He pressed his lips against hers. His kiss felt soft, yet full of passion. She thought about moving away but she found she couldn’t. She wanted to stay here forever, feel his arms holding her tight, safe. She reciprocated the kiss, pressing hers back against his. It felt… right. Slowly he moved both hands so that they were holding her face on either side and his tongue gently prised her lips apart, deepening their kiss. They had kissed on that night but this time it felt different. It meant so much more and the more they kissed, the more she realised that she didn’t regret this. He pulled away from her, giving her one last gentle kiss on her forehead before opening his eyes.
‘Come on, what do you say?’ he asked, holding onto her head. ‘Will you be my girlfriend?’
She couldn’t stop herself from smiling. ‘That sounds really weird coming from you.’
He nudged her gently on the arm, but couldn’t hide the grin. ‘Hey! So, what do you say?’ She took a deep breath and nodded. ‘You have no idea how happy you’ve made me.’
‘I promised Zoe she could be at the birth, here in Shropshire, but afterwards we can look into what to do about being so far apart and –’
‘No need.’ He stepped back and threw his arms out, walking round in a circle and finally stopping to say, ‘We’re home.’
Ellie paused and then said, ‘What?’
‘This place. It’s ours. Zoe and I have been chatting for weeks. She told me what you said, why you weren’t letting yourself be with me. So I took the plunge and found this place, so you could be near to your sister after the baby comes, but we could, you know, live together.’
‘What about your work? You can’t commute from here every day.’
‘It’s all sorted. I’ll go into London Monday morning, stay until Thursday evening and travel home. I’ll work from home on the Friday and then we have the weekend together as… a family.’ He smiled as he held his hands out, ‘Problem solved. That’s if you don’t mind me being away Monday to Thursday.’
‘But where will you stay?’
‘At the moment, back at mum’s, but I’m looking for a smaller place to rent near to work. I got a promotion last week, so the extra money will more than cover it.’
‘A promotion! That’s great, why didn’t you tell me?’
‘Because I wanted everything in place before I told you. Kind of added to the drama – and I know you love a bit of drama!’ He winked at her and she found herself feeling a little embarrassed. ‘So, what do you say? You want to give this family thing a go?’
She stood, stunned to silence.
‘I’m taking this silence to be a good thing… you’re not telling me to go take a dive off a cliff? This is progress.’
‘You’ve sorted everything…’ she couldn’t take her eyes off him. ‘What if today had gone really badly and I had said no?’
‘Well, Els, I’m not going to lie to you, it would’ve really sucked. But, it was worth the risk… you were worth the risk.’
‘Fucking hell,’ she whispered under her breath. ‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘Say yes.’
She laughed at his quick answer. ‘Yes.’
‘Are you serious?’ His eyes were wide with excitement. ‘This is happening?’
‘I guess so.’ She was terrified, but she didn’t have much time for the terror to take hold because he wrapped his arms around her waist – all forty inches of it – kissing her hard on the lips again. She giggled under his lips and he kissed her over and over again. But then she felt weird and she stopped laughing. He sensed her change in mood and stopped, looking at her face, which she felt had drained of its entire colour.
‘What’s wrong? You haven’t changed your mind already?’
‘No,’ she croaked. ‘I think my waters have just broken.’
Chapter 41
‘Just breathe, Ellie, remember to breathe.’
‘I am bloody breathing,’ she gasped and Zoe took a step away from the bed. ‘Argh God, when will it be over?’
‘Soon, it’ll be over before you know it.’
‘That’s all right for you to say, you aren’t the one who has to push this thing out!’ She clenched her teeth and reached for a handful of bed sheets. ‘Argh!’
Chris unpeeled her hand and slipped his inside. ‘Squeeze my hand, Els, come on. You can do this.’
‘How is it this painful? I didn’t sign up for this.’ She continued to take steady breaths as the latest contraction eased. ‘I must be ready to push now, surely? I’ve been here for days!’
‘Ellie, you’ve been here for like six hours,’ Zoe laughed, but Ellie shot her a look and she soon silenced.
