Mab stared wide-eyed at Nina.The whole thing sounded even worse now it was out in the open.‘Well, my mum is Edward’s godmother and she thinks the sun shines out of the pair of them.Apparently Beattie can’t have children, they’ve tried all sorts of fertility treatments but they’re not suitable for IVF and Beattie won’t adopt because she was adopted herself and it didn’t go well.Apparently she had a miserable childhood.’
‘I suppose that could account for her lack of warmth.The woman’s chillier than the lake in November.I can’t imagine her as a mother.’
‘Oh, Nina, you saying that makes what I’ve done even worse.’The tears were starting again and Nina passed over a box of tissues.
‘Go on, spit it out.You’re frightening me,’ she said, taking both Mab’s hands in hers.
After a moment, Mab took a deep breath, and continued, ‘My mum asked me if I would consider being a surrogate mother for the Crabtrees.No, don’t say anything yet, Nina, this is hard enough without interruptions.I would receive expenses – very generous ones – and would sign a contract to give the baby to them when it was a day old.’As she said this, Mab put a hand over her mouth.She felt as if she was going down in a lift very quickly and her head swam alarmingly as the reality of what she’d done finally hit home.
‘But… Mab, how could you?Give your own baby away?And to Beattie Crabtree, of all people?’
Mab was sobbing now.‘I thought they were basically good hearted, Nina, and my mum went on and on until I gave in.You know what she’s like.She made me feel as if there was only me in the whole world who could make her happy.Or at least make her not depressed, if you know what I mean?’
‘I do know, but she had absolutely no right to do put her own neurotic weirdness on you, Mab.That woman…’
‘Yes, well anyway, I didn’t much care what happened if Pete didn’t want me, it was only later I realised what a waste of space he was.’
There was a long pause.Finally Nina spoke.‘Right.So… forgive me for being nosy, love, but… did you have to sleep with Edward Crabtree?’
Mab shook her head, looking down at the table.‘We did the old turkey-baster trick, and it worked first time.If only it had been a bit more difficult, I might have come to my senses before it was too late.’
They sat in silence for a few moments, and then Nina stood up and came to stand behind Mab, putting both hands on her shoulders.‘Does anyone else know about this?’
‘Den knows I’m pregnant, but not whose baby it is.No one else knows though.I was going to tell Jess just as George ran away, and Leo’s so hard to get on his own.’
As Mab sat with her chin on her hands, elbows in a heap of breakfast toast crumbs, her phone bleeped, startling her out of her reverie.She picked it up, and Nina leaned closer – every incoming call could be from Jess, and she didn’t want to miss anything.
‘That’s strange, it’s my mum; she hardly ever texts me,’ said Mab, scrolling down to read the message.
Sweetie, at airport, Dad whisking me away to Madeira for week.Feed cat and water garden esp fruit bushes.Mum xxx
‘Well, that’s that.Typical of my mother, the only time I want to tell her something, and she clears off.“Whisking her away” – why doessheneed taking on holiday?All she does is potter about in the garden or her “studio”,’ Mab muttered, ‘and anyway, why is it always me she gets to do her dirty work?What about Stan?’
‘I suppose she thinks it’s a bit far for him to come home every day from Brighton to feed the cat,’ said Nina, grinning.‘You don’t have to do everything Ria says, you know, Mab.Tell her to sort something else out.’
‘Oh, come on, Nina, I’d never hear the last of it.I bet she’s forgotten Stan ever went away.No, it’s me who always has to do anything useful; she thinks Stan’s far too busy and important, and he’s a man too, of course.’
Nina stood up.‘I don’t want to make you feel worse, Mab, but you’re behaving like a complete doormat.Never mind, at least now you don’t have to talk to her for a while, but you must promise me to take some sort of action soon.Have you talked to the doctor?’
‘No, I did the test myself.’
‘And have you discussed the arrangements properly with the Crabtrees lately?’
Mab shook her head.Nina sighed and went to put the kettle on again.
‘You must realise that you can’t just put your head in the sand over a problem as important as this one, Mab.’
‘Yes, I can, just for a little while.The doctor’s bound to ask all sorts of awkward questions, you know he will, and Edward and Beattie will just shout.’
‘But the Crabtrees must be getting anxious about the arrangement you made with them if you won’t talk to them, especially now there’s so much anger about the shop opening?’
‘I manage to avoid them most of the time.Beattie phoned to say they want to see me very soon for “a team talk” though.OK, I’ll go and see the doctor for a check-up before the weekend, I promise, but let’s just get the last jobs done here, then the furniture can all go in and the books can be delivered.A few more days should see this place on the way to being a proper working business.’
‘Not “before the weekend”, tomorrow, Mab.This is ridiculous.You’ve got to behave like a grown-up now, you’re going to be a mother, for heaven’s sake.’
‘OK, Nina, I’ll ring the surgery first thing.’
‘And make sure you do it on the dot of eight o’clock.You know how fast the appointments go.Any later and you’ll have to wait till the next day.I’m going to make some ginger tea now, you look really peaky.Go and put your feet up for ten minutes; you’ve been busy all day.’
