Harper's Finale

by F. C. Clark

  I walk towards the intercom. ‘Hello.’

  ‘Mrs Sutton, your mother is here.’

  ‘OK, send her in, thank you.’ I shake my head and press the button that unlocks the front door. ‘She’s a bloody nightmare! Four numbers, that’s all she has to remember, and they are her birthday.’

  Rosie and I make our way to the hall. At the same time, the large black door opens and a woman appears.

  The world stops. I can just about breathe. ‘K-K-Katenka?’

  ‘Kate! Kate?’

  I open my eyes.

  ‘Kate, look at me.’ It’s Max. ‘Rosie, open the door.’

  He scoops me up from the floor and carries me to the back of the Bentley. His eyes meet mine and I see fear.

  ‘Max?’ I whisper.

  ‘Shh… It’s fine. I’m taking you to hospital.’

  ‘I – don’t…’ I feel disorientated.

  ‘You need to see a doctor,’ he says. Rosie slides in next to me and secures my seatbelt.

  ‘Darling, it will be fine.’ She touches my cheek.

  ‘I’m fine.’

  ‘I know,’ she says without conviction.

  I look down.

  ‘No… No!’ I scream. My jeans are covered in blood. ‘My babies! Max, I need Luke.’

  ‘I’ve called him. Keep calm.’

  ‘This can’t be happening.’ Oh God, no.

  ‘Come here.’ Rosie pulls me to her chest. This is all I need to make me start crying.

  Eventually we arrive at the private hospital where Dad went after he was attacked. Max lifts me out of the car and carries me through the doors. Rosie is already speaking to the reception staff.

  ‘Max, we need to follow that young lady.’

  He remains silent and carries me down a corridor and into an examination room.

  ‘Can you lay Mrs Sutton on the bed? Thank you,’ the nurse says.

  Max gently lowers me to the bed.

  ‘Dr Jenkins is on her way, OK?’

  I nod.

  ‘Let’s get you out of these clothes and make you a little more comfortable.’

  ‘Kate, I’ll wait outside,’ Max says.

  ‘No, don’t leave me, just turn around. Please, Max.’

  He holds his hand up. ‘OK.’

  Within a few minutes my clothes have been replaced by a gown.

  ‘I’ll get you some water,’ the nurse says and leaves the room.

  ‘Have they died?’ My eyes sting, and tears trickle down my cheeks.

  ‘Let’s wait and see what the doctor says.’ Rosie squeezes my fingers, trying to give me strength.

  ‘How can I tell Luke our children have died?’

  Max wipes away the dampness on my cheeks. ‘Stay positive.’

  I nod.

  ‘Max… Katenka – my mum – was in our house.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘She was in the hallway, and then… I don’t remember anything.’

  He looks alarmed, then disbelieving. ‘Kate, that’s not possible.’

  ‘It was her. I know what I saw.’

  He touches my forehead. He apparently thinks I have had a blow to my head. ‘Kate, she’s dead.’

  ‘I know she’s dead, Max! I’m not making it up. Plus, Rosie saw her too.’

  ‘There was a blonde woman there, Max, but I’ve never seen her before,’ Rosie says.

  The door opens and Dr Jenkins walks in with a nurse wheeling an ultrasound machine.

  ‘Hello, Kate. Please try not to worry, OK? First of all, let’s take your blood pressure.’

  I nod.

  The nurse takes my blood pressure.

  ‘Do you think they’re dead?’

  ‘It’s best not to jump to conclusions. Bleeding in pregnancy is not uncommon. Let me scan you. Do you want to do this alone?’

  ‘No, I want them to stay. Luke is on his way.’

  ‘OK. The gel will be cold.’

  I don’t care how cold it is; just tell me my babies are alive.

  She pushes the probe across my bump. ‘Take a deep breath, Kate. I’m worried about you. The nurse said you passed out – is that correct?’

  ‘Apparently, but I did have a shock today.’

  Dr Jenkins turns the screen around and all of a sudden the volume increases, allowing us to hear what sounds like galloping horses echoing around the room.

