Chapter 11 #3
Alex came back to the table. ‘It’s all right.
Like you said, it means you can help her better, now you know.
I think she worries about when the time comes.
She doesn’t even have a birth partner, and I’m sure she doesn’t want to ask me.
Maybe you could talk to her about that next time you see her in your clinic?
She shuts me down when I bring it up, so I’d appreciate your help. ’
‘Absolutely,’ Zoe said. ‘We would have covered that when we drew up her birth plan, but I’ll mention it next time I see her.
’ She shot a glance at the doorway, wondering if Billie could hear all of this, and decided that if Alex was comfortable saying it, he was probably fairly certain that she couldn’t.
And if the past half hour was anything to go by, if Billie could hear them, she wasn’t the sort of woman to keep quiet about it.
‘Other than bits of old metal,’ Corrine began, perhaps in a bid to change the subject to something she felt more comfortable with, ‘how is the building going? On your little camping huts, I mean.’
‘I haven’t done much towards it yet apart from trying to level some of the field and put foundations in. I got sidetracked by my bits of old metal . I probably ought to focus. I won’t get very far if I stop every time I find something shiny, will I?’
‘No,’ Corrine agreed. ‘Are you getting contractors in? You’re surely not planning to build it all by yourself.’
‘I’m going to do as much as I can to save money.
I don’t foresee anything I can’t do, to be honest. Like you said, they’re only little camping huts at the end of the day.
I might need a hand with plumbing for shower blocks and such, but then again, isn’t that what YouTube is for?
I’m sure if I watched a video or two, I’d be able to do it. ’
‘I have to admire your confidence,’ Zoe said.
‘Or stupidity,’ Alex replied, and she couldn’t help but agree a little with that.
‘I’m sure Victor would be able to recommend someone local if you’re after a reliable tradesman,’ Corrine said.
‘I’m sure he could, but the name of the game is keeping the costs down. If I really have to, I will get someone in, but I’d rather not.’
Zoe wondered if money was as big an issue as it was sounding.
He’d told her before that he had money put aside, but now it didn’t sound as if he was sure it would be enough.
Unless he was so confident in his own abilities he’d decided he didn’t need the help.
She resisted the urge to give her head a wry shake.
That was also the sort of thing Ritchie would do.
And then she was suddenly annoyed that she kept thinking of Ritchie.
She didn’t want to, but he was always there.
He’d been such a huge part of her life for so long, perhaps that was to be expected, but she had to wonder when it would stop.
As Alex turned his attention to the tea he’d promised them a good half hour before, she peeked at her phone. Since she’d checked it before, a new notification had arrived – this time a missed call from Tegan Forester.
Zoe frowned and got up. ‘I’m sorry, I have to make a quick call. Do you mind if I take it outside? It’s one of my mums…’
Alex nodded and began to chat to Corrine while Zoe hurried out. But there was no reply when she returned Tegan’s call, and so she phoned Ottilie instead.
‘Hey, I know what you’re going to say, that I’m paranoid and that I should switch off when I’m not on duty – and you’re absolutely right – but I need an emergency contact, and it’s in my address book at the surgery. I don’t suppose you have a key to get in?’
‘What’s wrong?’
‘I have a missed call from Tegan Forester.’
‘Oh, she’s the worrier, isn’t she?’
‘Yes, but the last time I saw her I was worried about her blood pressure, so…’
‘Right. Well, I don’t have a key, but Lavender does. Do you want her number?’
‘I have it, I think. I’ll phone her. She’s going to kill me if I ask her to go and open up, isn’t she?’
‘I don’t imagine she’ll be thrilled, but if you explain, I’m sure she’ll understand. There’s always Fliss or Simon, if you’d rather. They’ve both got keys too.’
‘I think Fliss would be scarier than Lavender.’
‘Probably. Simon would come if you asked him – he’s good like that.’
Zoe paused for a moment, considering her options. ‘Simon, yes, I’ll call him. Thanks, Ottilie.’
‘Phone if you need me – I’m not doing anything.’
‘I will, thanks.’
Zoe had no intentions of phoning Ottilie or anyone else if she could sort this herself.
She needn’t even drag Simon out if she could go to his house and get the key to open up the surgery herself.
She scrolled her contacts and then dialled his number.
He answered within three rings, a note of puzzlement in his voice.
‘Hello, Zoe. Everything all right?’
‘I’m so sorry to phone you out of hours, but I need a favour. Could you let me into the surgery? I need an emergency contact from my office.’
‘Are you on call?’
‘No, but…Please. It would put my mind at rest if I could see that this lady is all right.’
‘Of course; I understand. I can meet you at the surgery in ten minutes.’
‘I’m up at Hilltop, so could you make it twenty?’
‘Sure, I’ll see you then.’
Zoe dashed back in. ‘I’m so sorry, but I have to go.’
Corrine spun to face her. ‘Is everything all right?’
‘Yes, I need to go into the surgery to check on something and it won’t wait.’
‘Now?’ Alex asked.
Zoe nodded.
‘You’re going to walk down there in the dark?’
‘I’ll have to go back to Kestrel Cottage to get my car, and I’ll drive down.’
‘Victor will take you,’ Corrine began, but Alex cut in.
‘I’ll take you – it will be far quicker than you going to get your car.’
‘But what about?—’
‘If all you need is dropping off, then I’ll be back in half an hour, if not sooner. Everything here will wait.’
Corrine got up. ‘I’ll head back and let you both get on then. Phone us if you need us, won’t you, Zoe?’
‘Of course; thank you.’ She turned to Alex. ‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’
‘I wouldn’t have offered if I’d minded. Let me tell Billie where we’re going and then we’ll head off.’