Promises, Promises

by Patricia Scanlan

  Julie Ann pirouetted to the door. ‘Am I like a ballerina?’

  ‘Yes, you are.’

  ‘The next time Daddy is making you a baby and putting a seed in your belly button, can I watch?’

  ‘Julie Ann, go and get your hairband.’ Emma was at the end of her tether.

  ‘But can I watch?’

  ‘It’s a thing that mummies and daddies do in private.’

  ‘How’s anyone supposed to find out about anything in this house?’ Julie Ann flounced off indignantly. Excluded once again.

  ‘I’ll have to tell her the facts of life,’ Emma moaned a couple of hours later as she sat sipping coffee in her mother’s.

  ‘Stay calm and say nothing,’ Pamela advised. ‘Julie Ann will forget all about it.’

  ‘I think we better get her a pony when the baby comes. It will take her mind off things. I don’t want her nose to be out of joint.’ Emma sighed.

  ‘Good idea,’ Pamela approved. She knew Julie Ann was in for a major upset once the new arrival put in an appearance. For seven years she’d been queen of the castle. It was hard to share your throne.

  ‘How’s everyone in Glenree?’

  ‘Fine,’ Emma said glumly. ‘Mrs Munroe was elected president of the guild. You’d think she was the First Lady of America, the way she goes on. She’s making Miriam’s life a misery. She expects her to bake for every occasion.’

  ‘How’s Ellen and her little girl? I must say I thought she was a lovely little thing when I saw her at your grandmother’s funeral,’ Pamela remarked.

  ‘Ellen’s OK. She bought a new car last spring and she’s moved into a flat over the shop. She’s done it up very nicely. The back garden is spectacular. She’s worked on it for months. You’d love it. You’re into herbaceous borders and that sort of thing. I just like looking at them. I wouldn’t know one end of a tulip bulb from another,’ Emma admitted.

  Pamela chuckled. ‘No, you couldn’t be accused of having green fingers. I’m glad Ellen got a place of her own. I wouldn’t say Sheila’s the easiest to live with.’

  ‘I think it’s good for Stephanie. Julie Ann goes to stay with her sometimes. I know Ellen’s not my favourite person but I suppose you have to admire her in a way. She’s made a great job of raising Stephanie.’

  ‘Chris treated Ellen and Stephanie very badly. I never felt the same about him after that episode even if he is my own nephew. I saw him having lunch with Alexandra Johnston last week.’

  ‘Alexandra!’ Emma was surprised. ‘They don’t get on very well.’

  ‘They were getting on fine when I saw them,’ Pamela remarked dryly.

  ‘Hmm,’ Emma murmured. She hadn’t seen Chris in ages. Not since they’d had lunch after her grandmother’s funeral back in February. She must phone him and arrange to meet him for lunch before she had the baby.

  She was meeting the girls for lunch today. Pamela was minding Julie Ann for her. Emma was looking forward to a good gossip. She’d missed their last lunch because she’d been feeling rotten, but she hadn’t felt too bad for the past week, so she arranged to meet them in the Intercontinental. She chatted with her mother for another half-hour until it was time to leave.

  ‘Thanks for looking after Julie Ann for me.’ She kissed Pamela on the cheek.

  ‘You enjoy your lunch. Have some fun. Julie Ann and I are going to the pictures. If you’re home before us, go and have a lie-down.’

  ‘I will,’ Emma said gratefully. She liked it when her mother took charge of things. She set off for lunch and arrived just as Gillian and Diana Mackenzie drove into the car park.

  ‘You look blooming,’ Gillian squealed a few minutes later.

  ‘Don’t rub-it in,’ Emma said dryly.

  ‘You look very well, darling.’ Diana kissed her on both cheeks. ‘How have you been?’ They walked into the foyer and headed for the restaurant.

  ‘My blood pressure’s up and down. They’re watching me carefully. My gynie doesn’t think he’ll let me go full term after what happened the last time. I wish it was all over.’ Emma was trying to keep her spirits up. She didn’t want to go into a detailed account of how pissed off and poorly she’d been for most of her pregnancy.

  ‘Oh darling, just think though, another little baby. Julie Ann will be thrilled,’ Diana gushed.

  ‘She will not.’ Emma grinned as she recounted the morning’s conversation. The girls howled with laughter.

  ‘Can we watch the next time Vincent’s making you a baby?’ Gillian chortled.

  ‘There won’t be a next time. Vincent’s going to London to have a vasectomy, seeing as he can’t get it done here,’ Emma informed them.

