4. Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Hannah
I n the dim light falling through the window I can just about make out the boxes of baby stuff piled up in the corner of my bedroom. It’s all things that my family and Jake gave me for Christmas. There is a baby crib from Ols and Keeley, all sorts of toys, a baby bath from Jake and the cutest little outfits from my mum.
I had already stored it all in the baby’s room, formally known as my guest bedroom. However, yesterday I suddenly decided that I didn’t like the yellow walls after all and went in full on make-over mode. Luckily Jake had customers to take out on the boat so I could just get on with it without him hovering over me. I love how he looks out for me and my baby girl but I’m pregnant, not immobile.
Jake nearly cried when I told him the baby is a girl. He’s convinced the world needs another me, whilst I hope that baby takes after him though he’s not the biological father. She doesn’t need to turn into another neurotic and chaotic person like me.
So without supervision from the pregnant-lady-police I managed to clear out the nursery, buy some mint green paint and, surprise surprise, paint all the walls without fainting from exhaustion. Jake will tell me off but I can deal with that. He’s already doing way too much for us so the least I could do was save him yet another DIY job.
Ouch! Just as I’m twisting to reach for my water I feel a stabbing pain in my lower belly. I freeze and slowly lower myself back onto the mattress, stroking my hands over my tummy. At twenty-four weeks my bump is becoming more and more visible and there’s no hiding anymore.
I wait and wait but there’s no other pain. It might just have been trapped wind or something. I want to Google it, but the last time I did that I ended up having a mental meltdown because the suggested diagnoses scared the living shit out of me. Jake made me swear (under the threat of never making me my favourite sandwich) that I would never do that again. And this pregnant lady can’t live without those magically perfect sandwiches.
If there’s one thing I hate about this pregnancy it’s the peeing. I have to pee all the time. I reach for my phone sleepily and waddle to the bathroom.
Urgh, it’s just after three in the morning. I thought I would at least have quiet nights until my little girl is here. There’s barely any pee coming out which frankly is not surprising giving how often I visit the loo.
I wash my hands by the light of my phone torch. I hope that not turning on the bright bathroom light will keep me sleepy enough that I’ll fall asleep again, at least for a while. I dry my hands on my nightshirt like a slob and shuffle back to the bedroom.
“A few more hours please,” I mumble to nobody in particular as I sit on the edge of the bed and twist to lay down.
Shit! There’s the pain again. Sharp, almost like someone tugging hard on a cord. I can feel fear racing through my body. What is it? Lying perfectly still I try to feel if anything is wrong but the pain is gone… for now.
My hand shakes a little when I lift the phone. My thumb hovers over the shortcut to Jake’s number. I’m sure I’m just being silly and there’s nothing to be worried about but what if there is something wrong?
“Bollocks to that. He forbade me from using google,” I mumble as I press the call button. It rings twice before a groggy sounding voice reaches my ear.
“Hey, Hanny-bee.”
“Jake—” I try to school my tone but either my concern is still evident or he just bloody knows me too well. In any case he seems to be immediately on high alert.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay? Is the baby okay?” All the sleepiness has gone from his voice.
“I… I don’t know. Earlier tonight I had a sharp pain in my tummy, just for a few seconds. But because it was only once I didn’t think anything. But just now I had it again.”
“I’ll take you to hospital!” he exclaims and I hear the sounds of him getting dressed.
“I don’t think that’s necessary. I just got scared because I’m alone and what if—”
“We should go and get it checked out. Neither of us will sleep otherwise. I’ll be over in ten minu—” There is an almighty bang.
“Jake?”
“Sorry, I stumbled putting my shoes on and dropped the phone.”
“You need to calm down before you have an accident.”
There’s silence for a second. He knows I’m right.
“I’ll be over soon. Get dressed if you can. If not, I’ll help you when I get there.”
“I’m fine—”
“I’ll be over soon,” he says one more time before the line goes dead. Maybe he’s right. There’s no harm in getting it checked out.
By the time Jake pulls up in front of my cottage I’m dressed and nervously pacing on the drive.
“Why didn’t you wait inside?” Jake whisper-shouts when he gets out of the car.
