Chapter 36
Nina, who was following Birdie up the stairs, let out a sigh of relief as they reached the attic floor of Nina”s house. The Shipping Forecast played away to itself from the direction of Birdie’s left shoulder. The general synopsis at one eight double oh. Biscay thundery, showers good, occasionally moderate. North-west Trafalgar, south-east Fitzroy, variable three or four.
Birdie rolled her eyes. ‘Wow, you wouldn’t want to have too many of these stairs to climb, would you? It’s like a workout in itself getting up here.’
‘I know,’ Nina replied, letting out a breath as she got to the top.
Birdie stood at the top of the stairs, shaking her head as she looked over in the direction of the window. ‘Wow! That view. I know why you moved here, stairs or no stairs.’
‘I know, it’s lovely, isn’t it?’ Nina agreed. ‘Can’t knock it.’
‘Yes, it is. It really is.’ Birdie replied. ‘The whole place is utterly gorgeous. I’m actually jealous.’
‘Funny.’
‘I am!’
Nina pointed over to the far corner where Lovely Bay”s local carpenter had built a small room into the empty space. ‘So, there it is. You’re looking at the baby’s room.’
Birdie smiled. ‘Great.’
Birdie had given Nina the number for the carpenter whose work had been highly recommended. Nina had been fortunate to secure his services through a cancellation and it hadn’t taken him long to build a small room which would be the nursery. Now painted, Nina couldn’t quite believe that the room looked as if it had always been there.
Birdie opened the door, walked in, and nodded at what greeted her. A new sash window offered glimpses of the lighthouse and the harbour, the floor was stripped and painted and wearing a beautifully soft wool rug, and a light fitting and shelf were already in place.
Nina walked over to the window and looked out at the lighthouse. She was so pleased it could be seen from the nursery. ‘I think there might be worse places to have newborn babies. I think I love the view more by the day.’
‘Yes, too right there!’ Birdie acknowledged. ‘I thought the same. It’s very nice, I have to admit.’
Nina chuckled as she opened the window. Fresh sea air whooshed around the room. ‘If there’s anything that’s going to put a baby to sleep, it’s this view.’
Birdie agreed, ‘Yep, and the air, too. Can’t be beaten.’
‘I know. I love it.’
Birdie touched her ear and raised her eyebrows. ‘And then, of course, the sound of the sea. That has to be soothing, right? I could fall asleep to that. Oh wait, I do.’
Nina laughed. ‘That’s what they say.’
‘You won’t need womb music or one of those apps or anything when you have this.’
‘Nope.’
‘So, the baby will sleep in here, will she?’
‘No, no. Not at first,’ Nina clarified. ‘She will be with us at first, in the bedroom, obviously. I’m going to have her by the bed for the night feeding or in our bed. I’ll see how we go.’
Birdie looked around at the bare room. ‘You don’t seem to have, err, much stuff. Cot?’
Nina shook her head. ‘I haven’t, really. I’ve been too worried, to be quite honest.’
‘Oh, okay. Worried? Why would you be worried?’
‘It’s a weird thing like I was tempting fate or something,’ Nina explained, touching her bump.
Birdie smiled. ‘I see, yes, understandable, but I think it might be time, by the looks of you.’
‘I know, Robby said the same thing.’
‘So, hang on, let me get this straight – you’ve got nothing?’ Birdie asked, incredulous.
‘Not totally nothing. I have one of those night light lamps,’ Nina admitted.
‘So, you have a newborn on the way and no equipment except for one measly lamp and a newly built room? Oh and a rug.’ Birdie asked with a chuckle. ‘Is that what you’re saying?’
‘Yes, yes, I am,’ Nina confirmed. ‘It’ll be fine.’
‘You”d better get yourself sorted with a few things,’ Birdie advised. ‘I’m all for going with the flow, but…’
Nina nodded. ‘Yes, I know I should. I have got Sophie, though; she has everything known to man, which is one of the reasons I haven”t been too concerned about it.’
‘Yeah, right. Makes sense. It would be good to get it sorted out though, wouldn’t it?’
Nina nodded. ‘Yes, especially considering I spend my life organising other people. You would’ve thought I would have done it by now.’
‘There is that.’
‘I know, I’ve been procrastinating like crazy.’ Nina laughed.
Birdie looked around the room again. ‘What colours are you thinking? Sort of that beige look that I see everywhere? My cousin is having a baby and she was quite insistent about being gender-neutral and wanted to dress the baby that way right from the beginning…’
‘Interesting,’ Nina replied.
‘Oh yes, yes, it’s all the rage now, isn’t it?’
‘Right, yeah. Is it? I’m not really sure what to think.’
‘Just go for whatever you like, to be honest.’
‘Yeah.’
‘Why don’t you go for nice bright primary colours with loads of numbers and letters around the wall?’ Birdie suggested with raised eyebrows.
Nina laughed. ‘Actually, I’m going to go for pretty pastels and that sort of look.’ She flourished her hand around the rest of the attic room. ‘I’m keeping it simple. I’ll add some pale pinks, yellows, and greens with soft furnishings. That’s about it. I can tell you it won’t be beige.’
‘Ooh, yes, pastels.’
‘Actually, I saw a few things recently when I was over on Darling Island.’
‘Right.’
‘There’s a little children”s boutique that has absolutely beautiful bits and bobs in ditsy fabric. I bought a throw for the sofa. I’ll show you when we go downstairs. Then I had a look on the website, and they have lots of little bits and pieces for babies and children. I’m going to order a few things from there. I think that will be it. I don’t really need to do too much.’
‘What about a cot?’ Birdie inquired.
‘I’m sorted with that from Sophie. It’s done her three well enough,’ Nina said.
‘I love that idea. It’s so sweet and lovely that you’ve been friends for such a long time and your baby will be sleeping in the same place as hers have.’
‘I know, I feel really lucky to have her. She has been with me through so much, especially with Andrew passing away, and then, you know, Lovely Bay and now with me being pregnant. She’s happy for me. I’m so grateful.’
‘Good friends are important; you need to keep them close,’ Birdie agreed.
‘I know and now I have more than one since I’ve moved here. I have you and Nancy, too, and everyone here just seems like your friend.’
‘They do, actually. I’d never thought about it like that before. It’s a great thing about living in Lovely Bay.’
‘I’m lucky to count myself as a Lovely now,’ Nina said with a smile.
Birdie nodded. ‘And so are we.’