by Lynsey James
‘You know those people you wish you could hate, but they’re way too nice?’ I say. ‘She’s one of them!’
Mum chuckles. ‘Yup, I know exactly what you mean. You almost wish they had a huge character flaw so you could have an excuse not to like them.’
I walk over to the living room door and watch her mingle. Being in a crowd is so effortless for her, in a way that it’s never been for me. People gravitate towards her and it’s not hard to see why …
I don’t have much time to dwell on my thoughts after I’m hugged from behind by two separate sets of arms. I turn round and see Zara and Emma standing in front of me, bearing brightly coloured gift bags.
‘Hey you two, thanks for coming!’ I say, stretching my arms as wide as I can to envelop them in a hug of my own. ‘There’s plenty of food in the kitchen, so help yourselves!’
Zara stays behind, while Emma goes to see what culinary delights are on offer.
‘I just thought I’d let you know that Craig asked for another chance last week, and I told him to do one,’ she says with a proud smile. ‘You’re right, I do deserve better.’
My heart swells with pride. ‘Good for you! I’m glad you’ve finally seen the light.’
‘Next year, it’s going to be a brand new start. No more cheating, lying ex-husbands, just adventures and maybe even a hot new man if I can find one!’
I give her an extra tight hug, ignoring yet another painful twinge. ‘Any bloke would be lucky to have you.’
Over her shoulder, I see Amanda walk in with a very familiar figure trailing behind her. Adam Hartwell himself. She waves at me as she makes her way towards me, arms outstretched for a hug.
‘Hey you, happy Christmas Eve,’ I say. ‘And I see you’ve brought a date.’
She shakes her head. ‘It’s not a date! He just … asked if he could come along with me and I didn’t say no.’
The coy smile playing on her lips tells me otherwise, and there’s a glow in her cheeks that wasn’t there before.
‘Go on, I’ll pretend I believe you,’ I say with a wink. ‘Help yourself to food in the kitchen.’
Adam flashes me a sheepish grin and matching wave as he follows Amanda. I give him a warning glare, but follow it up with a smile. He obviously adores her enough that he’s come to the party with her, but he still has a lot of making up to do for how he acted earlier in her pregnancy. Something tells me he won’t be in for an easy ride where she’s concerned.
I take a moment to look at my favourite people, all gathered under my roof. It’s crazy to think that two years ago, my world was so small. I wouldn’t let anyone get close in case they hurt me, but now I’m lucky enough to know all these amazing people. My life and heart are so full of warmth and love that I truly can’t imagine being any happier.
Scott looks at me from the living room, raising his glass in my direction and sticking his tongue out at me. I wink at him and head off to the kitchen to check there’s enough food for everyone, even though I know I’ve cooked enough to feed a small island nation. As I’m neatening up the plates of cocktail sausages and Scotch eggs, I knock an empty glass to the floor behind the island counter.
Bollocks.
I head round to the cupboard under the sink and crouch down to look for the dustpan and brush. I feel a couple of Braxton-Hicks contractions and put a protective hand on my bump.
‘Everything’s OK,’ I whisper. ‘You’re fine.’
Just then, I hear a voice coming from behind me. It’s unmistakably Natalie’s.
‘There’s something I need to tell you,’ she says. ‘Something I should’ve told you a long time ago.’
Her words are fuzzy at the edges; she’s had a few glasses of wine, but not enough to make her completely wasted.
‘What is it?’ A new voice joins in this time, it’s Scott’s. ‘What do you have to tell me?’
Natalie sighs and laughs. I’m really glad I’m hidden behind the island counter right now.
‘Cleo would kill me if she knew I was saying this. I promised her I wouldn’t, but … I just can’t hold it back any longer.
You bitch, I want to say, so much for all your promises.
This is it. She’s about to tell him she still loves him and there’s nothing I can do. I brace myself for what’s about to happen, reminding myself that Scott loves me and doesn’t want to go back to Natalie.
‘Scott, I … I …’
I feel something wet pooling on the floor beneath me. Great, I think, I’m about to listen to my boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend profess her love for him and now my sink’s leaking.
Except it isn’t.
The leak is coming from me.
I jump up in fright, almost banging my head on the island counter. Natalie jumps away from Scott, like a cat on hot bricks, and turns to look at me.
‘Cleo?’ Scott says with a frown. ‘What were you doing down there?’
‘I don’t want to worry you,’ I reply. ‘But I think I’ve just gone into labour!’
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Snow at Christmas time is absolutely lovely, for the most part.
Except, it has to be said, when you need to get to hospital.
‘What do you mean, the ambulance can’t get through?!’ Scott yells down the phone at the switchboard operator. ‘My girlfriend has just gone into labour eight weeks early! What are we supposed to do?’
There’s a brief pause then he slams the phone down on the kitchen counter, growling and muttering under his breath.
‘What did they say?’ I ask, trying not to give away how terrified I am.
‘Because the snowfall’s been so heavy, they can’t get an ambulance to Silverdale for a good few hours,’ he replies through gritted teeth. ‘Right, screw it. We’re taking the car.’