  ‘You lucky thing. Frank wouldn’t do that for me,’ Gillian said enviously.

  ‘Well I can’t wait.’ Emma nibbled on a bread roll. ‘I hate counting dates and I hate condoms.’

  ‘Don’t we all, dear,’ Diana drawled. Did Emma Munroe have any idea how lucky she was to have a husband like Vincent?

  ‘Is Lorna coming or should we order?’ Emma asked.

  ‘She said she was. Money’s a bit tight since she left Declan. I’d offer to pay but she’s very proud. Do you know what Declan Mitchell did?’ Gillian leaned over conspiratorially.

  ‘What?’ Emma and Diana echoed as one.

  ‘He was pissed at a party in Marianne Deasy’s house and he made a pass at Vicky Stone. Nina Monahan freaked. She called him all the names under the sun. Her language was vile. You know that high squeaky voice she has. She was screeching like a fishwife. Everyone was shocked ’cos she pretends she’s such a lady. And he said, “Shut up you, ya . . .” well he used the C word,’ Gillian explained delicately.

  ‘Oh my God! The C word. How disgusting!’

  ‘Crikey!’

  The girls were horrified. That was shocking.

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘Marianne asked them to leave. That Nina is crazy to stay with him. I wouldn’t care if I was on the shelf until I was ninety. I wouldn’t put up with Declan Mitchell and the way he drinks.’ Gillian sipped a glass of mineral water.

  ‘Sshh, here’s Lorna,’ Emma warned.

  ‘Hi.’ She stood up and kissed her friend. Lorna looked amazingly well for a woman who’d walked out on her husband.

  ‘Hiya, sorry I’m late. I’m on a late lunch and my replacement didn’t arrive back on time.’

  ‘How do you find the job?’ Diana asked. She pitied Lorna from the bottom of her heart. If she had to go out to work and support two children, she’d die.

  ‘I like it.’ Lorna smiled. She was a receptionist in a small exclusive hotel.

  ‘You look great,’ Emma said warmly.

  ‘I sleep well at night now,’ Lorna said quietly. ‘I don’t have to worry about Declan coming home drunk. I don’t have to put up with his abuse. I don’t have much money. But I’ve enough and I’ve peace of mind. It means a lot.’

  ‘It’s more than Nina Monahan’s got,’ Diana remarked artlessly. Emma glared at her. Diana was as thick as two short planks sometimes.

  ‘I couldn’t care less about Nina Monahan or the state of her mind. She’s welcome to Declan. I wouldn’t take him back under any circumstances,’ Lorna retorted coldly.

  ‘Let’s order,’ Emma suggested tactfully.

  They had just finished dessert when Emma gave a gasp. A pain like a vice grip took hold and she doubled up.

  ‘Oohh!’ she groaned.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Gillian looked petrified.

  ‘I don’t know.’ Emma was frightened. Another spasm hit her.

  ‘Ohmigod. Ohmigod she’s having the baby,’ Gillian shrieked hysterically.

  ‘Be quiet, Gillian,’ Lorna snapped. ‘Emma, take my arm, we’ll go to the ladies’. Diana, ask them to phone for an ambulance.’ The manager came rushing down to assist as people stared. Emma was in too much pain to be embarrassed. The manager and Lorna led her to his office and helped her onto a chair. Emma doubled over again, groaning. Lorna wiped her forehead. She w
as very calm. Emma clung to her like a lifeline.

  ‘Will you come to the hospital with me? Please, Lorna,’ she begged.

  ‘Of course I will. I’m going to phone Vincent now so that he can meet us there.’ Lorna was very reassuring. Emma could hear the wailing shriek of an ambulance siren in the distance. She started to cry.

  ‘You’ll be fine.’ Lorna gripped her hand tightly.

  ‘I nearly died giving birth to Julie Ann. Just say there’s something wrong with the baby. I’m scared, Lorna.’

  ‘Don’t be. I’ll stay with you. You’ll be fine and so will the baby.’

  The next hour was a nightmare. She was taken off in the ambulance and all she could remember was Gillian’s tear-stained face as the door closed.

  The journey was a blur. A sharp knife-edged pain was ripping her apart. The doctors and nurses were very kind and reassuring as she was rushed down the long corridor into the labour ward. She wasn’t prepared for the sister’s words five minutes later after she’d been examined.

  ‘It won’t be long now, Mrs Munroe. We’re taking you to the delivery room. You’re nine centimetres dilated.’

