Zoe smiled so broadly as she gazed at it that if anyone had seen her, they’d have thought she’d won the lottery. The truth was, whenever she looked at Alex, she felt as if she had. It had only been a matter of months since they’d become an item, but with every day that passed, it was more and more impossible to imagine her life without him or his daughter.
She glanced out of the window to see if there was any sign of life on the lane. The temperature had barely lifted, but the snow of Christmas had been washed away by freezing rains,leaving mud and grey skies. There would always be something magical about her first Christmas in Thimblebury, and each time she looked at her photographs, the feeling would grow stronger, until one day it would become in her mind something like a fairy tale, filled with log fires, mulled wine, hot chocolate, icy walks and vast winter skies.
In reality, it had been stressful and hectic, though compared to the upheaval she dreaded coming, it felt far more certain. Her dad’s upcoming wedding, Chantal’s baby and her mum’s predictable bitterness spiral was like a storm waiting on the horizon, a dark bank of cloud that Zoe wanted more than anything to turn and run from, but one that she had no choice but to head into.
The sound of her phone ringing made her jump, jolting her from her reverie so hard she almost laughed at herself as she looked at the caller ID. It was a good job, she decided briefly as she swiped to take it, that there was nobody around to see it.
‘Hello, Lara.’
‘God, Zoe, I’m so sorry! I got a call from the school about Rhys and I thought I’d be back by now, but things have taken longer than I?—’
‘Don’t worry!’ Zoe cut in. ‘Is everything all right? I can come another time if you need me to.’
‘Oh, it’s just him playing up again. I’ve had to collect him from after-school club early, and I had to see the head. Nothing new there,’ she added in a voice that sounded weary. ‘I don’t want to keep you waiting. I’m probably about twenty minutes away yet. I could rearrange, if it’s easier for you.’
‘It’s not that…’ Zoe paused. It wasn’t a problem for her to wait, but it sounded as if Lara had her hands full with her older son right now. Perhaps it was more of a favour for Lara if Zoe did come back another day. ‘Let me look at my diary…Hang on a tick.’ After scanning her calendar, Zoe went back to Lara. ‘Howabout Friday? Is that soon enough, or do you need to see me more urgently than that?’
‘No…Friday’s good. I’ll make sure I’m home. I really am sorry about today.’
‘It’s not a problem. You can’t help a last-minute callout. Listen, I’ll put you down for one thirty on Friday afternoon. If anything happens in the meantime and you need to reschedule, let me know.’
‘I will – thanks so much. And sorry again.’
‘Stop apologising!’ Zoe said. ‘Just as long as you’re all right, it doesn’t matter to me. If you need me before Friday, don’t hesitate to call; I’ll do what I can to fit you in.’
Lara didn’t answer right away. Zoe could hear mumbled conversation, a young boy’s voice in answer, and then Lara came back. ‘Sorry, what was that?’
‘Don’t worry about it. I’m guessing Rhys needs your attention. I’ll see you on Friday unless you need me urgently before then. OK?’
‘Friday, yes, it’s in my diary now.’
After reassuring Lara yet again that Zoe hadn’t been put out and wasn’t a bit annoyed by their failed appointment, Zoe looked at her watch. It wasn’t far off the end of her working day. She could have gone back to the surgery to catch up with some paperwork, but it hardly seemed worth it. However, she did have time to kill. Ottilie wasn’t yet home from the hospital, and Zoe had planned to visit as soon as she was. Georgia, on the other hand, would be home, and while Zoe’s responsibility for her and baby William was now officially over, that hadn’t stopped Zoe from calling in for some cuddles from time to time since his birth.
Her mind made up, Zoe started her engine and made her way back to the village.
7
Georgia’s husband, Brett, answered the door, and Zoe was pleased to see he had William in his arms. Only a few weeks before, she’d been unsure if she even liked Brett. He’d done nothing to offend or hurt her, but she’d witnessed him mistreating Georgia, and even though she’d been aware he was struggling with his own mental health, she hadn’t been happy about it. Since William’s birth, however, he was like a new man. He’d promised to stay off the booze and to try and turn his life around, and so far, he seemed to be keeping his promise. Zoe was a lot fonder of this Brett than the one she’d first met on their arrival in Thimblebury.
‘Hello!’ He smiled. ‘To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?’
‘I was out and about and I had some time to spare – I thought I’d come and check on my favourite parents, see how they’re doing. And on William too, of course.’
‘Favourite parents, eh? I can’t imagine how we’ve managed to gain such an accolade, but we’ll take it.’ Brett chuckled. ‘Come on in. Georgia’s expressing, so if you don’t mind sitting through something that sounds like a milking shed…’
Zoe laughed. ‘Not sure that’s quite how I’d describe it,’ she replied as she followed him indoors. Though his joke had been a bit on the lame side for her tastes, her good humour came from the fact that Brett seemed brighter and happier than she’d ever seen him.
Georgia was sitting on the floor on a yoga mat with her equipment, baby toys, spoiled bibs and all manner of other paraphernalia around her.
Zoe frowned. ‘Don’t tell me you’re back to your yoga already?’
‘Only a bit of stretching while I milked myself,’ Georgia said with a smile. ‘Is that why you’ve come? Checking up on me in case I have the urge to run a sneaky marathon?’
‘Good luck to you if you have. I wouldn’t have the urge to run a marathon ever, sneaky or not, and I haven’t just had a baby. No, my last appointment cancelled and I thought I’d use the time to see how things were here. Looks to me as if it’s going well.’
Georgia grinned. ‘What you really mean is you’re hoping for William cuddles.’
‘Well, yes, of course that’s what I really mean.’ Zoe turned to Brett, who’d followed her in. ‘Come on – hand him over!’
