With that, she marched out, leaving Ottilie to raise her eyebrows at Zoe. ‘See?’
‘I do.’ Zoe glanced at the two mugs on the tray. She’d told Flo not to bother, but it looked as if Heath’s grandma had decided she was having a cup of tea whether she wanted it or not. If anyone could look at what she’d brought them and classify it as tea, but that was another matter entirely. ‘I suppose I have to drink that.’
‘If you value my sanity at all, please do,’ Ottilie replied with a weak grin. ‘Because if she comes back in and both mugs aren’t empty, I’ll never hear the end of it.’
Zoe let out a theatrical sigh as she reached for the mug, wrinkling her nose as she peered at the contents. ‘The things I do for you…’
Zoe was heartened to see that although Ottilie was obviously tired and in some discomfort from a difficult birth, both mum and baby were doing well, and Ottilie was in good spirits. The visit had also gone some way to putting Zoe’s own worries from her mind, so much so that Ottilie hadn’t noticed anything amiss, and Zoe hadn’t felt the need to offload at all.
As she walked back to the surgery, thoughts of her dad coming to the fore again, her phone pinged in her bag. She lifted it out to read a message from Ottilie’s best friend, Stacey.
Thought you might like to know Chloe has had her baby. Her waters broke while she was in Nando’s with Ollie! Rushed to the hospital at ten and baby came at midnight weighing 8 lbs on the nose. Haven’t got a name yet – keeps changing her mind! Of course, we would have wanted you at the birth, but since she’s out of the area now, it didn’t seem right to ask you to drive over. Hope you’re not offended.
Zoe smiled at the message. She loved to see babies being born, but in this instance she was perfectly happy to let someone else take care of it. Stacey’s taciturn daughter, Chloe, had hardly been an easy case during the short time Zoe had been responsible for her, and so, when Chloe had moved in with her boyfriend, out of the area and into the jurisdiction of another midwife, Zoe had secretly been a bit relieved. She had the skill to deal with all sorts of people, of course, and plenty of experience, but she also had a lot of work on and some difficult clients already on her books.
Not one bit. I’m so glad all is well. Congratulations to you all! I’ll pop over and see her at some point if I may. Just to visit, because. I’m sure her midwife has everything in hand. I bet you’re thrilled. Did it go well?
Stacey replied right away. Zoe could imagine her in the hospital canteen or somewhere quiet having a breather after all the excitement, perhaps messaging everyone she knew with the news.
Like clockwork. She’s a pro at this now, but I’ve told her to give us all a break before she decides to have another!Two under the age of two is enough to be going on with!
Zoe had to agree, though she usually shied away from giving that sort of advice to new mums. In Chloe’s case, it was more about money and her age than anything else. She and her boyfriend were both young and just starting out in their first home. Add that to a baby and a toddler and that was quite enough for anyone to be going on with – at least for a few years.
It suddenly occurred to her that Ottilie hadn’t mentioned anything. She had to assume that she’d only just found out, as Zoe had, in that round of texts Stacey must have been sending out. So many babies all at once…sometimes it happened like that. For Zoe back in Manchester, they came thick and fast with every day on the job, but here, where her list was far smaller, she often went for weeks without a birth. When she got a spare moment, she’d pop round to see Stacey and also chat to Ottilie about it.
9
As it turned out, Georgia was busy on the Saturday and so, still not knowing the area all that well, Zoe had canvassed ideas for places to take her mum for a day out instead. She’d settled on a National Trust property called Allan Bank, chosen partly because she hadn’t yet visited Grasmere herself, and partly because it seemed like the sort of sprawling place that would give them plenty of things to do and see in tranquil surroundings that she hoped would soothe her mum’s frayed nerves.
There was a haze over the hills as Zoe drove them there after picking her mum up from the train station, a sky that threatened rain but wasn’t quite sure it had the energy. That suited Zoe, who could do without bad weather on top of trying to keep her mum’s thoughts off her dad’s impending nuptials to Chantal.
‘I haven’t brought my umbrella,’ Cherie said, glancing out of the passenger-side window at the distant peaks. ‘I should have known that would be a mistake. And I suppose it’s all out in the open, this place you’re taking me to? Nowhere to shelter if the heavens open. At least in the Arndale Centre you can get out of the rain.’
‘You’re saying you’d rather be in a shopping centre than out here in all this?’ Zoe tipped her head towards the rolling vista of green and browns.
‘You used to like a Saturday out in the Arndale.’
‘I’m not saying I didn’t, but only as a place to hang out with my friends that was easy to get to. I’m sure if you’d asked me…’ She shook her head. ‘Scratch that. I suppose back then, as a teenager, I would have preferred to be in the Arndale than anywhere else. You should have said if this wasn’t what you wanted to do. When I suggested it, you seemed keen. But we can?—’
‘I’m sure it will be lovely,’ Cherie cut in. ‘I only meant if it rains, we’re going to be stuck with no shelter.’
‘There’s a big house that you can go into. If it makes you feel better, we won’t wander too far away from it, though I was hoping to show you the grounds.’
‘I thought you hadn’t been here before.’
‘I haven’t, but they look nice from what I’ve seen on the website, and Lavender at work says they’re beautiful, so…’
‘Didn’t your Alex want to come?’
‘He’s got things to do. I told you that on the phone.’
Cherie looked around sharply, Zoe catching the action from the corner of her eye.
‘He wanted to,’ she added, clipping her tone. ‘But he really couldn’t spare the time. Besides, Billie needs someone to be close by; it’s too far to come out and leave her alone.’
‘She’s old enough, isn’t she?’
‘Well, yes, but she’s also getting really close to the birth now. Alex would never forgive himself if he was missing and she went into labour. He thinks the absolute world of her – he just wouldn’t do that. But they’re both looking forward to meeting you later when we go over. Billie’s making dinner for us. She’s a great cook.’
