Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
D illy settled onto the hospital bed, the reality of expecting twin girls still sinking in. There was a long list of things she needed to prepare. There would be cots to organise, prams, car seats, clothes and more. It was overwhelming, but in the best possible way. The sight and sounds of their tiny beating hearts had made everything feel real, and the thought of Giles was far from her mind. These were her babies, and she was determined to do everything in her power to give them the best start in life.
She glanced over at Max, who was standing by the window, opening it to let in some fresh air. He paused for a moment, staring out, lost in thought. Dilly felt a pang of guilt. Caught up in her whirlwind of emotions, she realised she hadn’t even considered how he might be feeling. Just twenty-four hours ago, they had been blissfully exploring the possibilities of their new relationship, filled with excitement and hope for the future. Now, the revelation of her pregnancy with twins had completely upset his world. Despite her own happiness, she knew the news must have been a shock to him, and she hadn’t taken a moment to check how he was processing it all.
She watched as he pulled out a chair beside her bed and sat down. ‘How are you feeling about all this?’ she asked.
‘I can see how happy you are, and I’m really happy for you… honestly I am,’ he replied.
Dilly knew that was the kind of person Max was, always supportive and caring. But she also knew she had let him down. This was as much of a shock for him as it was for her, and she could tell he was struggling to find the right words.
‘This is a lot for me to process, too,’ she admitted. ‘I know you must have a lot of questions, and I want to be honest with you.’
‘I’m actually not quite sure what to say,’ he began. ‘Twenty-four hours ago, I was finally in the arms of the woman I had always admired and… I’m going to be honest with you, Dil, even though I know it sounds daft, but you were always the one for me; it was just the wrong time, wrong place. I knew from the first moment I saw you… but now, it seems it’s the wrong time again. I know you and the father of your babies have a lot to talk about, and I don’t want you feeling guilty about me. I had the best night of my life, and having had the chance to spend that time with you will always be something I will cherish. This might be a chance for you to start a family, to make things work with him. You’ve got so much on your plate right now… the babies, your mother… You don’t need me complicating things.’
Dilly could see from the look in Max’s eyes that she’d broken his heart, but still he was trying to be strong, to say the right things.
She knew there was a place for Max in their lives but that was a decision he would have to make. She came as a package now and if she was in his shoes, she would have no clue what to do. All she knew was that she didn’t want to lose him when she’d only just found him again.
She opened her mouth to explain the truth about Giles, how he wasn’t a factor to worry about, and the story she had concocted to tell the islanders, but just then, she heard her father’s voice echoing down the corridor. ‘Delilah Waters? She was brought in by ambulance with abdominal pain. I’m her father.’ The door swung open a moment later, and her father rushed in, enveloping her in a warm, protective hug.
‘Dilly, what’s happened? Are you okay?’ he asked, his voice filled with worry. For a moment, the room felt like it was spinning with emotions.
Max stood up. ‘I’m going to leave you to it. Are you okay to take Dilly home?’ Max looked at Ralph.
‘Yes, of course.’ Ralph extended his hand. ‘Thank you for getting her here and staying with her.’
‘That’s no problem at all. I’ll see you in the morning at work.’
Max hesitated by the door. His eyes locked on Dilly’s and he looked like he wanted to say something, but he simply gave her a slight smile and let the door shut behind him. She could see his feelings were in turmoil, and she didn’t like that she had been the cause of that.