‘I can’t bake. I’m useless at anything like that.’
Enya loved Iris’s words of self-deprecation and stared as Holly unfurled a little, sitting more upright.
‘What’s that?’ Iris pointed at the baby book.
‘I made a... erm...’ Holly swallowed, ‘a binder all about the baby, I’ll update it when they’re born. Milestones, that kind of thing.’
‘What have you got so far?’ Iris placed her arms on the table, as if settling in.
‘I was just talking about names before you arrived.’
Enya noted how Holly had gone from talking aboutweandustomeandI.
‘What have you settled on?’ Iris smiled, her eyes still on Holly’s face.
‘Not really settled on any, but for a girl I like Eloise, Jemima or Amelia, I think they’re my favourites.’
‘I like Amelia, but they’re all lovely. Don’t you think, Aiden?’
‘Yes,’ he coughed to clear his throat, ‘yes, all nice.’
‘And what about for a boy?’ Iris asked, continuing to engage.
Enya knew she had never seen such a display of confidence, of empathy. If she had harboured the slightest doubt about the girl, to see first hand the strength of her character made her heart bloom with affection for the young woman who would be her daughter-in-law.
‘I was thinking to name him after our dads, so Jonathan Philip, but I’d call him Jonny.’
‘Jonny’s a good name. He could do anything with a name like that.’
‘That’s what my mum said.’ Holly sounded young and sweet.
‘So, you and Aiden were at school together?’ Iris asked, as if unaware.
‘Yes, feels like a hundred years ago.’ Holly gave a small smile in Aiden’s direction.
‘What was he like, when you were at school?’ Iris turned to face Holly, who looked up as if picturing that time in their lives.
‘He was clever, quiet, nice... not trendy or that popular.’
‘Well, thanks, Holly,’ Aiden sighed, and the two girls smiled, almost laughing, but not quite.
Enya slipped into the sitting room, feeling it better that the three sat at the table and built bridges that might help them in the future, help them get to where they all needed to go. Bridges that might mean the baby who was going to enter their lives could never take a misstep or get lost when it came to navigating its parents’ relationship, as there would always be something solid underfoot. The kind of bridges whose foundations would be laid by no more than looking at a baby book.
She sat on the sofa, wanting to weep for the three youngsters who found themselves in this uncomfortable, life-altering situation, movingbravely into the unknown, as must she. How she wished Jonathan were by her side, knowing that he, like her, would be feeling a new surge of optimism because of what was happening around the table. And also understanding that even in the trickiest of situations, there was always a way forward, if you worked hard enough at it. Opening her laptop, she looked at the screenshot of Dominic that she’d captured and felt warmth flood her being at no more than the sight of his handsome face.
It was some fifteen minutes later, maybe more, that at the sound of a chair scraping, Enya stood and made her way, as casually as she could manage, back to the kitchen.
It was Holly who now stood, placing her baby book inside her rucksack.
‘I’ve got my first scan next week, bit nervous...’
Her manner was still hesitant, still subdued, but gone was the excruciating folding of her whole being.
‘Oh, well make sure Aiden’s got it in his diary, you know what he’s like, he can meet you there. Is it at Southmead Hospital?’
‘Yes.’ Holly kept her head down but lifted her eyes to look at the father of her baby.
‘I never mind going there, at least I can get a coffee while I wait. It’s exciting, Holly.’
