Chapter 12
CHAPTER 12
S aturday was market day so Nina drove to Wells early. It was a fresh but sunny morning as she walked up the High Street towards Something Special . As she passed her father’s shop, she noticed he was already inside arranging a tie display. After spotting her, he rushed to the door. He’d been uncharacteristically quiet when she’d gone home for dinner earlier in the week. She knew he’d disapproved of Ethan when she’d said he’d been shocked at her news and not keen on becoming a father. Tony thought every man should worship Nina and had certainly been hard on her past boyfriends, if he’d considered they’d not treated her well. Her father thought she was a princess, and that any man in her life should regard her as such. And whilst she agreed that it would be ideal if Ethan was there supporting her, she also appreciated that he’d received a down payment of over a million on his current contract and couldn’t cry off.
Tony opened the door. “Have you got time for a quick coffee?”
“If you have decaf.”
“I do.” He stepped aside to let her pass, then locked the door behind her.
“Have you heard from Ethan?” he asked.
“Not today, but I’m not telling him about the scan until I see him face to face. It’s not fair to discuss something this important on a video call.”
“I’d never have thought he’d act like this.”
“He’s doesn’t know the full facts, Dad. Hopefully when we look at it calmly together, he’ll come around.”
“He should still be here. By your side.”
“He’s committed to the building. It’s worth millions.”
Tony poured coffee for them. “I hope you don’t have to move to Qatar, but we understand if you do. Ma is planning a visit to India and can combine that with your due date and be with you when you have the baby. I’m retiring next year so we can visit you for weeks at a time. I don’t want you dragging the poor child back and forth, because of us.” Tony shut his eyes as if composing himself before reopening them. “If you have to live there. We have to accept it.”
It was clear to Nina that her parents had been discussing her possible move to Qatar in depth. She sighed. “I hope it won’t come to that. Although I know I may have to make compromises. But if we did move, I’d insist we returned before the child started school.”
“So, you’re considering it?” he asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
“Dad, my mind is jumbled with so many different scenarios. But I have an unknown factor to consider – Ethan. It’s so difficult, sitting and waiting calmly for him to come home.”
Tony gave her a hug. “You’re under intense pressure, angel. I hope you’re taking care of yourself.”
She squeezed her father back and then released him. “Of course. It’s just that I like to plan for my future. And I need to know if I have to turn the shop around – because if I’m staying in Wells, I’d hate to lose it. Having lost my council seat as well, I’m feeling such a failure.”
“Don’t worry about the seat. If you do stay here, then once you’ve had the baby and are settled, you can get back on the council when that ridiculous offspring of Barry Brent is kicked off!”
Nina laughed. “Now I’ve left, I’m not that eager to return, especially as I’ve motherhood on the horizon. You should run for the council yourself if you miss it so much.”
“Ma would hate it,” he said wistfully. “And just to clarify, you’ll always have a place with us. There’s plenty of room at our house, you’d have your own bathroom and can have the back room as a nursery and space for yourself.”
“Thanks,” Nina said, clearly her parents had discussed every eventuality. But going back home would not be ideal. I hope it doesn’t come to that, she thought. But at least she had somewhere to go if the worst happened and Ethan ended it. She gulped. “I’d better get to the shop, I have a big day.” She smiled at her father but also felt her lip quiver.
“Hey,” Tony said. “I’ve upset you, haven’t I!”
She wiped her eyes. “Sorry, it’s not you, I keep blubbing at the drop of a hat. Ignore me.”
Nina gave her father another hug before leaving his shop. She continued the last stretch up the High Street towards her shop. The cathedral loomed before her, dwarfing the market traders setting up their stalls.
She unlocked the shop door and went inside. Being faced with the sale stock, the tears returned. Something Special meant so much to her and she’d hate to lose it. But she gave her eyes a quick wipe and brushed the sadness aside. She needed to think positive. It had to go well.
Inside, she sorted through dresses to ensure they were in size order. Her phone dinged with a text. She picked it up from the countertop and quickly clicked on it. It was from Ethan.
Hope they’ve sorted everything for you. Thinking of you babe and don’t worry, this will pass and we’ll be living a top life. Can’t wait to spoil you. Miss you, love you xx
She felt a glimmer of hope. She knew Ethan loved her, she’d never doubted that. It was going to be difficult having a long-distance relationship with a child, but she had faith in their bond. The sooner he came home so they could discuss the future, the better. When he had the full facts, he would come around, she was convinced of that. Love always finds a way , she told herself as she texted back that she missed him as well. She placed her phone back on the counter.
She stared into space and then jumped when she heard a rap at the door. In all the discussion with her father, she had clean forgotten the reason she’d arrived early. Warren grinned at her through the window. She smiled at the woman standing beside him with dark brown skin and plaited hair, tied back in a ponytail. Beside her was a short man, with a full head of grey hair, which he had styled into a quiff, like a rockabilly. The three people looked so different from each other.
