21.Chapter Twenty-One
‘ I don’t know what to do. I can’t get there on a Friday night. I don’t have a car, I need to be here – there’s only two days before the wedding and there’s so much to do still,’ Evie stood with James' phone in her hand. ‘She's early isn't she? Why is she asking for me? I’ve never had a baby or studied a birthing manual, Bellamy should be doing this.’
James rubbed her shoulder. ‘He was saying she’s quite angry at the moment and keeps throwing things at him every time he suggests something, I suspect he’s hoping someone else will get the attention. But she’s asking for you so you have to go. Take my car and I’ll look after the wedding.’
Hastily Evie tracked her way back to the cottage, greeted by a very exuberant Lou Lou, followed by James.
‘You’ll need to look after this one,’ she said looking at the little dog fondly.
‘I..’ James’ protestations fell into nothing as the little dog made her way over to him. ‘Okay, I’ll manage.’
Evie dashed upstairs and threw a few things in an overnight bag, unsure whether she was meant to be packing up everything if she wasn’t coming back or just enough for a day. She couldn’t face packing the majority of it, so flung in the bare essentials and hoped James would be decent enough to pack the rest of her stuff if she needed it doing.
When she got back downstairs he was there, Lou Lou under one arm, a parcel of tinfoil extended in the other hand away from the dog. ‘Pack of sandwiches for you for the journey, a bottle of water, and here are my keys. Just do what you need to do and we’ll cope. I’m meant to be in charge here anyway,’ he added with a small smile.
Barely able to think past the next step of getting into the car, Evie grabbed what he was offering and automatically leant in to give him a peck on the cheek to say goodbye, then stopped herself a centimetre away. ‘I’ve…got to go,’ she said as she recovered herself.
‘Message me, let me know what’s going on,’ James called as she pulled the door open, looking over her shoulder to see him standing smiling, holding Lou Lou's paw gently and getting the little dog to wave goodbye.
‘I will.’
Evie, slightly more used to the car than before, was able to navigate it out of the drive and onto the country roads, following the sat nav to get to the motorway which would ultimately lead her back home. She’d had two further calls from Bellamy and she’d told him how far away she was.
It was only as she was navigating down a particularly boring patch of motorway that Evie’s thoughts began to slide back to the conversation in the orangery. What question was James going to ask her that she interrupted? What did he mean by she broke his heart? That he’d seen her? Seen her where?
Unable to figure out the answer and resolving to ask him the next time she saw him, she put her foot down to get to the hospital.
In a little under two hours Evie found the hospital and, even more fortuitously, found a parking space in the overcrowded car park. After spending an eye watering sum for all day parking, she flew into the main entrance and grabbed the nearest person who looked like they worked for the hospital.
‘Maternity?’ she gasped and the man, who barely raised an eyebrow at her harassed demeanour pointed to the right.
‘Follow the signs,’ was his helpful advice as she strode quickly towards the sign marked maternity and tried Bellamy once again. She was beginning to worry that something had happened. Why wouldn’t he answer?
On arrival at the maternity ward, Evie wondered whether she’d be allowed in. She wasn’t next of kin, but she put a large smile on and tried to look as friendly as possible to the overworked nurse at the station.
‘Hi, my friend is in labour and she’s asking for me, her name is..’
‘Grace?’ the nurse said, grinning up at her, his eyes grey with exhaustion. ‘You must be Evie. She hasn’t stopped asking for you.’
‘Or singing about you,’ a voice came from behind her. Evie spun around and smiled at the sight of Bellamy.
‘Singing? Is she okay?’
He laughed. ‘Yes, but she’s on gas and air and is as high as a kite.’
‘Have I missed it? Is she okay?’ Evie asked, holding his arm lightly.
Bellamy shook his head. ‘She’s still going, bless her. It’s been quite a few hours and I need to get back to her, I told her I was popping out to call you.’
Evie smiled her thanks at the nurse who waved her down the corridor with Bellamy. ‘I don’t know why she needs me when she has you?’ she said, unsure how she could be any better than the cool, calm and collected man next to her.
He shrugged in response and leant in to her to whisper. ‘Pregnant women want what they want, I don’t think it’s down to us to question it. We do as we’re told, she’s the one bringing a new life into the world. It's all a bit of a shock, she's five weeks early.’
‘Okay.’ They turned into a room where the lights were dimmed and some faint music was playing, Evie cocked her ear to listen. ‘Is that Girls Aloud?’
‘Evie,’ Grace exclaimed, from where she’d been sitting on a birthing ball. ‘You came, you lovely lady,’ she smiled beatifically at her.
Making her way to Grace’s side, Evie knelt down to kiss her friend on the slightly sweaty forehead. ‘Of course I came. How are you?’
All of a sudden a groan that sounded primeval bellowed around the previously calm room and Evie stepped back, shocked at the noise her friend was making whilst Bellamy came to Grace’s other side and rubbed her shoulders. ‘You’re doing brilliantly love, keep going.’
Grace’s face strained as she bellowed once more, the pain holding her face taut. All the while, Bellamy knelt beside her, holding her hand and telling her how amazing she was. They looked almost as one.
Evie watched the two of them and could only see a strong unit. One that needed no support, whatever her friend thought. This was a moment for the two of them, she decided and quietly stepped out of the delivery room, allowing a midwife in.
She retraced her steps towards the nurses' station and found the same nurse at the desk. ‘Hi, where’s the nearest shop? I didn’t bring anything with me.’
‘Ground floor. Mine’s a box of chocolates,’ he said, trying to stifle a yawn. ‘You’ve not lasted long, been put off already?’
Evie laughed, then headed back towards the lift which would take her downstairs. As she queued at the surprisingly busy shop, with an armful of boxes of chocolate, a helium balloon and some gossip magazines she knew would keep her friend entertained, she considered what the nurse said. Had she been put off? Certainly she didn’t want children yet, but she could see herself with a family one day.
Entirely unasked for an image of James holding a baby came into her mind and she tried to bat it away. They’d left things on such a strange note, Evie wasn’t sure what stage of their relationship they were at. If anything.
And yet, she thought as she got back into the lift and walked along the corridor she knew what she did want. She wanted someone who would call for her best friend even though he was the right person to be there. She wanted someone who would rub her back. To be there when she was at her best. And her worst.
Passing the nurses' station, she handed the tired nurse a box of chocolates. ‘Thank you, you’re a star,’ he said, before spinning around on his chair to call over to some of his co-workers. ‘Choc o' clock guys.’
Evie left them scoffing and padded towards Grace’s room where it was ominously quiet. No yells. No bustling of medics. Her own mum had delivered her via C-section so she knew there were other options, tentatively she pushed the door open a crack.