Beth was making her way back from the tearoom, pondering when she would be able to have a bath in her new tub, when her phone sprang to life in her pocket; she juggled the coffees precariously to answer it. It was FaceTime from Fergus.
‘Hi Fergus,’ she said, trying to speak clearly to aid Fergus with lip-reading as she was very aware that she couldn’t sign whilst holding a phone and two teetering coffees.
‘It’s happening now!’ he said, looking terrified.
There was a momentary pause on Beth’s end as she caught up. ‘The baby?’
‘I can’t read what you’re saying. Here’s Carly,’ said Fergus and the picture went fuzzy while the phone was passed on.
Carly’s face loomed into view; she was in full make-up and her hair looked perfect. ‘We’ve just got to the hospital. Contractions are about three minutes apart.’
‘How are you so calm?’ Beth was amazed, she remembered when it was her she’d been a mess.
‘I’ve read loads of books about the birth. There’s ages to wait yet. So there’s no reason to panic. Fergus has been dancing about me like a Strictly finalist for the last hour while I did my make-up,’ said Carly with an eye roll.
Beth felt tears appear and she blinked them away. ‘In a few hours, you’ll be a mum.’
‘Don’t, you’ll set me off,’ said Carly as her voice went all wobbly. ‘Look we’d better go, the nurse will be getting a bit stroppy. And ooh ouch, here comes another contraction. We’ll call you later. Love you loads!’
‘Love you too,’ said Beth, but the screen had already gone black. Beth knew she had a ridiculous grin on her face, but she was so happy for Carly and Fergus. The next few hours were going to be a tense waiting game.
As she speed-walked up the path, excited to share the news, she could see the bath was still stuck in the doorway and Jack was climbing out of it, to get out of the house and into the garden.
‘Guess what?’ they both said together, eyes wide as they mirrored each other.
‘She’s gone into labour!’ said Jack – a smile appeared and then quickly disappeared.
‘I know!’ said Beth wondering how he knew already – Fergus must have texted or something.
Jack was giving Beth an odd look. ‘How can you know? Petra just this second called me.’
‘Oh, no. I meant Carly. Carly’s in labour too!’ Beth had to concentrate hard not to wave the coffees about in her excitement, she was so pleased for her best friend.
Jack looked stunned. ‘What are the odds?’ A huge grin spread across his face. She knew he was just as thrilled for Carly and Fergus as she was.
‘Here,’ said Beth, handing him his coffee. ‘You should go.’ She nodded towards the pub.
‘I don’t know, I’m not good with stuff like that.’ He looked momentarily unsure.
‘Jack,’ said Beth forcefully. ‘This is your responsibility. Go!’
‘You promise you’ll let me know about Carly?’ She nodded and he gave her his lop-sided smile and kissed her briefly on the cheek. ‘I love you.’
‘I love you too, now go. And keep me posted.’ Jack gave her a brief squeeze and jogged away.
She studied the bath and decided she’d be better going round the back of the cottage, then her thoughts drifted off to Carly. She had been so calm on the phone and Beth had to admit she’d thought Carly would be screaming for drugs already, but it was all credit to her that she wasn’t. Selfishly, Beth hoped it wouldn’t be a long drawn-out affair because she was longing to see the first pictures of the baby; she was hoping for a boy. Mainly for Leo’s sake as he had his heart set on a boy to play football with and partly because she had a fiver on it with Jack. She was surprised too at how calm Jack was. He had been worrying himself for weeks and now he seemed all laid back – and what were the odds of them both giving birth on the same day? She wished she’d had a fiver on that too.
After her coffee Beth tried in vain to shift the bath alone, but eventually gave up and started unpacking the shower Jack would be fitting later if he could drag himself away. Beth’s phone buzzed in her pocket and she fished it out, trying to ignore her stomach flipping over as all the possibilities of who it could be and why flooded her mind.
‘I want you here!’ yelled Carly down the phone and Beth held it away from her instantly throbbing eardrum.
‘Oh, sweetie. I wish I could be,’ said Beth in what she hoped were soothing tones. And she meant it, but it wasn’t a case of just popping round the corner – Carly was a hundred miles away. Things had apparently changed as Carly’s labour pains had ramped up.
‘You can! Get on a sodding train now!’ bellowed Carly.
Beth checked her watch. She knew if train times were in her favour she could be there in a couple of hours. ‘Well, I could try,’ she said. She wasn’t the best choice in medical emergencies but she was a good friend and if Carly needed her at her side then that’s where she would be. Looking around at the mess, she just wished Carly had decided this a bit earlier. ‘Can you tell Fergus I’ll text him?’
‘Grrrrr YEEEEEEEEES,’ hollered Carly and Beth guessed another contraction had started.
‘Okay, hang in there and keep your legs together!’ The last thing Beth wanted was a mad dash to London only to miss all the action. Beth got off the phone and mentally ran through things; Leo was on a play date and sleepover, so he would be fine. She didn’t have a shift at the pub and Jack had his own situation to take care of. Basically there was nothing to stop her going.
She threw a few things into a bag in case she didn’t make it back until tomorrow, flew downstairs, then spotted the bath tub.