Nina unlocked and opened the door. “You must be Jane.” Nina stepped aside so she they could enter. Jane looked younger than she’d imagined her to be.
“I am, and this is my other half, Nick.”
“We’re Warren’s parents,” Nick said.
“Although we don’t look alike, as we adopted him,” Jane added.
Nick gestured at his fiancée. “She’s a bit nervous.”
Warren gave Nina a huge smile as he followed them in. “I’ve told her how nice you are.”
Jane looked up at Warren with much affection.
“You’re getting emotional, again,” Warren said to Jane with a laugh.
“Getting married is an emotional business, I see many tears when brides try dresses on. Now, I have a few dresses I’m sure you’ll love.” She gestured at Warren and Nick. “I suggest you two get yourselves a coffee as you won’t be seeing it until the day.”
“Oh, right,” Warren said as he turned to leave the shop.
“You can stay here and have one. There’s a small utility area at the back. And a table and chairs just outside the back door in the yard if you want to sit. It’s forecast to be a warm day.”
“Great, thanks,” Warren said.
“I’ve a large variety of soft drinks in the fridge if you prefer. And some snacks – help yourselves.”
Once they were out of sight, Nina showed Jane a couple of dresses and one in particular fitted wonderfully.
“You can ask a seamstress in Bristol to adjust it if you feel you need anything done, but it looks amazing on you. I’d say it was a perfect fit.”
“And such a good price,” Jane said.
Nina had taken more off the sale price. Jane was so nice and knowing they had taken Warren in, she felt this was a woman with a huge heart. Nina realised she could not afford to be so generous for the rest of the day. She had to strike the right balance between a cost that would sell the dresses fast, while still making enough money to buy new stock. She’d spent the evenings researching and had made a couple of appointments with her suppliers who were sending reps to visit her during the next week.
Nina packed the dress away in a suit bag, hung it up and checked her watch. “I still have fifteen minutes before my next appointment if you want a coffee?”
“That would be lovely.” Jane followed her to the kitchen.
“Do you have any more children?” Nina asked.
“No, we have no natural children. That’s why our lives were enriched when Warren came to us. Poor kid, he just needed to be loved. After he moved in with us, his whole world turned around.” She smiled at her. “He’s my biggest achievement in life. I just wish he’d call me Mum.”
“Aww, have you asked him to?”
She nodded. “He still has a wall. He’s allowed us in and he’ll let me hug him, but he always keeps something of himself back.” She smiled at her. “You’re a lovely girl. Are you single?”
Nina blushed, realising Jane was attempting to matchmake. She showed Jane her left hand. At the centre of her ring setting was a large diamond. Everyone had called it a rock after Ethan had proposed and slipped it onto her finger. “I’m engaged, although it’s complicated,” she added.
“If it’s complicated, he’s probably not right for you. You know when it’s the right person, when it feels natural, like when I met Nicolaus.”
“Sorted?” Nick asked Jane as they reached the yard with their drinks.
“She looks beautiful,” Nina said. “You’ll have your breath taken away.”
“I have my breath taken away every time she walks into the room.” He lifted up his hand.
Jane took it. “He smiled at me when I walked into his café. And I knew, immediately.”
“I burnt the toast.”
“It was on fire, I rushed around the counter and put it out!”
“I offered her a job right there and then.”
Jane laughed. “I was there for the job, anyway. Not lunch.”
“And she never left the premises.”
“I moved straight in that night.” She looked at Nina. “That was fifteen years ago and he’s only just asked me to marry him.”
Nick laughed. “I went to do my will. It was a lot of messing around, so the solicitor told me to get married and it’d be much easier.”
“He’s so romantic,” Jane said with a laugh.
Nina could tell, that regardless of the reason behind their wedding, they were incredibly in love. As she smiled at them, she caught Warren’s eye and he smiled back at her. The doorbell rang.
“Ah, that will be my next customer. Don’t rush, you can finish your drinks out here, and go out the back way if you like. I’ll hang the dress just inside the door.”
“Thanks Nina, can we buy you dinner later to say thank you?” Jane asked.
“Oh, that would have been lovely, but I’m going to a housewarming this evening.”
“Tomorrow lunchtime, then?” Jane asked. “What about in that pub? The Eversley Arms, we hear they do a great Sunday roast.”
“Jane,” Warren said. “Nina’s a busy woman.” He looked at Nina and mouthed sorry.
She smiled back. “I have to spend the weekend sprucing up the house, my fiancé’s arriving home next week. He’s been away.”
“Oh yes, I clean forgot,” Jane said with a giggle. “The fiancé.”
“I hope your wedding is all you dream it will be,” she said as the doorbell chimed for a second time.