They chatted until Barnaby’s bedtime, and Ezz prepared to ask her sisters’ views on her suddenly reappearing birth parents now five days had elapsed. But, after exchanging goodnights with Barnaby, Thea spoke before Ezz could order her thoughts. ‘Actually, Valentina, you, Barnaby and Gary could come and stay at Thistledome that weekend, because we’re going “doon hame” to Dumfries to see Dev’s family. We have to tell them …’ With a pause as if for a drum roll, Thea finished, ‘… that we’re having a baby!’
After a moment’s thunderstruck silence, Ezz launched herself at the small, beaming woman at her side, and scooped her into a big hug. ‘Thea!Oh, that’s amazing! How long have you known? Are you OK?Congratulations, Dev.’ She kissed Thea soundly on her cheek, then hugged Dev, too, aware of Valentina squealing from the computer screen, and everyone laughing and exclaiming.
Finally, they quietened enough for Thea to enlarge on her announcement, her brown eyes glowing like the polished bronzite sold in Skye Market. She leant into Dev’s embrace as if they were sharing their excitement through their skin. ‘I wanted you two to know first. I’m twelve weeks along, and we’ve had a scan, which shows things progressing as hoped. The due date’s June 12th.’ Thea pulled a face. ‘I’ll be the grand old age of forty-two by the time the baby’s born, so I’m a “geriatric” mum. I’ve met my midwife at Sleat Medical Centre at what’s called the booking appointment where the midwife checks how I am and takes my blood pressure and everything. Valentina,I’m sorry not to have told you in person but I couldn’t wait.’
Valentina waved the apology away. ‘Unimportant, except that I can’t hug you. How exciting.’ Her bottom lip wobbled. ‘And emotional. Wow, you’ll be such awesome parents.’
Thea wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She laughed. ‘The midwife gave me a list of things pregnant women shouldn’t eat and do you know what’s on there?’ She paused for dramatic effect. ‘Haggis!’
Dev joked, ‘Good job it’s just the mum. The Scottish assembly might make me turn in my kilt and sporran if I couldn’t eat haggis.’
Thea turned serious. ‘I must also avoid heavy lifting, and contact with certain chemicals, including herbicides and insecticides. And I should wear gloves rather than come into direct contact with the soil.’
‘We’ll work around it,’ Ezz assured her. ‘But now I see why Dev came with you to lift the Christmas trees. What about the ponies and the donkey? Are there areas for caution there?’
‘Blimey. I don’t know.’ Thea’s eyebrows curled in thought.
‘Well, Thea’s health and that of the baby is the most important thing,’ Ezz said hastily, not wanting to introduce negativity. ‘It might mean asking Sheena to work more hours or get the seasonal gardeners in early in the spring. Hopefully, Sheena can cover your maternity leave.’ She gave Thea another hug. ‘Honestly, I’ll be the only member of staff left at Rothach Hall soon. I’ll have to read up on the latest guidance for your maternity benefits and everything. I think you get a maternity certificate at twenty weeks.’
Thea clutched her rosy cheeks. ‘I can’t believe it’s happening. We knew our chances were reduced because of a woman’s eggs being poor quality after forty, and were prepared for disappointment really. Will you speak to Erik and Grete for me?’
‘Leave that to me.’ Ezz couldn’t stop hugging her little sister. ‘Just make me a new niece or nephew to love. Have you told Ynez?’
Thea beamed. ‘We’ve arranged to FaceTime her and Jean-Jacques later, after Ynez’s restaurant is closed. She’s working tonight because, though she’s semi-retired, she still covers her manager’s nights off. I’m sure she’s going to be thrilled, though.’ Thea’s relationship with her mercurial birth mum had got off to a rocky start, but now they were in touch regularly they’d developed a fond relationship.
Because of Thea’s wonderful, joyful, unexpected news, Ezzie didn’t mention her own birth parents at all.
Later, when the excitement was over and she was strolling home, boats’ mooring lights flickering in the darkness of the bay, Ezz’s mind circled back to her joking words about soon being the only staff member left at Rothach. The housekeeping crew of Gwen, Georgia and Peony were stalwart, but when Orla left, they’d be down to six, one of whom was Thea, whose role would have to be adapted to her maternity needs. Ezz never remembered staff numbers being so low. If the family hadn’t been in residence, it wouldn’t have been a problem. The answering machine would have picked up any calls Ezz missed and otherwise things would have gone on at the slow pace of previous winters until spring saw more visitors enjoying Rothach again.
She paused to watch the burn rush down the hillside and under the bridge, glinting in the sparse street lighting.But if the family wasn’t in residence, Ezz wouldn’t have Alvin and Astrid popping into her office to explain their dietary preferences, or Josefin inviting her to the pub.
And she would have continued to think Mats as entitled as his ex-wife Inger rather than unexpectedly kind and insightful, despite his tendency to rush into things.
A pair of headlights swooped up Bridge Road towards her, and she stepped aside, making sure she didn’t slip down the grassy bank in the process. The burn might not actually be frozen, but it would certainly feel like ice, if she slipped in. The headlights flashed, so she waved, assuming she knew the driver.
When it had growled up Glen Road, she resumed her walk, pulling her scarf higher. Her mind strayed back to Kay and Rick Colville. Presumably they’d left the island after she’d asked them to go.Toldthem to go. Demanded. Shouted … ? She wasn’t even sure. Perhaps they were home in Coventry, near Julia and Iona. She tried to summon the image she’d seen on Rick’s phone. They’d looked like Kay: rounded and with wavy hair.
Only Ezz seemed to have inherited Rick’s height. His straight blond hair might be long gone, but the blue eyes and sharp features he’d passed to her had been almost unnerving in their familiarity. Did he look like his parents? He hadn’t said much about them, except they’d supported him more than Kay’s family. But not enough to agree to take Ezz.
Were Kay and Rick hoping she’d contact them? Answer Kay’s letter? She supposed they might be, or Rick wouldn’t have left his card. They must have wanted to meet her to travel all the way up to Skye and pay for a nice hotel. But hadn’t the time for them to want her been forty-four years ago?
‘I don’t know why I feel so screwed up over this, because I’d always known I’d come from some angsty situation,’ she murmured to herself, as she turned into Chapel Road and saw the welcome sight of the lamp in her garden. ‘I couldn’t have had a happier childhood than Mum and Dad gave me, with music in the house, and cuddles every day.’ She turned up her path, fishing for her keys. Maxie, Vince, Thea and Valentina were her family even if they didn’t share the blood in her veins.
Kay, Rick, Julia and Iona did – but that only made them connected by DNA. Not by love.