I ignore his question which I’m pretty sure was rhetorical. Instead, I curl up in his arms for the hug I’ve been craving. The hug that tells me all will be okay.
“Any more pains?” he asks carefully.
“No.” He guides me to the passenger seat and closes the door once I’m in the car.
“Windermere or Keswick?” Jake asks when he takes a seat next to me.
“Go to Keswick. The A his face is scrunched up and he’s holding the steering wheel in a death grip.
“Jake, it’s going to be okay,” I try to reassure him. My words seem to pull him out of his trance.
“Fuck. Sorry, Hanny-bee. I should be the one telling you that. I should be here for you.” He sounds so angry.
“You are here for me. You answered my phone call in the middle of the night. You’re taking me to hospital just because of two minor pains. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” I sniffle and tears are rolling over my cheeks. Jake gently squeezes my hand. “Can I blame my pregnancy hormones for these tears?” I sigh.
“You don’t have to blame anyone or anything for your tears. If you feel like crying, you cry.” There he goes again, saying all the right things.
Jake keeps holding my hand for the remainder of the drive except when he has to change gear and it calms me down a little. He just has this effect on me.
Unfortunately, my hope that we wouldn’t have to wait too long was unfounded. The waiting room is full and a kind but clearly stressed nurse asks us to take a seat after I answer a list of questions for her.
“Guess I should take it as a good sign that she didn’t think I need to be seen immediately,” I try to joke.
“It’s bollocks, that’s what it is” Jake grumbles and guides me to two of the few vacant chairs. I lean against his shoulder as tiredness catches up with me.
“Do you have clients in the morning?” I ask. It’s easy for me. I just need to text Ols to let him know that I’ll be in late and that’s that. We run an outdoor adventure company together and this time of the year we’re not overly busy. There are no tours booked for tomorrow… well, today, and Ols can easily man the phone on his own. But Jake works at the Greenview Manor Hotel. He offers sailing lessons and sailboat excursions on lake Windermere. The hotel has its own jetty and boat and Jake is being kept surprisingly busy.
But even when he doesn’t have boat trips there’s plenty to do to keep the boat up and running or in helping out with other tasks around the hotel. He loves his job and to be fair it’s a pretty sweet deal. They pay him well at the Greenview Manor Hotel and he lives in a small studio flat above the boathouse for free.
“No. I was supposed to help the housekeeping team with painting but I've texted Sheila earlier.”
“Oh, okay.” I feel a bit guilty but I know management at the Greenview Manor Hotel are great and they will understand. I hope.
“Jake, I’m cold,” I say quietly. I’m wearing a jacket and a hoody but it’s bloody freezing in here and my tiredness makes me feel even colder.
“Come here.” He lifts his arm and puts it around my shoulders before pulling me against his chest. The warmth coming from him is heavenly. “You should have called me after the first pain,” he says quietly. It’s not an accusation, just a statement.
“To be honest, what scared me the most was that I was on my own. I suddenly had visions of what would happen to me if I couldn’t call for help.” I wasn’t sure that’s what caused all the anxiety until I said it out loud.
“What if I move in with you until the baby comes?” Those words make me sit up. Jake looks at me sheepishly and shrugs. “Think about it. I’d be around during the night and you wouldn’t have to worry about being alone. I can stay on a camp bed in the baby’s room.”
“I… you’d do that?” The thought of him being there gives me relief.
“Of course!”
Why did I even ask? Is there anything Jake has ever not done for me?
“But you already give me and the baby—”
“The princess.”
“Fine, the princess,” I roll my eyes. He loves that nickname. “You already do so much for us. We’re—”
“Hanny-bee, you’re my responsibility. You’re my best friend and staying at yours for a few months is not a hardship.” He gives me a big grin. It does sound perfect, to be honest.
“Okay. Then, sure. Join our kingdom.”
“Kingdom?” he chuckles.
“Well, if she’s the princess that makes me the queen,” I declare dramatically before we both burst out laughing.
“Queen Hanny-bee.” Jake pulls me back into his arms to warm me up and I don’t want to tell him that I’m actually quite warm now. His hugs are just the best.