  Jesus! thought Emma in shock. I’m having the baby myself. I’m not going to be put to sleep. She almost fainted with terror. Pain gripped her again and she couldn’t think of anything except the agony of it as she was pushed down the hospital corridor. She groaned.

  ‘Take a good deep breath and don’t push until I tell you,’ the sister instructed as she placed Emma’s feet in the stirrups.

  ‘I want to be knocked out,’ Emma said in terror.

  ‘We’ve no time for any of that. Push, now,’ the sister commanded. Emma stared at her blankly. The pain swamped her. She screamed.

  ‘Push. Harder. Harder. Good girl, the head is through.’ Emma thought she was going to throw up. It sounded so gory. It felt so gory.

  ‘Again,’ the sister ordered. Emma gave a mighty push and fainted.

  She came to, to hear the sound of a baby crying. Her baby. The baby she had just given birth to all by herself, with no anaesthetic. Emma felt inordinately surprised and proud of herself. ‘Is it all right? Is it a boy or a girl?’ she asked anxiously.

  ‘It’s a little boy, four pounds. You can hold him for a minute before we put him in his incubator,’ the sister said kindly. Emma burst into tears as the mewling little bundle was placed in her arms. A son. A son for Vincent. He’d be thrilled. Emma knew he’d secretly hoped for a boy. And now she had given him one. She loved Vincent so much it was worth all the pain and the mess and being fat, Emma thought as she gazed in awe at her baby.

  He was a dotey little fellow with a mop of black hair and she felt a strange unfamiliar feeling as if she wanted to protect him. It hadn’t been like this with Julie Ann. The nurse took the baby from her and Emma was sorry to see him go.

  ‘We’re going to take you to intensive care for a little while, Mrs Munroe. Just until we get your blood pressure stabilized,’ the nurse said gently.

  ‘Nurse. Don’t tell my husband when he comes. I want to tell him myself,’ Emma said weakly.

  ‘Don’t worry. We won’t say a word.’ The nurse tucked a blanket around her as the orderlies lifted her on to the stretcher.

  Emma lay in her little cubicle, exhausted but exhilarated. It was all over. She’d never have to go through it again. Vincent was getting the snip. She wouldn’t have to worry about getting pregnant. And best of all, he had his son. Emma was immensely proud of herself. There’d been so much trauma when she’d had Julie Ann, she’d been terrified. This ordeal had only lasted a couple of hours. She’d had her baby and she’d have a nanny to help her when she went home. Second time around was much easier, she thought drowsily. She fought to keep her eyes open. She wanted to be awake when Vincent came.

  She didn’t have to wait long. He came in through the door, white-faced.

  ‘Are you all right, pet? Lorna told me you’d been taken off by ambulance. Sorry I couldn’t get here any quicker. The traffic was brutal. What did the doctors say?’ He took her hand and stared down at her, his face creased with worry.

  ‘Stop panicking.’ Emma reached up to touch his cheek. ‘Vincent, guess what?’ Her eyes were bright in her pale face.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I had the baby all by myself. I gave birth the proper way. We have a little boy. Vincent you’ve got a son and I’m so glad ’cos I really love you.’

  ‘Oh Emma. Emma.’ Vincent’s face crumpled as he leaned down and took her in his arms. She could feel the wetness of his tears as he held her close.

  ‘I love you very much,’ he whispered into her hair. ‘I’m never going to put you through anything like this again.’

  ‘It’s OK, darling. You didn’t put me through anything. It’s over now. And when you get the snip we can make love morning, noon and night.’ Emma gave a shaky grin.

  ‘You lie down there,’ Vincent said sternly, easing her back down on to the pillows, ‘and stop thinking wicked thoughts.’

  ‘I’m crazy about you.’ Emma smiled up at him.

  ‘You’re just crazy, full stop. Make love morning, noon and night indeed. We’re an old married couple. Once a week will be your limit,’ Vincent teased.

  ‘Spoilsport.’ Emma felt very contented as she snuggled down under the blankets and fell asleep holding Vincent’s hand.

  Vincent sat watching over his wife as she slept. He’d got the fright of his life when Lorna had phoned him. All the horrible memories of Julie Ann’s birth came rushing back. He was petrified Emma would die. He wanted to die himself as he drove like a maniac to get to the hospital.

  And now this. He couldn’t believe it. ‘Thank you, God.’ He sent up a heartfelt prayer of thanks. He sat with Emma until he was sure she was fast asleep and then he went down to the special care unit.

  The first incubator on the right, the nurse told him. Vincent went over and looked down at his sleeping baby. Vincent couldn’t get over his head of black hair. He stared down at him in delight.