  ‘They’re alive,’ I say and close my eyes for a few seconds before looking greedily at the images of my two babies, to see how much they’ve changed from my previous scan.

  ‘Yes, they’re fine. Look.’ She points to the screen. ‘Two very strong heartbeats. I need to check the fluid around the babies, and your placenta. As you’re almost sixteen weeks, we can get a clearer picture.’

  ‘But what about the blood? Where did it come from?’

  ‘There’s no obvious sign. Sometimes bleeding can happen for no reason. You need to rest.’

  ‘They look amazing,’ Rosie says, keeping a firm grip of my hand.

  I look at Max, who remains silent.

  Then the door bursts open. It’s Luke.

  ‘Oh, thank God you’re here.’

  He strides towards me. ‘Are you OK? And—’

  ‘They’re fine.’ Dr Jenkins reassures him.

  He turns away, running his hands through his hair. Max takes his arm.

  ‘She’ll be fine.’ He looks across at Rosie. ‘Let’s get a coffee.’

  ‘I’ll bring you some tea,’ Rosie says.

  Luke presses his lips to my temple. ‘Jesus, Kate…’ He runs his hand down the side of my cheek. ‘What caused the bleeding?’ He looks at Dr Jenkins.

  ‘As I told Kate, I can’t find any underlying reason for the blood loss. The placenta looks healthy and the babies’ heartbeats are strong.’

  I take his hand. ‘I heard them.’ I look at Dr Jenkins. ‘Can you show him?’

  ‘Certainly. Take a seat, Luke.’

  She rolls the ultrasound probe across my bump.

  ‘OK. Here’s one.’ She points to the screen, although it is clear enough. ‘And there’s the other.’

  Luke lowers his head to the bed. ‘Thank you.’ He closes his eyes with relief.

  ‘Do you want to know the sex of your babies?’ she asks.

  ‘We said no. But now…’ I look at Luke. ‘Do you want to know?’

  ‘If you’d asked me yesterday, I would have said no.’

  ‘It’s your decision,’ she says.

  Luke looks at me. I nod.

  ‘Yes,’ he answers.

  ‘As you know, they are identical twins, and I am pleased to say you are expecting girls.’

  ‘Girls,’ he says.

  ‘Luke,’ I say and laugh.

  ‘Girls,’ he repeats. ‘Are you sure?’ His eyes widen and he looks stunned. Not many things shock him.

  ‘Positive.’ Dr Jenkins wipes the gel from my stomach. ‘I’d like to keep a close eye on you, Kate, OK?’

  ‘What can we do?’

  ‘Luke, there is nothing to do other than to ensure Kate rests. Her blood pressure is slightly low, but she did say she had a shock today, which might explain the low pressure and fainting.’

  Luke looks puzzled. ‘Shock?’

  ‘Kate, you already have an appointment next week, so I’ll see you then.’

  ‘OK.’

  Dr Jenkins leaves the room, followed by Luke. Then Rosie comes in, holding a tray of tea and sandwiches.

  After a few minutes, Luke returns, still looking puzzled. He sinks into the chair next to me. ‘Max just told me Katenka was in our house. Kate, I think you—’

  I wave my hand. ‘Oh no, you don’t get to sit there and tell me I’m bloody mad.’ I swing my legs aside.

 
‘What are you doing?’

  ‘Going home.’ Even though I want to leave, I feel too light-headed to stand.

  ‘Calm down.’

  ‘Calm down? You just said I’m losing it. I told you I saw Ivor at our wedding – and I was right.’

  ‘Breathe. Remember what Dr Jenkins just told you.’

  ‘Ask Rosie – she was with me. Better still, check the new CCTV you installed apparently looking for no one.’ I fold my arms and look angrily at the blank wall.

  ‘Tell me what happened.’

  ‘What’s the point? You don’t believe me.’

  ‘Just talk to me.’

  I take a deep breath. ‘Rosie and I were sitting at the breakfast bar and the buzzer rang. I answered it and the security man told me my mother was here. I didn’t read too much into it because Mum keeps forgetting the entry code.’

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘I told them to let her in, and when I walked into the hallway…’

  ‘It was Katenka.’