‘Bugger!’ She couldn’t really leave the cottage for the rest of the day and possibly the night with the door wide open, the cottage was already freezing and in the middle of a British winter it could snow at any moment. While her brain was going into full-on panic mode a figure appeared on the other side of the doorway and waved happily.
‘Oh, Ernie! Am I pleased to see you! I need a huge favour,’ said Beth at speed. Ernie nodded and grinned at the same time. ‘Can you house sit for me?’
‘Here?’ asked Ernie, pointing at the bathtub.
‘Yes. You just need to make sure nobody comes in, well, no strangers. Okay?’ Beth could already see this was causing Ernie a lot of confusion by his puzzled expression, but with Jack off on his own birthing emergency what choice did she have?
Ernie was frowning deeply. ‘Okay!’ he said and climbed into the bath, sat down and folded his arms. Beth rubbed her eyes, this was going to be a difficult one to explain.
After twenty minutes of stretching her patience to the limit, Ernie was now sitting on a chair in the hallway with a large mug of tea staring hard at the open door. It was the best she could hope for. He had his coat on and she had texted Rhonda asking her to keep an eye on him. Now she had to focus on getting to London as fast as she could and as the taxi swung up the driveway she felt it was a good start.
That classic moment when you run for the train only to see it sail serenely away from the platform … it’s always emotional on the big screen. In real life, however, Beth was just pleased that the sound of the train was loud enough to shield the waiting passengers from her torrent of swear words. Some she hadn’t ever used before. She finished with a final loud ‘Buggeration!’ as the end of the train disappeared from sight. She spun round and, seeing a member of railway staff, sprinted towards them.
‘Next train to London?’ she asked, belatedly adding, ‘Please.’
‘That one,’ he said, pointing to the train waiting patiently on the other side of the tracks.
Beth pointed to the other platform, she couldn’t find the words. The railway guard spoke slowly, ‘This platform for trains to Hereford and Worcester. That platform trains to London.’
‘Thanks!’ yelled Beth as she sprinted off again to get to the other platform in time.
Beth heard the doors beeping as she jumped on the train, her stomach awash with wasted emotions
. She slumped into a spare seat and waited for her racing heart to find its rightful rhythm as the train slowly pulled away.
By the time they pulled into Paddington station her heart rate was back up to bonkers again. The taxi ride was short in distance but, being London, it took long enough for her to wonder if she could have walked it quicker. She fled the taxi, barrelled into the private hospital and was immediately hit by how un-hospitally it was. It looked more like a hotel reception area and to her surprise she was greeted warmly and quickly ushered to a lift. As the doors closed she caught sight of herself in a mirror and for the first time realized she was still wearing her decorating dungarees. There was a millisecond where she froze but then she shrugged and laughed at herself. Sod it, she thought, the most important thing is that I’m here, not whether I’m wearing the latest London fashions.
Her phone pinged with a message: it was Jack. ‘Looks like this will take a while. You okay?’
In all the panic Beth hadn’t updated him. ‘Now in London. Carly needed me. Ernie on cottage watch. Bath still stuck.’
That appeared to cover everything so she pressed send and as the lift opened she shoved the phone into her bag. Carly was easy to locate thanks to her distinctive mix of screaming and swearing which could be easily heard through the lovely solid wood doors. But before she could go in, Beth was intercepted by a member of staff who got her to wash her hands and pop on a fetching blue gown and silly foot covers. So, looking like someone in a cheap Smurf costume, she knocked on the door and went in.
Carly was mid holler with her eyes tightly shut. Her hair was tied back and her face was a sheen of sweat. Beth remembered this stage of labour vividly, the point where she was sure she couldn’t go on. Fergus stood next to Carly whilst she dug her manicured fingernails into his arm and for once he didn’t look his usual picture of chilled-out calmness.
Two medical staff, one of whom Beth guessed was the midwife, were at the action end of things and giving Carly stage direction in very calm voices. ‘That’s right, Carly, keep that breathing steady and hold tight.’
Beth went to the other side of the bed and gripped Carly’s hand. As the contraction loosened its hold Carly gasped for breath and opened her eyes. ‘You came!’ she said as tears spilled down her cheeks.
‘Of course I did,’ said Beth, feeling her eyes brim with tears. ‘It’s how you and I work. If we need each other we’re there. Whenever, wherever. Trains allowing, obviously,’ she said with a smile. Carly pulled Beth into a clumsy hug and had a good cry. Carly pulled away and her eyes widened as she took in Beth’s outfit. ‘What the hell are you wearing?’
‘Surgical gown over decorating dungarees. It’ll be on the catwalk this spring, you watch,’ she said with a grin, loving the fact that she really didn’t care.
Fergus patted Beth’s shoulder. ‘It’s lovely to see you, Beth. Thanks so much for coming. This is a fecking nightmare!’
Beth laughed and pulled away from Carly so she could sign to Fergus. ‘She’s okay, Fergus, really, this is what labour is like.’ She reached across the bed and took his hand.
