40. Carly
Chapter 40
Carly
‘ H i, Syd, how’s things?’ I open the driver door and climb in.
‘Not bad. Although, to tell you the truth, Carls, my back is killing me. Too long sitting here, wedged in and doing nothing. I really need a bigger car. Or longer legs! Do you mind if I have a fiddle with the seat? It won’t take long.’
‘Of course not. I’m not in any rush. I’ve finished work for the day.’
‘Wish I could say the same!’ He climbs out and kneels down on the pavement. It’s a busy road and we’re not in a proper parking space but I keep my eyes peeled for any passing traffic wardens as he fiddles with the controls.
‘There!’ he announces, as the passenger seat slides backwards and he adjusts the angle of the back. ‘Lucky there’s nobody sitting behind me or they’d get their legs crushed!’
‘I don’t suppose there’s ever anyone sitting behind you, is there? Learners aren’t likely to bring a friend along.’
‘Oh, you’d be surprised! I’ve got one teenager whose mum insists on coming on every lesson. Thinks I’m about to run my hand up her kid’s thigh or something. It wouldn’t be so bad if my pupil was a girl!’
I laugh, do up my seat belt and check in the rear mirror.
‘Hang on.’ Syd has one leg in the car but he’s stopped in mid-bend. ‘Did you hear that?’
‘Hear what?’
‘Someone just called my name. Or I think they did.’ He gets back out of the car and looks around. I lean forward and peer out too. Someone is banging on a window, way up above us. The window flies open and a man’s head emerges.
‘Syd! Carly! Help!’
It’s Jack. Waving his arms about, up on the second floor. What the hell is he doing?
‘Jack? What’s up, man?’ Syd is leaning backwards as he looks up, taking the opportunity to place his hands at each side of his back and give it a good stretch. ‘Where’s the fire?’
‘No fire,’ Jack shouts down. ‘The door’s stuck. To the room. Handle’s broken. I can’t get out.’
I get back out of the car and look up too, and there he is, like some modern-day male equivalent of Rapunzel, stuck in his tower.
‘The door handle? I did tell you, Jack…’
‘I know you did. And you were right, but that’s no help to me now, is it? Please, Carly, can you come back inside and let me out? Like, now? I’m in a bit of a hurry. It’s the scan today. You know, the big one that tells us the sex, and I’m already late. Molly will kill me…’
A couple of passers-by, pensioners in macs, have stopped and are looking up anxiously, as if someone’s about to attempt a suicide and jump out of the window.
‘Sex? Did he say something about sex?’ The old woman tuts and drags the old man away. ‘Disgusting!’
I can’t help laughing. ‘What’s it worth, Jack? I am supposed to be having a driving lesson, not sorting out your knob problems.’
‘Oh, stop messing about. This is serious. As many coffees as you can drink. Or ciders. Or a massive bunch of flowers. Anything… Just come and get me out. Please.’
‘Better do as he asks, Carls,’ Syd says, leaning his elbow on the car roof. ‘Anything for a mate, eh?’
The lift is slow in coming but I make it to the second floor and head for the meeting room. The handle, or the half of it that should be sticking out of this side of the door, is lying on the carpet in the corridor. What am I supposed to do? Fit it back on somehow?
‘Jack?’ I tap on the door and he’s there, on the other side, immediately giving instructions, the relief in his voice obvious even though I can’t see him.
‘It just needs something to slot in next to the catch, to release it. Anything. A knife from the kitchen maybe? Or go and find the caretaker, if we have one. Do we have one?’
‘Old Archie, you mean? The handyman? He only comes in twice a week, and today’s not his day.’
‘The knife then? Quick, Carly. I can’t miss this scan. I really can’t.’
‘I thought you didn’t want this baby?’
‘Well, I do, all right? I was there when it was made and I’ll be there when it’s born. I’m a dad, Carly, or I soon will be. And I need to be there. Pink or blue? It matters, Carly. It’s taken me a while to come to my senses, but it matters, okay?’
I thought it would hurt to hear him say something like that, but it doesn’t. Jack is finally facing up to his responsibilities. Good for him. And for Molly too.
It takes another five minutes, but together we do it. The door opens with a satisfying click and Jack bursts out, giving it a final frustrated kick before he runs off towards his desk. I’m not sure if I’m still needed, but I follow him anyway.
‘Oh, shit. I didn’t switch the socket on.’ He tugs the charger away from the wall. ‘My phone’s been plugged in for hours and it hasn’t charged at all. I need to ring Molly. See if it’s too late.’
‘Use the office phone.’
‘I can’t. I don’t know her number. Who remembers mobile numbers these days? It’s all saved in here.’ He holds up his dead phone and for a moment I think he’s going to chuck it in the bin or hurl it at the wall. ‘I’ll just have to get to the hospital as quickly as I can and hope she hasn’t gone in yet.’
‘Need a lift?’ I don’t know why I say that. It’s not even my car.
‘Yes!’ And then we’re running down the stairs because the lift is taking too long to come, and back out into the street, and he’s trying to climb into the back of the car. ‘There’s no room,’ he yells at Syd, who’s trying to catch up with what exactly is going on here. ‘Who has their seat that far back? Where am I supposed to put my legs?’
‘Other side, mate. Try the other side,’ Syd says. ‘Where are we going, by the way? Cos it looks like you’re coming with us, right?’
‘The maternity hospital. Quick as you can!’
Syd gestures to me to swap sides and I slide into the passenger seat, amazed at just how far my feet can stretch out, not even reaching the front of the footwell, which is just as well as I remember this is a dual-control car and I don’t want to touch a pedal I shouldn’t.
I look in the mirror. Jack is looking at his watch again. ‘It’s ten past,’ he announces. ‘I’m already too late. I just know it. I’ve blown it. I’m in the doghouse, big time.’
‘Better start practising your begging then, mate. Woof, woof! Seriously though, I’ll do my best to get you there.’ Syd’s in the driving seat now, ignition on, watching the flow of the traffic, waiting for a gap. ‘I remember that moment, seeing Rosie’s scan and finding out what our two little blobs were. One of each for us, but who knows what you’ve got brewing away in there? Can’t have you missing out on that now, can we?’ Suddenly Syd sees his chance and the car shoots off from the kerb with a loud squeal of tyres. It feels like one of those ‘ Follow that car ’ moments you see in the movies. ‘Lean back and hold on to your hats!’