‘I am just going to examine you, Ellie, okay? Let’s see if this baby is ready to come out.’ The midwife smiled, but Ellie was too far into her breathing to reciprocate. She looked up at Zoe, who was standing next to Chris, right next to her face.
‘I can’t do it, Zo.’
‘Yes, you can, you’ve got this. You’re almost there and soon you’ll have your little baby here to hold forever. You just need to stay strong and keep breathing.’ Zoe wiped the flannel over Ellie’s forehead again as she closed her eyes.
‘Chris?’ She croaked.
‘Yes, Els, I’m here.’ He squeezed her hand to reassure her and she asked him to come closer. He did as she asked and when his face was just inches away from hers she said, ‘If I ever say I want to have sex with you again, remind me of this pain.’
Chris and Zoe both laughed. ‘Even in labour you find the strength to make jokes, that’s what I love so much about you.’
‘I’m not joking,’ she said, her expression deadly serious. ‘If this is what happens when you have sex, I’m becoming a nun when we get out of here.’
‘Yeah, we’ll see how long that lasts when Chris puts on the charm, hey?’ Zoe nudged Chris in the ribs and Ellie couldn’t help but spare just a small crack of a smile before the next contraction took hold.
‘Okay Ellie, you’re ready to push. Just take a deep breath and push down into your bottom. Let’s have your baby.’
‘Oh my God,’ she gasped and reached out for Chris’s hand, eyes wide in terror.
‘It’s okay, Els, I’m here. You can do this. I’m not going anywhere.’
*****
Imogen looked down at the two faces looking back up at her.
She looked at their perfect little noses and their perfect little lips and smiled. Both sleeping soundly in her arms after having just been fed for the first time. She was exhausted, but she didn’t want to close her eyes and miss looking at them. Alice came into the room holding two coffee cups and a packet of biscuits.
‘Here,’ she said, putting the cup down on the side. ‘I got you some gingernut biscuits too.’
‘Thanks.’ Imogen’s stare was fixed on the babies. ‘I can’t stop looking at them. They’re just… perfect.’
‘I know, you were amazing.’
‘I couldn’t have done it without you.’ She looked up and Alice placed a soft kiss on her lips, followed by two more, one for each of the babies. ‘Have you texted the girls?’
‘Yeah, Pippa replied saying good luck and to keep her informed. The others haven’t replied yet.’
‘Okay. It was quite early.’ She lifted up her right arm with twin number two in. ‘Here, go for cuddles with mummy.’ Alice beamed with pride as Imogen handed over the little girl.
‘Hello, beautiful,’ Alice said as she sat down on the chair next to the bed, ‘You are just so gorgeous. Look at those little fingers.’
Imogen was watching her with a huge grin. This was what it was all about. All her worries just melted away as she lay in that bed with all her favourite people around her. ‘I don’t want this moment to ever end,’ she said, reaching out her free hand to Alice, who then reached out to hold it. ‘Can we stay here forever, just like this?’
‘We’ll always have this, wherever we are, baby.’ Their moment was interrupted with a knock on the door. Alice moved to stan
d up, but before she could, the door opened anyway.
‘Mum!’ Imogen gasped. ‘What are you doing here?’
Her mum looked over to Alice and smiled. ‘A little birdy told me you had had the babies.’
Imogen whipped her head round to look at Alice, who just smiled and said, ‘I’ll leave you two to it.’ She handed the baby back to Imogen and then left the room, taking one last glance at Imogen before closing the door. Imogen smiled back and mouthed thank you, receiving a nod in response. She turned back to her mum, who was standing by the bed, peering at the babies, tears in her eyes.
‘Oh my goodness, Imogen.’
‘I know, aren’t they perfect?’ She looked back up to her mum, ‘You want to have a cuddle?’
Her mum looked shocked and then as if she was about to cry. ‘Can I? Is that okay?’
