Chapter 32
CHAPTER 32
I t was a chilly morning as Nina sat in the arts hub at the sewing machine, wearing fingerless gloves and a huge woollen cardigan belonging to her mother. As she cut the thread from the machine, she yawned. She’d not had a great night’s sleep after the late evening hot dog and had slept sitting up due to indigestion. She’d come to the conclusion that overeating was not a good idea when her stomach was being squashed by the baby.
She wondered what the rental was that Jaz’s letting agent had found. Part of her decided she wasn’t going to like it. There was something homely about living in Eversley, and while the pub was not ideal, she was used to it and with all her things inside, it felt like so much longer than three months that she had lived there. Far from rushing by, her pregnancy had felt as if it was stretching out endlessly, as if she’d always been this way.
She placed the dress with the others she had made in that style, wondering whether Jaz had heard from Crystal. The influencer was planning a social media video featuring her dresses and the new baby hamper. Crystal was backed up with paid-for promotions and said it would take a while to get to, as she was fitting it in as an extra. Nina did not complain considering Crystal was promoting her clothes for free. With that in mind, Nina had sent, via Jaz, clothes suitable for a variety of seasons.
Nina had a lot of stock saved up now since the farmers’ markets had stopped. She now had five people at their sewing machines and a knitter working for her, being paid per item and at that stage she was only just about breaking even but knew if she managed to sell the stock she had so far, she would be into a decent profit. It was time she knew to focus more on her website and sales, and she didn’t need to also make the clothes, but she found it so calming. For her it had come full circle and again was therapeutic.
She shivered; it was getting too cold in the arts hub for her to work on a day when it was officially closed. And there wasn’t space at The Eversley Arms to sew. She pulled her coat on over the cardigan, scanning the room which had more of a barn feeling without other bodies in there, or the heating on. She was the only person working there that day. In the winter, Holly only opened three days a week, but Nina longed to sit at the sewing machine and also was fine with being the only person there. She wasn’t sure how often she would be able to get to the sewing machine after the baby was born. She looked down at her bump, which made it trickier as she was not as close to the machine as she used to be thanks to the obstruction. She took in a sharp intake of breath as the baby kicked and smiled, massaging her bump where the foot had been. She glanced to the side, assessing whether there would be enough space for the pram next to her station – she had no idea how she would cope after the birth. But knew that at least she had enough other people able to make clothes for her.
“How can you stand the cold in here?” Holly called out to her as she entered the barn. “You won’t be working in here throughout the winter. I’m arranging for you to be set up somewhere else.”
“Where?” Nina asked, quite pleased as her hands felt as if they were going to seize up.
“I’m still sorting it. But no worries, as from tomorrow you’ll be able to work in the warm.”
“Thank you,” Nina said. Lovelands Nursery had all sorts of spaces.
“Jaz asked me to give you a lift over, I’m joining you both for lunch.
“Great.” Nina tidied her work station then stood up and followed Holly out of the barn and waited as she locked the door.
She headed for Holly’s van.
“No, we’re taking the car,” she said with a laugh. “I remember climbing into my old transit when I was as pregnant as you. It was awful.”
“You were carrying twins. I climb into your old transit every Monday night when Warren takes me to the antenatal classes.”
Nina got into Holly and Mitch’s family car and had to agree that it was indeed more comfortable than a van. She noticed the children’s seats in the back. She’d already bought a whole baby travel system with a car seat and had practised fixing it into her car, which was tricky with her bump so large. She was looking forward to feeling a lot more mobile again. Not long now, she thought.
They drove the short distance to the village green and then into Ashbury Gardens and drew up at Jaz’s place.
“They’ve finished the annex off then!” Nina said, looking at the freshly painted property and the new separate path that had been laid to the pavement.
“Yes, as you can see it’s not an annex any more!” Holly said.
“All that work when she hoped her parents would move in. At least it’ll sell for a good price.”
Jaz appeared on the threshold of the annex and gestured behind. “Do you want to come in and take a look before we have lunch?”
“Yes please.” Nina said and walked up the path. As she stepped over the threshold, she smelled the freshness of the place. “It’s beautiful,” she said, wishing she could afford a place like it and wondering who was buying it. Nina wasn’t in a position to raise a mortgage. Her savings would be enough for a deposit, but without an income, no bank would agree to lend her the required funds. But she’d stopped thinking about all the things she couldn’t have.
“Come through to the lounge,” Jaz said.
“It’s so nice.” Nina looked out to the end where there were French windows leading to a garden with a stone wall one side, and new fencing the other, separating it from the larger cottage. From the living room was a door leading to a kitchen, also with French windows. “Who’s buying this place?” she asked.
“Wait until you see upstairs,” Jaz said.
She walked into the master bedroom, looking out to the garden. “If only I was in a position to buy. I would have snapped it off you.”
“Jaz, stop it,” Holly said. “I can’t take it any more.”
Jaz laughed then approached Nina. “I want you to move in here.”
“I can’t afford it.”
“Not yet, but I can’t sell it this year anyway. You can rent it, until you can afford it. You’ll be close to the hub.”
Nina blinked, imagining herself living there.
“Look at the other two bedrooms,” Holly said.
Nina felt overwhelmed. Could she really live in this perfect home? “Are you sure?” she whispered.
“Trust me, chick, you’ll be doing me a favour. A woman from the PTA wants to move here and she’ll do my head in as a neighbour!”
Holly put an arm around Nina. “Jaz means it, she wouldn’t offer it otherwise. So is it a yes? You’ll move here?”
Nina nodded and then descended into tears.
Jaz pulled her phone from her suit jacket pocket and made a call. “She said yes!”
Holly laughed. “Your parents are up the road with a hire van full of your baby stuff. We would have filled the place up but held off just in case you didn’t want to live next door to Jaz.”
Nina went to Jaz and gave her a hug. “Thank you so much.”
The rest of the day was taken with arranging the items her father brought in with Julian’s help. Holly had collected her sewing machine from the hub and they’d placed it in the third bedroom. They’d also brought the bed from her room back in Wells. It had originated from the flat she lived in before she met Ethan, along with a sofa which was originally hers also. Her parents had bought her a folding table and chairs for the kitchen. When finished, they ordered a fish and chip supper.
Nina raised her glass of water as a toast. “Thanks everyone. I don’t know what to say, other than thanks.”
“We’re all here for you, chick,” Jaz said.