  I nod. ‘I know it was her. She looked older than in the photo I have of her, but she looked the same.’

  Luke sits back in his chair, looking thoughtful.

  ‘I don’t understand. Philip told me he killed her – unless it wasn’t her. But I know it was – he took such pleasure in telling me about it, he definitely wasn’t lying. And we know she was cremated.’ I close my eyes, longing to turn the clock back to yesterday so today could never happen. ‘Go on, tell me I’m crazy.’

  ‘I never said that.’

  ‘Who was the woman, Luke? Rosie saw her too.’

  ‘She said that a blonde woman was in the hallway, you collapsed and the woman ran off.’

  ‘Do you think it’s possible it was Katenka? I need to tell Ivor that I saw her.’

  ‘What can you tell him? That a woman stood in our hallway who looked like Katenka.’

  ‘Fuck, fuck, fuck.’

  He smiles. ‘Do you feel better for that?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘First, you need to rest. Today has been very stressful for you.’

  ‘I think it’s safe to say that your dead mother turning up would upset your mojo too.’

  ‘Hey, calm down. Let me take a look at the CCTV footage.’

  ‘Fine.’ I lie back. ‘I was having a good day – and now this. I want to go home.’

  ‘I’ll go and speak to Dr Jenkins. But you need to rest, OK? Don’t fight me on this.’

  I nod.

  Luke leaves the room, and leaves me wondering what the hell happened back at the house. I know what I saw, but how can I explain it? Then Rosie walks in.

  ‘He thinks I’m mad. But you saw her too.’

  Rosie sits down next to me. ‘I saw a blonde woman.’

  ‘Katenka.’

  ‘I don’t know, Kate… I don’t know what she looks like, and I’m sure she was wearing sunglasses. Honestly, it’s a bit of a blur.’

  ‘Perhaps I’m losing the plot.’ I close my eyes, feeling utterly lost.

  We finally arrive home. I lie on the bed feeling exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Whenever I close my eyes I see the silhouette of a woman in the hall. Is it Katenka? Who else could it have been? Regardless of who it was, our babies are OK, for which I am eternally grateful. Luke comes in and sits on the bed.

  ‘Do you feel better?’ he asks.

  ‘I’m hungry.’

  ‘I’ll order a takeaway.’

  ‘I made a chicken stew earlier.’

  ‘Of course you did.’ He kisses the tip of my nose.

  We sit at the island and consume the stew. The heat and richness are just what I need to warm me.

  ‘How was your lunch?’ I know Luke is trying to sidestep the elephant in the room – my dead mum.

  ‘Good. We’re going to carry on with our initial plans.’

  ‘Are you sure that’s what you want to do?’

  ‘I have to, for Mr Jones. I want this – for him too.’

  ‘I understand.’

  ‘I spoke to Rosie today – pre-collapsing.’

  He raises his brows.

  ‘What? I take it you haven’t checked the CCTV?’

  ‘I have.’

  ‘And?’

  ‘Eat and then we will look at it together. Carry on. You spoke to Rosie?’

  ‘I wondered whether we should get her some help, here at the house, other than the cleaners.’

  ‘You did?’ He smirks.

  ‘Yeah. I thought if we got her some help to keep on top of things it would free up her time to help me. This house will be chaos: two babies equals two feeds, two nappy changes, one pair of hands each time. I know people cope and I’m sure we’ll get there, but I thought Rosie would be the best choice to help us. What do you think?’

  ‘A nanny?’

  ‘Sort of. Well, she’ll be like an adopted grandmother anyway, won’t she? She can come to work with me and if we need to go away on business she and Jerry could come.’

  ‘You’ve given this some serious thought.’

  ‘I have. The babies mean the world to me, especially after today when I thought…’ I take a breath, not wanting to think of any other possible outcome. ‘She’s the perfect choice and when I mentioned it to her she was really excited.’

  ‘I like the idea.’

  ‘You do? Good. She also said that she can babysit if we want to go out for dinner or have some time alone.’

  ‘A booty call,’ he says with a sexual glint in his eye.

  ‘If that’s what you want to call it, yes.’

  ‘Have I told you how much I love Rosie?’

