21
JESS LISTENED AT THE DOORto room 420 in the maternity ward and, hearing voices, she entered.
“I was hoping you’d be awake.” She smiled at Lilia, sitting up in bed, cradling her baby.
“Freya and I were just having a chat,” Lilia said, nuzzling her daughter’s cute pink nose. “She wants me to take her to the premiere tonight, but I told her the red carpet will have to wait until mummy’s body parts feel put back together.”
Jess laughed. “It can feel like that for a few days, but you’ll be back together soon. It’s a shame you’re missing it, though.”
Leaning down over the tiny bundle, she stroked the baby’s soft cheek. “Bad timing, Freya.”
“Birth’s rough. But I get what you were talking about now back on set.”
“What was that?” Jess screwed up her face. “I’ve said lots of things. I wouldn’t take any of it too seriously.”
“Remember when you were saying giving birth can feel powerful? I get it now.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I mean, don’t get me wrong. It sucked and my partner can stay at least five meters away from me at all times now.”
“You did have an induction, so that can be pretty intense,” Jess said, thinking about Lilia’s back-to-back contractions. Her preeclampsia was severe enough that they’d had to make the call and induce her pregnancy a little early, but other than that, it had all gone smoothly.
“But it was also pretty amazing.” Lilia held eye-contact with her tiny baby until Freya’s eyelids fluttered closed.
“You did incredibly. And she’s just perfect,” Jess said. She placed her hand on the young mother’s shoulder, joining her in watching the sleeping baby.
“You look tired. Do you want me to settle her?” Scooping Freya into her arms, Jess gently settled her into the nearby bassinet.
“Are you going to the premiere tonight?” Lilia asked, settling back against the pillows. “Please say you are so I can live vicariously and pretend it’s me getting all glammed up. What’s your dress like?”
“Rose-gold with a high split.” She flicked through her phone to find a photo and held it out for Lilia.
“It’s absolutely stunning.”
“I don’t think I’ll stay for the afterparty though.”
“You should totally make the most out of that dress.”
“No, I don’t—”
“You know I would if I didn’t have that cute accessory over there.” Lilia handed her phone back. “Why wouldn’t you stay?”
It was a good question. Why wasn’t she going to the afterparty? Living in New Zealand, it wasn’t like there were many events you got to dress up formally for. The last big event she’d been to was the A&P show, where the dress code was gumboots and woollen jerseys. It might be the only Red Carpetevent she’d ever attend—but if Nate was there, wouldn’t it just be torturing herself by being around him too long?
The screening was one thing, but she could just imagine the afterparty. A few drinks and no doubt she’d find a way to embarrass herself again. It was far more sensible to stick to her initial chaos-to-calm plan: no big parties and no men.Seriouslynone this time. She’d let herself deviate from it with Nate and look how disastrously that had ended. With her throwing herself at him and having her feelings crushed. Better to focus.
“Do you mind if I check your stomach? See how you’re going?” she asked, changing the subject. Lilia had asked Jess to be her midwife, and of course, she’d agreed.
Lilia nodded, lowering the blankets, and Jess lightly pressed her abdomen, checking the size of her uterus. It had shrunk adequately. Lifting the blankets back over her stomach, she wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Lilia’s arm.
“Still a little high, but it should come down in the next day or two. Any headaches?”
Lilia shook her head. “Just sore…down there, but I guess that’s to be expected.”
“I’ll get you some more pain relief,” Jess said, finishing up her checks. “Everything’s looking good. You rest up now while bub is asleep.”
“Give Laney and Hannah and everyone big hugs from me.”