  ‘Hello, son,’ he whispered. ‘This is your daddy.’ He was longing to take him up in his arms.

  ‘Would you like to hold him for a moment?’ The nurse padded silently up to him.

  ‘Yes, very much,’ Vincent said eagerly.

  The nurse lifted the baby out and placed him gently in Vincent’s arms.

  ‘Now you can say a proper hello to him.’

  Vincent could hardly speak, he was so moved. His son woke and gripped Vincent’s finger with his tiny hand.

  He thought of Julie Ann and how much smaller and frailer she’d been compared to her brother. He was dying to see what she’d make of the new baby. A daughter, a son, and Emma. He was a very lucky man, Vincent thought happily as he kissed his baby’s silky black hair.

  Julie Ann stared at the little baby in the funny-looking glass box. Everybody was very excited about him. He was her new brother. She felt extremely important. None of her cousins had a new baby brother. They kept asking her about him. Her mummy had gone to hospital in an ambulance three days ago and she’d got the baby out of her belly button. Her daddy kept telling her about the new baby. Julie Ann was a bit fed up hearing about it.

  Then her daddy had said the words she’d been longing to hear.

  ‘Because you’re such a good girl, Mummy and I are getting you a pony.’

  A pony and a new baby. Everybody in the school would want to be her friend. Stephanie would never get a pony because she was too poor. Neither would Daniel, Connie and Rebecca. Julie Ann felt extremely satisfied. She’d let them have goes on her pony, if they were good. She’d let them hold the baby too. What times she would have dispensing favours.

  It gave a funny little squawk. Julie Ann gazed at her new brother.

  ‘Isn’t he gorgeous?’ her daddy said proudly. Julie Ann fastened him with a piercing stare.

  ‘Aren’t I gorgeous too?’ It was very important that he answered properly.

  ‘You are the most gorgeous daughter in
the world.’ Vincent hugged her. Julie Ann nestled close to her daddy. She didn’t really want to share him with It, she decided after all. She’d much prefer just to have her mummy and daddy to herself, and of course . . . her new pony.

  ‘Andrew Munroe, I have to admit I like it. It has a certain ring to it,’ Ellen rolled the name around her tongue. ‘I’m glad they had a little boy.’

  ‘So am I. Emma is as proud as Punch.’ Miriam stretched out on a lounger on Ellen’s patio. Ben had taken the children to the beach and she and Ellen were having a rare Saturday afternoon of peace in Ellen’s garden. The sun was splitting the trees, and the drowsy hum of the bees as they buzzed in and out of the vibrant flower beds was soothing.

  ‘It all happened very quickly.’ Ellen smoothed some Ambre Solaire on to her golden limbs. She was very pleased with her tan.

  ‘Thank goodness, the two of them are fine. I thought it would be as bad as when she had Julie Ann,’ Miriam murmured.

  ‘Talking of Julie Ann, have you heard about the pony?’

  Miriam grimaced. ‘I’m sick hearing about the pony.’

  ‘Me too.’ Ellen sighed. ‘Poor old Stephanie is really getting her nose rubbed in it. No pony, no baby, and no daddy.’

  ‘The little bitch,’ Miriam said indignantly.

  ‘Julie Ann doesn’t understand. She’s just a little consequence. An insecure little consequence. Some day I’m going to let her have it. But then, if I do, there’ll be a row. You know how sensitive Emma is about criticism of her little darling?’

  ‘Yeah, it’s very awkward,’ Miriam agreed. ‘God knows how poor little Andrew will turn out. Let’s hope he’s not like his sister.’

  ‘I’d say there’ll be some mighty attention-seeking when he’s brought home.’ Ellen lay back and pulled down her sunglasses.

  ‘I wish them the joy of it. I’ve been through it . . . twice.’ Miriam yawned and in minutes was snoozing.

  Ellen lay contentedly as the sun’s rays filled every pore of her body with light and heat. It was utterly enjoyable to lie in the peace and splendour of her own back garden. Beds of petunias and geraniums, busy Lizzies and antirrhinums, edged with purple and white stock, were a blaze of colour against the emerald lawn. Fuchsia, heavy with blossoms, saponaria, fragrant honeysuckle, and climbing roses covered the end wall. They were young shrubs but they had bloomed well. Next year she’d have a riot of colour. Trellises with clematis and sweet pea and more roses lined the side walls. It was a garden of Eden now, it would be even more beautiful in the years to come, Ellen thought proudly. She’d really worked at it. It was her reward for banishing Chris to the deepest recesses of her mind.