‘Of course it is, here.’ She held up twin number one this time and felt a swell of pride as her mother took the baby. She watched as her mum fell in love and then looked down to her other little girl. She would never push her girls away the way her mum had with her. But now, seeing how she was being with her little girl, she couldn’t help but pray that her mum was finally coming round to the idea that Imogen was happily married, to the woman of her dreams. She was so far into her thoughts that she jumped a little when she felt her mum take her hand. She looked up and felt like a six-year-old again, looking up to the woman she loved so much.
‘I’m sorry, Imogen, for everything.’ Her mum had never looked so sincere.
Imogen began to shake her head. ‘You don’t have to –’
‘Yes, I do. I have been awful over the past few years and I got carried away with what other people thought and what I felt as if I should be feeling when actually, this is all I’ve ever wanted for you.’ She smiled, looking at the baby and then back at her daughter.
‘It is?’
She nodded. ‘Yes. My whole life, all I’ve ever wanted was for my daughter to find someone she loves, who loves her back, and for her to experience the amazing gift that is parenthood. And you did it. But I was too selfish to realise, all because it was wrapped up in a package that wasn’t ‘the norm’.’ She tried to do air quotes with one hand, but it didn’t really work. Imogen smiled to herself and let it pass. ‘And she does, you know?’
‘Who, does what?’
‘Alice. She loves you so much. I can see it in the way she looks at you, and the way you look at her. It’s beautiful what you two have.’ She nodded slightly, almost reassuring herself.
‘I’ve been trying to tell you that for years.’ Imogen placed her finger inside the baby’s hand, running her thumb over the soft skin.
‘I know. But I chose not to listen. But honey, I’m listening now, and I hear it.’ She took Imogen’s hand and squeezed it. ‘I’m sorry to have put you through what I did. Can you ever forgive me?’
‘Of course I can. You’re my mum. All I ever wanted was to have my mum around – I’ve really missed you.’
‘I know, and I’ve missed you. And I can’t thank Alice enough for making this possible. She’s a good girl.’ Another nod. ‘We’ve had a chat, I’ve apologised to her too. When she contacted me, she told me how much she could see you were missing me.’
Imogen wiped the tear that had fallen with the back of her hand. ‘I never could get anything past that one.’ She laughed as she fondly thought of her wife. ‘Speak of the devil…’
Alice froze as she walked in. ‘Are you guys talking about me?’ She laughed and immediately made her way over to the bed, handing over some Haribos. ‘Look what I found.’
‘Oh, my word, you are amazing.’ Imogen took the bag and looked at her mum’s confused expression. ‘Pregnancy craving.’ Her mum nodded and turned her attention back to the baby in her arms.
‘And I have news. The reason the other girls didn’t reply was because Ellie is in labour!’
‘What! You’re joking!’
‘Nope. At the hospital as we speak. And even better news, she and Chris have finally got it together.’ Alice did a little whoop in the air with her fist.
‘Oh, about time. This is amazing; their baby will have the same birthday as these two if it’s born today.’
Alice popped a few Haribos into her mouth and said, ‘Now we just need Pippa to squeeze hers out, hey?’
Imogen laughed as she passed her daughter to Alice for more cuddles. Today actually couldn’t get any better.
*****
‘Oh my God, she’s beautiful.’ Ellie looked down at the little wrapped bundle in her arms. ‘I can’t believe I made you.’
‘She’s perfect, just like her mummy.’ Chris bent down and planted a soft kiss on Ellie’s forehead.
‘This is so surreal. I really didn’t think, this time last year, I would be here, holding my baby, with you being the dad.’ Ellie found herself giggling and then unable to stop.
‘I think someone is still high on the drugs.’ He raised an eyebrow, pretending to be concerned but couldn’t keep up the charade for very long.
‘Are you kidding? I hardly had any of that gas and air stuff and it wore off pretty much as soon as I stopped breathing the damn stuff. It was useless.’
‘I think it did more than you realise. You definitely squeezed a little less after taking that stuff. I actually think you would’ve broken my hand if you hadn’t had any.’
‘Aw, I’m sorry, is your hand hurting?’ She said, sarcastically. ‘At least you didn’t have to squeeze a baby out of your private areas.’ She looked at her daughter and smiled. ‘But it was totally worth it.’
