Chapter 34
THIRTY-FOUR
Jago came running down the hospital corridor, face blackened with ash, dirt streaked across his clothes, every step hurried and uneven. His chest heaved as he pushed open the door to where Rita was being scanned.
Rita looked up, startled, a monitor’s gentle beeps filling the air. Her face filthy, her hair streaked with ash.
‘Jago…’ she breathed, ‘I’ve been so worried.
‘Darling, darling, Rita. How are you feeling?’
Rita’s voice was raspy with exhaustion. ‘I’m OK… I think.’
He dropped onto the chair beside her, hands shaking slightly as he reached for hers, eyes wide with disbelief and raw emotion.
The smell of smoke and fire clung like a second skin, but nobody in the room cared, especially Rita, for all she could see was him, the man who’d risked everything to make sure she and her family home were safe.
‘Sorry I took so long! Once I knew the fire was completely out, I ran up to check the animals with Teo… then came as fast as I could! Goats and chickens all fine, just a little stressed clearly with all that’s going on.’
‘And the barn?’
‘Barn is intact. The big wooden door is scorched but we saved it. One fire crew has stayed back to finish dampening down.’
‘Thank God! Sennen has organised caterers for the wedding, so hopefully we can get everything cleared up properly and use the farmhouse kitchen for the food.’
Jago ran a hand through his soot-streaked hair, still catching his breath. ‘Please don’t worry about all that now; we just need to get you better.’
‘I just can’t switch off.’ Rita lay back on the white pillow. Her voice cracked slightly. ‘I am being fully checked over in a minute.’ She pointed to the mobile scanner to her side. ‘So, we will know what’s going on in here.’ She rubbed her tummy.
‘I pray everything is OK.’ Jago kissed her forehead, then pushed a stray hair from her eyes.
‘Do they have any idea how it might have started?’ Rita reached for his hand.
Jago shook his head. ‘Not yet.’
‘I’ve drummed into Zenya and Teo about turning everything off, every plug, every appliance. We do have the candles in the vintage holders in there but only light them for special gatherings. I can’t think what could have gone wrong.’
He rubbed his chin, frowning. ‘Well… they’re sending a fire inspector tomorrow. No obvious cause, like I said, but they do need to rule out foul play. You know, just to make it legitimate for the insurance.’
Rita nodded, a little distracted by the thought. ‘I suppose that makes sense… though I hate the idea of someone poking around, making a fuss over it all.’
‘Better safe than sorry,’ Jago said, squeezing her hand and acknowledging the doctor who had just walked in and was going through Rita’s notes.
‘It is such a relief everyone is OK.’ Rita laid her head back.
Jago looked pained. ‘I’m worried about Hilda, though. She wasn’t brought into here and I don’t know why.’
‘Oh no, poor Hilda, I didn’t know.’
‘Yes, I found her staggering out of the burning café.’
Rita welled up.
‘Did she have any burns, do you know?’ the doctor interjected.
‘She could well have done.’ Jago nodded. His mouth then turned down when he added without thought, ‘She seemed so frail when I lifted her.’
‘She might have been taken straight to Trevellen General, then – they have a burns and critical care unit there.’
‘Thank you and oh no, bless her. I must call her.’
Jago nodded. ‘Yes, but first we need to check how this little baby of ours is.’
The gynaecologist glanced between them, a little smile tugging at her lips. ‘All is fine here. Your wif…’ The doctor checked herself. ‘Mum is very lucky,’ she said softly. ‘I’ve had an extra special look around and the babies are both healthy and just where they should be.’
Rita let herself exhale fully for the first time in what felt like hours. Relief, love and exhaustion rolled into one perfect, overwhelming wave. She burst into tears.
Jago’s eyes widened. ‘Two?’
‘Yes.’ Rita nodded furiously, tears carving rivulets down her ashen cheeks. ‘And if Zenya is right, two boys.’
‘Double trouble, double trouble,’ Jago laughed.
‘Exactly!’ Rita blew her nose with a tissue the doctor handed her.
‘I think it’s the best news.’ Jago couldn’t stop himself grinning.
Rita’s eyes widened. ‘A perfect family of seven with Amélie included.’ She paused. ‘Jesus, we will have five kids between us.’
‘Er… yes.’ Jago hesitated. ‘With Amélie, er… of course. I… I just can’t believe we’re having twins,’ he repeated.
Rita managed a smile. ‘Believe it, sunshine, because it’s certainly happening.’
‘When are you due?’
‘November the seventh but as I am older and it is two of them I will have a C-section before full term. We haven’t got as far as a date yet.’
‘This year! That seems quick, oh my God, I’m going to be a daddy. A boy daddy.’
Jago then looked to Rita’s bandaged ankle. ‘It’s just a sprain.’ Rita sighed. ‘Thank goodness. A few cuts and bruises but aside from that I was incredibly lucky. I’m so worried about Hilda, though.’
The doctor handed Rita a wodge of tissues to clean the gel off.
‘I must call and find out… she’ll think we’ve deserted her, and I guess one of us ought to let Eric know.’
‘I want you resting, please, Rita Jory.’
‘Yes, listen to Dad, he’s right,’ the doctor said gently.
‘You’ve had a terrible shock, and your body has been through a lot.
Between the fire, the hospitalisation, and the stress of everything else…
it’s perfectly normal to feel exhausted, anxious, even a little shaky.
Your pulse is racing, your blood pressure is up, and your adrenaline hasn’t fully settled. ’
She paused, giving her a reassuring smile.
‘The babies are fine, and physically, you’ll mend in no time.
But emotionally, it’s going to take a little time to catch up.
You need to be gentle with yourself. Take it slow, let your body recover, and lean on the people around you.
That’s not just good advice; it’s vital. ’
Rita nodded, swallowing hard. ‘I… I know. It’s just all a bit overwhelming, isn’t it?’
‘Completely,’ the doctor said, her tone softening. ‘But it sounds like you’ve got a willing support network. And you’re stronger than you realise. For now, focus on rest, hydration, and letting your heart and body catch up with your mind.’
‘And as for letting Eric know’ – Jago raised an eyebrow – ‘we could leave that for at least tonight, too. You can just imagine Hilda, bandaged head to foot like an Egyptian mummy, discharging herself and trying to scale the steps into his hot tub.’
Rita laughed, shaking her head. ‘You are impossible.’
‘And completely and utterly in love with you,’ he added, kissing her temple lightly.