Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
D illy spent the rest of the morning watching the clock, each tick seeming to echo louder in the quiet gallery. She tried to keep busy, rearranging the paintings, dusting the shelves and triple-checking her emails, but her mind kept wandering back to the unopened pregnancy test in her bag. Customers drifted in and out and the locals popped in to congratulate her on her fabulous news but all she could think about was the pregnancy test. Midday couldn’t come fast enough and as it approached Dilly glanced at the door, eagerly waiting for Clemmie to arrive and help her face whatever news awaited.
Just past midday, Clemmie breezed into the gallery like a ray of sunshine, her face alight with joy. ‘Dilly Waters, the new lighthouse keeper!’ she exclaimed, throwing her arms wide for a celebratory hug. ‘You’re going to be the queen of Puffin Island! Imagine the views, the inspiration for your paintings! This is incredible!’ But her exuberant smile faltered as she noticed Dilly’s anxious expression. ‘What’s wrong?’ Clemmie asked. ‘You didn’t sound happy on the phone and judging by the look on your face, something is wrong…’
Dilly locked the gallery door then ushered Clemmie upstairs where she silently handed over the small white paper bag. Clemmie’s eyes widened as she peeked inside and saw the pregnancy test.
‘Oh, shit,’ she exclaimed. ‘But who? I didn’t even know you’ve been seeing someone.’
‘I’ve kind’ve got a confession to make… It’s Giles.’
‘Giles? But he hasn’t been around for what… over eight months now, right?’ Clemmie glanced at Dilly’s stomach. ‘And you definitely don’t look eight months pregnant.’
Dilly looked sheepish. ‘We were still together up until about four months ago, but I played it down because Dad wasn’t a fan, and I know you and the rest of the gang didn’t like him much either. So, when I told you all that I’d discovered he was a romance scammer, it actually happened right then, not months before like I let on. I pretended it had taken me a few months to process and get over it when, in reality, I was still right in the middle of it.’
‘Oh Dilly! I’m so sorry we made you feel like that.’ She hugged her friend. ‘And you dealt with this all by yourself. I’m so sorry for being a rubbish friend.’
‘You weren’t, I just took a step back as I knew you all weren’t keen on him. I just wish I’d seen sooner what you saw.’
‘Do you know the result?’
‘Not yet, that’s why you’re here. I’m actually scared.’
‘Okay, let’s not panic… Actually, I’m panicking a bit.’
‘That’s exactly how I’m feeling.’
‘And if you are pregnant, let’s remember you can do this. Look at what you’ve accomplished with this place, and your business is still growing! And, of course, all of the island will support you.’
Dilly knew all that, but it helped to hear her friend say it aloud. ‘Here goes.’
Clemmie hugged her tight before ushering her towards the bathroom.
Dilly closed the door behind her and took a nervous breath.
‘I’m waiting here. I won’t move,’ Clemmie called from the other side of the door.
‘There’s a possibility I’m about to become a mother.’
‘And you’ll be a brilliant one at that.’
Dilly sat on the toilet in the tiny gallery bathroom as she opened the box and stared at it before reading the instructions. Two minutes was all it would take to give her the result. She knew the second she took the test her whole life would change. The word ‘baby’ was pounding in her head and if this test was positive, she would be a single mother going it alone.
Just as she had positioned the stick, Clemmie’s voice rang out from the other side of the door. ‘Are you weeing yet?’
‘Clemmie, I can’t pee with you talking!’
There was a moment of silence before Clemmie chimed in again. ‘Will you hurry up? The suspense is killing me.’
‘Clemmie! In the nicest possible way, shut up! I swear if you don’t stop talking, I won’t be able to?—’
‘Sorry, sorry,’ she interrupted.
Dilly thought this was going to be the longest two minutes of her life but it wasn’t.
It turned out there was no need to hold the stick up to the light or even wait the two minutes because there was no mistaking the dark blue text that was screaming PREGNANT at her from the second she looked at the stick. It was too bold and too blue for there to be any kind of mistake.
Now, sitting on the edge of the bath, she stared at the no-question-about-it-I-am-pregnant stick, her emotions mixed. She was shocked but there was also a part of her that was excited. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She had never envisioned when she got up this morning that by lunchtime she was going to be a mum. There was a baby growing inside her and she couldn’t quite believe it.
Dilly opened the bathroom door.
‘Finally! Well?’
‘I’m pregnant.’
Without hesitation, Clemmie congratulated her. ‘But I’m not sure if that’s what you want to hear. How are you feeling?’
‘Excited, nervous, scared…’
They moved to the living room, and Dilly sank into the couch. ‘But the father, what am I going to do about that?’
Clemmie sat next to her. ‘There’s nothing you can do about that?’ she offered gently.
‘Do I contact him, tell him? I’ve got all these questions swirling around in my head. But being honest, I don’t want him to be back in my life.’
‘Whether you contact him is entirely your choice, and you don’t have to make your mind up this second.’
‘But what if…’ Dilly’s voice broke, ‘the baby ends up like him? And can I actually do this alone?’
Clemmie, ever the optimist, said, ‘Of course you can. Who needs a man? If anyone can rock the single mum life, it’s you. You’ll be like one of those chic, independent heroines in a romcom! I can picture it now: you, baby strapped to your chest, running this fabulous gallery. In fact, two fabulous galleries and a lighthouse! And babies are a great excuse for everything! Late to a meeting? Baby. Messy hair? Baby. Ate an entire cake? Baby cravings!’ She grinned. ‘And you know what? This kid will be the envy of all its friends because it’ll have the best art supplies in town, thanks to their super-talented mum. Plus, when they’re old enough, we can tell them their dad is in jail because he’s a secret agent undercover in a maximum-security mission. Instant cool points!’ Clemmie’s infectious laughter filled the room, lifting Dilly’s spirits and making the daunting prospect of motherhood seem a little brighter, even with its unusual circumstances.
‘I love you. You are simply my best friend.’
‘And Auntie Clemmie has a fantastic ring to it!’ Clemmie beamed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. ‘Just think about it, a babysitter on tap! I’ll teach the little one all the best pranks, show them how to bake the perfect chocolate chip cookies, and we can have endless fun adventures. And you will never have to worry about finding someone trustworthy to watch the baby. We’ve got this!’
‘Can we keep this just to ourselves for a while? I need to get used to the idea and make a doctor’s appointment. I also need to tell my dad at some point.’
‘My lips are sealed, I won’t breathe a word. Auntie Clemmie! I can’t wait!’
Dilly couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s enthusiasm, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. Despite the unexpected news and all its complications, with Clemmie by her side, everything seemed a bit more manageable and even a little bit fun.
‘Now get that kettle boiling and tell me all about the auction and the gorgeous Max Harrington.’
‘You aren’t going to believe what I’m going to tell you,’ Dilly began, switching on the kettle. ‘Get yourself comfortable, it’s been a hell of a morning.’
‘Intriguing!’ shouted Clemmie from the settee.