?’

  ‘But ... I suspect she’s a tiny bit afraid of my father, so I don’t tell her things that could make her life more difficult. No way would she stick up for me if my father decided to ban me from the house or...’

  Jack looked doubtful as Rupert’s sentence tailed off. ‘Are you sure about that? I mean, she is your mother. Mothers as a rule tend to side with their children before their husbands – as far as I can tell, anyway. I mean, can you imagine Kit or Debbie siding with their husbands against their children?’

  ‘No, but then Rob and Phil are a far cry from my father.’ To deflect the conversation, Rupert picked up Jack’s mobile. ‘Still no word from Amy.’

  Jack, despite his worry at the lack of communication from the hospital, wasn’t willing to let Rupert drop the subject. ‘I can’t imagine Amy siding with Paul over her child either, can you?’

  ‘I don’t know Amy, but no, from what you’ve told me, I can’t.’ Rupert pushed his food around the oval plate. ‘Maybe it isn’t that Mother is afraid of him, just in awe of him. I don’t know.’ Shoving his dinner away, he groaned. ‘You must think me rather pathetic.’

  ‘No. I think you’re a decent man trying to do his best by his family. But you’re losing out on having someone in your life in the meantime, and I suspect you’re beginning to resent that, aren’t you?’

  Suddenly the atmosphere across the table subtly changed. Rupert could feel the words he wanted to say on the tip of his tongue, but wasn’t sure he dared. But, if he didn’t say them now, would he have another chance?

  ‘OK, so here’s the thing.’ Rupert swallowed hard. ‘Yes, I’ve been holding back from having a relationship because each time I go to my parents’ place my father expects me to arrive with a future wife in tow so we can hurry up and give him a new heir.

  ‘He’s pinning his hopes on having a grandson to pass everything on to and skip my generation. I’m sure he sees me as something of a glitch. Of course, it won’t have occurred to him that I might give him a granddaughter and not a grandson.’

  Jack smiled ruefully. ‘You mean, when your mother was pregnant he decided she should have a son, and so she did. Therefore wanting a son is a case of mind over matter. If you gave him a granddaughter he’d have assumed you can’t have been trying hard enough, in true Henry VIII style?’

  ‘That’s about it. Biology lessons weren’t very comprehensive when he was at school.’ Rupert sighed. ‘It hardly matters, does it? There will be no grandchildren, and no one to pass their mausoleum of a house onto bar me.’

  Silence descended across the table, until Jack reached out and took hold of Rupert’s hand. ‘I always wanted kids one day, but, well ... as you say, the situation is academic. I am very lucky though, I have two godchildren, and I’m about to have a third. Plus, my sister has given me a niece and nephew.’

  Feeling an unaccustomed sensation of being safe, Rupert cast an anxious eye around the nearby tables, but no one was paying them any attention at all.

  Seeing his uncertainty, Jack gave Rupert’s hand a reassuring pat and then let go. ‘I could come with you. If you like?’

  ‘Come with me where?’

  ‘To visit your parents.’

  Rupert almost choked on a chip. ‘You want to meet them? Why?’

  ‘Because until you tell them who you are, you’ll never truly be at peace with yourself, and you and I will never really get started. You could tell them about your new job, and we could see what happens from that point onwards.’

  Looking directly into Jack’s deep chocolate-coloured eyes, Rupert saw he was right. A shy smile crossing his face as he nodded at his companion.

  The silence of apprehensive happiness was broken by the buzz of Jack’s phone. Snapping it up, Jack read the text quickly.

  ‘Is it about Amy?’ This time Rupert took Jack’s hand without worrying about what anyone else might think.

  ‘No, it’s Kit asking if I’ve heard anything yet. Surely my next godchild should be here by now? I hope Amy’s alright.’

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Wednesday 27th July

  Kit woke up, rolled over, and immediately reached for her mobile phone, fully expecting to see a message awaiting her. But there was no news from Amy.

  Jack woke up smiling. Despite his doubts about the wisdom of meeting Rupert’s father so soon, he was convinced it was the right thing to do. Pulling himself out of bed, Jack thought back to the small yet memorable kiss Rupert had placed on his lips before, without a backward glance, he’d dashed home to his flat in Kew.

