Immie adjusts Teddie on her hip and steps back to get a better view of Poppy’s middle. ‘Whatever the medics say, you look a lot like I did just before Morgan arrived.’ She rakes her fingers through her hair and grimaces in the direction of her chunky six-foot teenager playing on his phone.
I can’t help commenting, ‘That’s a lot less scientific than your usual pronouncements, Immie.’
Immie blows out her cheeks. ‘Some things rely more on instinct than science. Birth is one of them.’
Poppy’s moving the conversation on with an eyebrow wiggle. ‘So, I hear Rory took you for a tour of the brewery, Hols? She flashes a knowing smile. ‘Not everyone gets one of those, you know.’
I’m keen not to overplay this. ‘We were literally in and out picking up drinks. I had no idea the Roaring Waves name was because it was right by the sea.’ The range of barns, clustered by the beach out along the coast road, were truly lovely, and a lot less derelict than Rory had implied.
Immie’s come in close. ‘It’s a great place. But more importantly, did you get a look at the bedroom?’
I’m going to have to fudge this. ‘I saw some big shiny tanks and a marketing suite. And a bit of the house that was way tidier than Home Brew Cottage.’ I know my cheeks are scarlet. When I accidentally caught a glimpse of a monumental wooden bed, I shot back out to the beer-mobile.
Immie’s lips are twitching. ‘Bound to be tidier without the gruesome twosome messing it up. Everyone in St Aidan knows about the bed. It’s the only furniture in the room, with a view straight out to sea. Most importantly, though, there’s no curtains.’
Even I can’t keep a straight face at that level of local knowledge. ‘Thanks for that. On a need- to-know basis, I don’t need to know any of that.’
Immie beckons us in closer. ‘On another subject entirely …’ She fishes in her pocket.
My sigh of relief for that lasts until I see what’s in her hand. ‘Immie, what the heck?’
Immie gives a chortle. ‘Keep your tinsel on. Haven’t you seen a urine sample before?’
Poppy sends me a long-suffering glance over the pot of wee in Immie’s hand. ‘And you’re waving it around because?’
Immie’s face crumples. ‘This is my fourteenth alcohol-free day. As far as the baby-making goes, I’ve been super-chilled and we’ve been bonking like rabbits.’ She breaks off to point to her red sweatshirt. ‘I keep calm, I’m in love with a firefighter. I’m totally what it says on the tin, thanks to my classes and my chillaxing apps.’
I’m puzzling. ‘So where does the wee come in? You need to be careful it doesn’t get mixed up with the apple juice.’
Now it’s Immie’s turn to look despairing. ‘With so much Christmas booze on offer, I might just crack. Which is where you two come in.’ She rams the sample into my hand, then pulls a box out of her pocket and shoves that at me too.
I let out a shriek as I look down at the wee and the box. ‘A pregnancy test?’
‘Keep it down. I don’t want the whole world to know.’ If Immie’s looking daggers at me, it’s way too late. She hisses at us, ‘If I say the word to you and Pops, I want you to do a test for me and tell me it’s negative. And that’ll be the go-ahead for me to have whatever drink I’m craving.’
Poppy’s voice is sympathetic. ‘Any reason why you can’t do it yourself?
Immie blows up at her nonexistent fringe. ‘To be honest, I’ve done so many tests the last few months, seeing another negative would wreck my Christmas. I know it’s a big ask to get friends to put your pee on the stick for you. But I thought you two wouldn’t mind. It’s only for use in the direst emergency. We all know it’ll be negative. But this way I don’t have to look at it.’ She scans our faces.
I open my shoulder bag and push the sample and test in. ‘Great. Say the word and we’ll be in the cloakroom.’
Poppy’s eyeing Bart as he comes across the room, balancing a tray of steaming glasses. ‘More drinks, ladies? Jess has told me to make sure everyone has a full glass.’
I take some gluhwein and turn to look out across the lake to the snowy hills beyond. I’m just bending down to check on Gracie, when there’s a squawk from Immie.
‘Hang on to your thong, Hols, Jess is waving and it looks like she wants you.’
Poppy’s blinking. ‘Christmas crackers, is thatLucshe’s got there?’
The lurch my heart makes is so big, it practically jumps out of my chest and lands on the terrace outside. ‘It can’t be.’ Despite throwing down a huge slug of gluhwein, my mouth’s dry.
Immie’s voice is a low growl. ‘Elephant bollocks, it sodding is. TheAshton Kutcheris sailing this way. With Jess at the helm and Rory following close behind.’
I give another gulp. ‘He met her at the shop. She’s probably just invited him over for drinks.’
Poppy sounds perplexed. ‘For someone only out for a drink he’s looking very focused. He’s heading over here like a guided missile, but twice as fast.’
I let out a little moan. ‘I’d hoped for a catch up over coffee …’