‘It totally was,’ he agreed.
Zoe came back into the room holding bottles of Coke, Sprite and Fanta. ‘I didn’t know what kind of fizzy you wanted so I grabbed these.’
‘That’s perfect, thanks Sis.’ She watched her put the drinks on the side and called her over to the bedside. ‘Here, go see Aunty Zoe.’
‘Oh, I am never going to tire of hearing you call me that.’ Zoe took the baby and squealed. ‘Oh my goodness, I didn’t think I could love you any more than I did when you first came out, but I just do. Look at that perfect little button nose. And those tiny feeties.’
‘We’ve decided on a name, Zo.’ Ellie enjoyed watching Zoe’s face light up.
‘Oh my goodness, okay…?’
Ellie looked at Chris and smiled, and then returned her gaze to Zoe and said, ‘This is Scarlett Gracie Wright.’
Zoe gasped. ‘Gracie – you gave her Mum’s name.’
Ellie nodded and decided that she didn’t have the strength to hide the tears and just let them fall. Chris perched on the side of the bed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close so that her face was buried in his chest. And feeling as safe as she did in that moment, she dropped her barriers and sobbed.
‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just feel so emotional.’ She half laughed and half cried. ‘I’m a mess.’
‘Well, you don’t look a mess. You look amazing.’
‘You’re just saying that.’ She lifted her head and looked at him. ‘See, bags under here,’ she pointed under her eyes. ‘And snot around here,’ she indicated her nose and Chris laughed.
‘You’re an idiot.’
‘That’s better. That’s the Chris I know.’
‘Here, go see Mummy so I can take a picture.’ Zoe handed the baby to Ellie and ordered Chris to sit closer to Ellie. ‘Come on, budge in. This is your first family photo, smile!’
Ellie smiled the most genuinely happiest smile she had felt in a long time. The phone clicked and she bent down to kiss her daughter’s head.
‘Oh shit!’ Zoe gasped.
Ellie snapped her head up. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘It’s Pip, she thinks she’s in labour!’ Zoe laughed in disbelief.
‘Are you serious?’
Chris laughed. ‘You honestly couldn’t write this.’
‘Well, go!’ Ellie shooed her away with her hand.
‘What? No, I can�
�t leave you. You’ve only just had the baby.’ Zoe started tapping away on her phone.
‘Are you kidding me? Zoe, your best friend is in labour and she has no one else around her. You have to go.’
‘But –’
‘Zoe, I’ve got Chris. We’ll be fine.’ She paused, waiting for Zoe to move. ‘Go!’
‘Right, yes, gotcha. I’m off.’ She ran over and kissed Scarlett, then Ellie on the cheeks. She paused at Chris and then saluted him before running out of the room.
‘She’s a nutter,’ Ellie said, looking back down at her daughter. She just couldn’t get enough of her.
‘Your mum would be so proud of you.’ Chris said softly, as he stroked his daughter’s head. ‘I love you, Ellie.’
Ellie looked up at him and embraced the kiss he gave her on her lips. ‘I love you, too.’ She whispered back.
Chapter 42
Pippa took another deep breath as she moved her hips back and forth on the birthing ball. With her eyes tight shut, she concentrated on counting to get her through the pain. Every ounce of her energy was concentrated on the inhalation and exhalation of air. Which is why, when there was a knock on her front door, she jumped and stopped rocking.
‘Who is it?’ she called, screwing up her face in pain as the contraction wore off.
‘It’s Zoe.’
‘Oh thank God,’ she gasped as she pulled herself to standing. The pain hadn’t died down enough yet so she called out, ‘Just give me a minute’ and waited until it had subsided enough for her to walk to the front door. Sheer relief flooded her body when she saw Zoe’s face. ‘I’m so glad you’re here first.’
‘I’m sorry it took me so long, I was at the hospital with Ellie and then the damn parking meter wouldn’t take my money quick enough.’ She stopped on the spot on her way to the living room and spun back on her heels. ‘Hang on, did you say here ‘first’?’
Pippa nodded. ‘I called Jason.’
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