  Reaching for his phone, Jack opened the text waiting for him. He grinned to see that Rupert had sent him an early morning Hello, but his pleasure was soon replaced with concern. There were no other texts. There was no news from Amy.

  Scott turned from the sink where he was washing the flour from his early morning scone-baking off his fingers, ‘Any news from the hospital?’

  ‘Not a word.’ Peggy stared at her mobile expectantly, but there were no missed texts or messages. There was no news from Amy.

  Amy didn’t think she would ever stop crying. Fatigue had wrapped her in a blanket of the most complicated and conflicting emotions she’d ever experienced.

  Fear, joy, bewilderment, unending worry, and a total overriding love filled her heart as she gazed in awe at the tiny bundle she cradled in her arms. No words came to her lips as she locked eyes with Paul. Sat next to his wife on the narrow delivery room bed, Paul cried silent tears as he stroked a finger lightly over his child’s head, ruffling the fine covering of downy hair.

  Resting her head on the pillows, Amy closed her eyes. She could feel her baby wriggle slightly in her arms as a new wave of exhausted happiness swamped her.

  Paul looked from his shattered wife to his sleeping child with an incomprehension he couldn’t define. He couldn’t see how Amy had done that. The birth, which had started so quickly, had slowed right down, and then, some hours later, had become difficult when the baby had raised its arm at just the wrong moment and become stuck. Several frightening minutes had passed while Jean, as unflappable as ever, had explained to them that they’d need to use a ventouse to help deliver the baby.

  Watching Amy in so much pain, not being able to do anything but hold her hand and pass her the gas and air when she asked, had been the most frustratingly difficult thing Paul had ever done in his life.

  Once the emergency delivery equipment, which looked to Paul like a mini vacuum cleaner with a weird suction cap attachment, had been correctly placed, the birth had happened with an acceleration of speed and activity that was every bit as frightening as the complication it was putting right.

  That had been two hours ago now, but it felt as if years had passed as, watching his wife finally slip into some much-needed kip, Paul gently picked his child off Amy’s lap.

  ‘Hello, little one.’ He looked into the small, round face, marvelling at its perfection a
s he rubbed the baby’s tiny nose softly against his larger one, and the silent tears of happy disbelief began again. He whispered softly, scared of waking Amy, ‘I can’t believe we have you. We never thought ...’ He took a slow inhalation of air as he sat down, tucking his baby against his chest. ‘We never thought we’d be this lucky.’

  Overcome with the events of the past twenty-four hours, Paul looked lovingly at his wife. He couldn’t wait to tell everyone. So far, only the new grandparents had been informed, to cries of joy and promises to visit very soon, but no one else knew. As much as they wanted to tell all their friends, at the same time they wanted to treasure this time on their own, until they’d all three had some rest.

  The door to the delivery room opened very quietly. Jean came in, whispering, ‘How are we doing then?’

  Paul just smiled.

  ‘I think that look tells me all I need to know.’ Jean, who was clearly pretty exhausted herself, said, ‘I’m about to go off duty, but there will be a nurse along soon. I’m afraid she’ll have to wake Amy and move her so we can use this room for someone else, and she’ll also tell you to get off home.’

  ‘Home?’ Paul looked down at his child. ‘I can’t possibly leave!’

  ‘I know it’s hard, Paul, but that’s how it works. Dad goes home, gets some kip and a change of clothes, then comes back this afternoon all fresh and ready to relieve Mum of her duties for a while.’

  ‘I guess that makes sense. Going to be tough leaving them though.’

  ‘I know, but you’ll be in a better position to help Amy after a couple of hours sleep and a shower.’

  ‘Oh, thank God!’

  ‘What is it?’ Peggy shot to Kit’s table as the writer gestured in her direction. ‘Amy?’

  ‘Sort of. It’s Jack. Hang on ... Sorry, Jack, we’ve all been going mad with worry over here at the café ... Really? Oh wow ... nothing at all? Well, OK then. I’ll tell the others, we’ll see you at five. Thanks, Jack.’

  By the time Kit had hung up, Peggy and Megan were crowded around the table.

  ‘Amy is alright. Baby was born at eight thirty this morning.’