She shrugs again, then winces, and I immediately feel bad.
But I still feel the need to tell Reed, “You don’t have to answer that. You’ve explained enough already.”
Reed looks at Hailey and smiles. “I’m not about to deny a woman in labour. As distractions go, this is a pretty good one.”
He then spends the remainder of the journey telling us about the guy he’d started seeing at work. It’s funny in places, but I think that’s just him more than the story, and ultimately the ending is about as sad as I was expecting.
“So,” he says, looking out the window as we reach the outskirts of Sheffield city centre. “You can see why the last thing on my mind coming here was hooking up with Sean.” He sighs. “I just fancied some of this fresh country air he’s always banging on about and a change of scene.”
Fuck.
As much as I don’t want to... I like Reed. And I can’t hold a grudge just because Sean’s sister got her wires crossed. Reed obviously needs a friend right now, and I’m not about to be a dick about it.
“Oh, thank God,” Hailey says, and I look up to see the hospital coming into view.
Sean pulls up as close as he can to let me, Hailey, and Joe, out. I wrap my arm around her waist and Joe grabs her bag. We’re about to go inside when Sean gets out and runs up to us.
“I’m going to go park up for a bit in case you need anything.”
“Okay.”
He’s looking at me like he wants to kiss me, and I really hate that for whatever reason he thinks that he can’t.
“One sec,” I say, handing Hailey off to Joe. Then I step up to Sean, cup his jaw with both hands, and kiss him. He grabs my waist, pulling me into his body, and everything seems right with the world. “I don’t want to be casual anymore,” I rush out, half-turning back to Hailey.
Sean grins. “Me neither.”
“Really?” Hailey hisses. “You’re doing this now?”
“Shit. Sorry.” I take over from Joe and wrap my arm back around her. I glance over my shoulder. “I’ll call you in a bit.”
Sean nods, then gives Hailey a kiss on the cheek. “Good luck.”
“If I ever get in there,” Hailey grumbles, and Sean decides that’s his cue to escape.
I steer Hailey inside, and soon enough she’s settled into a ward along with one other heavily pregnant woman.
Joe and I step back outside the curtain as the midwives examine her. They give me an odd look until Hailey explains that I’m not her partner. She’s allowed two people in the delivery suite with her, but from what the midwives say, she’s not ready for that quite yet.
When it’s just us again, Joe looks between me and Hailey, then blurts out, “Is it okay if I go wait in the car with Sean?”
I smile because I was about two seconds away from suggesting it. No teenage boy wants to see their mum in labour.
“Of course it is, sweetheart.” Hailey beckons him closer and pulls him in for a hug. “In fact, why don’t you get him to take you home? We could be in for a bit of a wait. I’m sure he’ll bring you back when the baby gets here.”
I walk Joe back outside and call Sean to find out where he’s parked. He’s more than happy to take Joe home to Hailey and Char’s house and bring him back tomorrow.
Well, hopefully tomorrow.
“Will you be okay on your own?” I ask, giving him a hug.
“I’m seventeen,” he grumbles.
“I know that, but I’m your dad, and I worry.”
He steps back and waves his phone at me. “Char’s family are only up the road and I have all their numbers. And Liz is still working at the pub, remember?”
Oh, yeah. I’d forgotten that it was still only early evening.