  Holding two mugs of tea, I walk to Luke’s office. I can hear him talking on the phone. I join him at his desk and he ends his call.

  ‘Thanks.’ He rubs his jaw. ‘Come here.’ He pushes back his chair, allowing me room to sit on his lap. ‘I want to show you something.’

  He presses a button and a video begins to play on the computer screen. It shows the outside of our house: first of all the gated area, then the front door. Then a woman appears in a dark coat, sunglasses and scarf. She looks as if she has tried to disguise herself.

  ‘You can’t see her face?’ I say.

  ‘No, it could be anyone.’

  ‘But the man at the gate said my mum was here. Why would he say that?’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  I sit up again. ‘OK. Let’s look at this with our rational hat on.’

  Luke tilts his head.

  ‘Bear with me. As far as we know, Katenka is dead – the slime ball told me that himself, and we have a copy of her death certificate to back up the story.’

  ‘Agreed.’

  ‘So why would a woman turn up here, saying she was my mother? Not Susan, but a blonde woman who looks like Katenka? Answer that.’

  He sits back in the chair. ‘I can’t.’

  ‘Did she come to the wrong address?’ I don’t believe it.

  ‘Honestly, I don’t have an answer. Let me look into it,’ he says.

  ‘Like you did when Ivor turned up in Venice and then vanished – you did a great job of finding him.’

  ‘Careful,’ he says. ‘I’ve spoken to Sullivan about it and sent him the video footage. He’ll see if she’s been picked up on the surrounding CCTV.’

  ‘What about Ivor and Harry?’

  ‘What about them?’

  ‘Er, should I tell them?’

  ‘We don’t have anything to tell them – apart from that a blonde woman turned up here announcing she was your mother. I’m all for honesty, but on this occasion I think you should keep quiet until we have hard evidence.’

  ‘OK. My next question is…’ I pick up his glass, which is filled with whisky. ‘You never drink.’

  ‘It�
��s been a stressful day.’

  ‘Work or me?’ I ask.

  ‘You. Work very rarely causes me issues.’

  ‘I was so scared. I thought I lost them.’ My hand tenderly brushes over my stomach. ‘So, we’re having girls…’ My eyes widen, waiting for his reaction. ‘Is that why you’re drinking?’

  ‘Maybe… Yes.’ He downs his drink.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘The house will be filled with two more females I can’t control.’ He runs his tongue along his bottom lip.

  I smile. ‘Seriously! And that worries you?’

  ‘Slightly. Girls – I will want to protect them.’

  ‘Of course, and if they were boys?’

  ‘I would teach them to shoot.’ He gives me a half smile.

  I laugh. ‘Luke, that’s sexist.’

  He holds his hands up in defeat. ‘Girls will want boyfriends.’

  ‘Well, don’t get ahead of yourself. I haven’t even had them yet. Besides, they may have your temperament, so good luck with that.’

  18

  ‘Luke, harder.’

  He stops moving.

  ‘Jesus, Kate.’ He frowns.

  ‘I asked Dr Jenkins and she said sex is fine – you were there too, Luke.’

  ‘She said yes to sex – not to me fucking you hard.’

  ‘She didn’t say slow either,’ I quip, which he finds amusing. ‘It’s not funny. You saw the scan the other day and the girls are fine, so you either fuck me hard and fast or you get off me.’

  ‘I can’t believe you said that.’ He stifles a smile.

  ‘Well I did, so bloody get on with it.’

  My hands slide through his hair, drawing his lips to mine. My libido has gone through the roof…

  Without too much persuasion, he increases his speed and thrusts harder. In no time, a delicious orgasm begins.

  ‘Luke…’ I’m lost in my very own delirious world.

  He thrusts with power, and I know he’s coming – hot and thick.

  ‘Fuck, I’m going to miss you.’ Tenderly, he presses his lips to mine.

  Eventually he lies next to me. I roll onto my side, propping myself up on my elbow.

  ‘I hate you leaving.’

  ‘You planned this girls’ trip to Sandbanks.’

  ‘I know, but only because you’re going to Dubai and now I want you to stay. What can I say? You have control over me.’