‘There’s no translator available and she,’ he pointed at the midwife, ‘has her head up Carly’s bajingo half the time so I don’t know what’s going on. All I know is she’s in pain and I can’t help her.’ Beth held his hand whilst Carly held tight to the other and then a sudden increased pressure from Carly told Beth another contraction was on the way. Fergus gave a short smile and she hoped he was a little reassured.
‘Now then, Carly,’ said the midwife. ‘This time I need you to push. Slow and steady, okay?’
‘If it gets this giant melon out of me I’ll do anything!’
‘Start pushing, Carly,’ said the midwife from between her legs.
‘This is it,’ said Beth, squeezing both hands. Fergus nodded his understanding.
Carly screamed her way through the next couple of minutes while Beth and Fergus shouted encouragement until a new voice joined in the chorus. The baby was born and it instantly started to wail. The sound that clutches at every parent’s heart. Beth tugged at Fergus’s hand as he was still focused on Carly. He turned and saw his baby for the first time and burst into tears.
‘What is it?’ Carly asked between deep breaths.
‘It’s a girl,’ announced the midwife. The baby was small but perfect with a neat swirl of dark Dooley hair. Beth caught a glimpse of her miniature fingers and toes and was instantly filled with love for the tiny infant, the fact that she’d just lost the bet with Jack was completely irrelevant. Carly and Fergus hugged each other and sobbed happily.
A flurry of activity had the cord detached, the baby weighed and wrapped up within moments. The midwife held her out like an offering to the gods. ‘So who wants first cuddle?’ she asked. Carly nodded at Fergus and he very gingerly took the tiny bundle into his arms.
‘You did it, Carls. You’re amazing,’ said Fergus, as he gently laid the baby on Carly’s chest.
‘You are both amazing,’ said Beth, wiping away a tear. ‘The perfect little family.’
Fergus wasted no time getting a FaceTime link with his family in Ireland where it looked to Beth like the party had already been in full swing for some time.
Beth helped Carly wash her face, brush her hair and apply a smear of lippy before any photographs were taken, which was tricky as Carly wasn’t keen to let go of the baby. When she did eventually concede that she couldn’t brush her hair properly she passed her to Beth. The baby was asleep and didn’t even register the change of arms. Beth cuddled her tightly – perhaps she wouldn’t be averse to one of these herself, she mused.
Beth’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She handed the baby back to Carly and taking out her phone she realized it was Jack with FaceTime news of his own.
‘Hiya!’ chorused Jack and Petra together.
‘Hi!’ replied Beth as she squeezed onto the bed next to Carly so that everyone was in the shot. ‘We have a baby girl here, what have you got?’
‘Er, yuk!’ said Leo as his head popped into view and Beth felt a surge of love for him.
‘Wow! Congratulations, guys!’ said Jack. ‘We’ve got a girl too!’
‘Really?’ asked Carly, tearing her eyes away from her own infant for a moment.
‘Yep!’ said Jack, looking every inch the proud father. ‘And four boys!’ he added as he held up a couple of wriggling puppies.
‘How’s Doris?’ asked Beth.
‘She’s been a complete star!’ said Jack, moving the phone so that a flopped out Doris came into view, as did the other puppies who were happily suckling away. Doris lifted her head briefly.
‘She looks as knackered as I feel,’ said Carly with feeling.
‘Can we keep one, Mum? Please!’ pleaded Leo popping up on the screen again with a small puppy held at his cheek.
‘Can we also have one, please?’ came Petra’s voice and Jack turned the camera to show her and Tollek looking very cosy together.
‘We’ll see,’ said Beth. ‘We’ve got a bath to move first!’
‘All sorted,’ said Tollek, giving a little wave with his large hand. ‘I took the front door off to get it in and it didn’t take Jack and I long to install.’ He added as Beth’s face flicked through a number of expressions. At least that was a big problem solved.
‘When are you coming home?’ asked Jack, turning the camera back on himself and making Beth let out a small sigh of happiness that it was Jack and Leo she was going home to.
Beth looked at Carly and Fergus who had lost interest in the FaceTime and were staring besottedly at their new daughter. ‘I’ll be on the next train,’ she said with a smile.
‘Great, I can’t wait.’
‘Oh, and after the day I’ve had I’ll be needing a very long bath!’
Read more wonderful books by Bella Osborne …
As the sun begins to set on sunset cottage, an unlikely friendship blossoms …
Out now.
She’ll do whatever it takes
to keep this family together
Out now.
About the Author
Bella Osborne has been jotting down stories as far back as she can remember but decided that 2013 would be the year that she finished a full-length novel.
In 2016, her debut novel, It Started at Sunset Cottage, was shortlisted for the Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year and RNA Joan Hessayon New Writers Award.
Bella’s stories are about friendship, love and coping with what life throws at you. She likes to find the humour in the darker moments of life and weaves these into her stories. Bella believes that writing your own story really is the best fun ever, closely followed by talking, eating chocolate, drinking fizz and planning holidays.
She lives in the Midlands, UK, with her lovely husband and wonderful daughter, who, thankfully, both accept her as she is (with mad morning hair and a penchant for skipping).
Also by Bella Osborne
It Started at Sunset Cottage
A Family Holiday
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor
Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada
http://www.harpercollins.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
Escape to Willow Cottage Page 42