He goes to find his car keys, but my dad stops him. ‘If an ambulance can’t make it in this weather, son, your Honda won’t be able to.’
‘Well, what do you suggest we do?’ he asks. ‘Cleo needs to get to hospital! The baby could be in danger.’
His voice cracks and my heart breaks a little for him. He comes to sit next to me on the couch and takes my hand.
‘Don’t worry, we’re going to get you to hospital,’ he says, kissing the top of my head. ‘We might even have a Christmas Day baby!’
I nod as another contraction rips through me. ‘She knows how to make a dramatic entrance anyway!’
I want to ask him what’ll happen if something goes wrong, so he can tell me everything will be OK like he always does. But I can’t let myself think about that now. This is my time to be the strong, independent mama who’s going to deliver my baby into the world.
Dad comes over with his own set of car keys. ‘I’ve had snow tyres fitted on my car. Take it and stick to the back roads; they won’t be hit as hard with the snow.’
Scott helps me to my feet and gives my dad a quick hug. ‘Thanks Dave, I promise I’ll get her there safely.’
‘Wait!’ Marilyn shrieks. ‘I’m coming too, I can’t miss the birth of my first grandchild!’
‘If she’s coming, then so am I,’ Mum pipes up, looking frantically around her for her handbag.
‘Guys, just stay here eh?’ I say, holding my hands up. ‘We’ll call you when we’ve got news.’
Both grandmothers-to-be look disappointed, but nod. Scott and I make our way out to the car, anticipation and terror brewing between us.
‘Well,’ I say, ‘are you ready to meet your daughter?’
‘Definitely,’ he replies with a smile.
*
We eventually make it to the hospital, after a death-defying trip along the back roads leading out of Silverdale. They make Brands Hatch look like a Sunday drive at the best of times, but in blizzard conditions they’re even worse.
Lisa meets us when we get there and, after a thorough assessment, confirms I’m in what she calls ‘active labour’.
‘You’re about three centimetres dilated, but I think things will probably progre
ss quite quickly,’ she says. ‘I know she’s coming a bit earlier than planned, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on her. If she needs any help, we’ll know straight away. I’ve given you an injection to speed up her lung development and she’ll have to go to the special care unit when she comes out.’
I swallow hard and grab Scott’s hand. ‘But she’ll be OK, won’t she? I mean, she won’t …?’
I can’t finish the sentence as my voice crumbles.
‘Babies born at this stage have a ninety-five percent chance of survival, and we have a great team here,’ Lisa assures me. ‘She’ll need some help with her breathing, but apart from that we don’t have any major concerns. Her heart rate’s normal and all her vitals are fine. I’ll be back to check on you in a few minutes.’
She leaves the room and Scott lets out a deep breath. ‘I guess all we can do now is wait.’
‘I wonder if she’ll be a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day baby,’ I reply. ‘Hey, we still haven’t agreed on a name yet!’
‘Let’s not go for any festive-themed ones eh?’ He chuckles. ‘Might be a bit cruel calling her Holly or Carol.’
‘I’m still rooting for Violet, but maybe we should wait and see what she looks like when she’s born.’
A vision of a team of doctors and nurses whipping my newborn baby away from me to take her to the special care unit flashes in my mind. Tears spring to my eyes.
‘Hey,’ Scott whispers, taking my hand. ‘She’s going to be fine. You heard what Lisa said; they have a brilliant team here to help her and she’s doing fine right now. She was just so excited to meet us that she decided to come a bit early, that’s all.’
I let out a strange half-chuckle, half-sob sound and wipe my eyes. ‘Yeah, you’re right. I suppose we get a few extra weeks of cuddles eh?’
In an effort to distract myself from how terrified I am, I force my mind onto another subject. Anything that doesn’t involve something terrible happening to my baby.
Unfortunately I start thinking about Natalie’s almost-confession to Scott. I sneak a sideways glance at him. He’s totally unaware that his beautiful ex is in love with him, whereas I’ve known for weeks.
Should I tell him?
I’m not worried about him leaving me; he’s more than proven how committed he is to the baby and me and how much he loves us both. It’s more that we’ve been through the toughest year and everything is about to change forever, so telling him now might not be the best idea. Yet I still feel like he deserves to know. I have to see how he reacts, to cement everything in my mind.
‘Scott …you know how you were with Natalie in the kitchen? Before I went into labour, I mean.’
He nods, the look on his face telling me he’s blissfully unaware of what’s about to come next.
‘Well she said she had something to tell you …’ I trail off as I feel another contraction.
Scott laughs and shakes his head. ‘Yeah, it was probably just something daft though. Nothing to worry about, probably.’
‘I-I know what she wanted to say … She’s still in love with you. Always has been, apparently.’
He frowns and runs a hand through his hair. If the news has fazed him in any way, he’s not showing it. ‘Oh … OK then. How do you know that?’
‘She told me when your mum was in the hospital. She said she’s with another man now, but she’ll never love him the way she loves you. I’m not telling you this because I’m afraid you’re going to leave me, I just … I thought you deserved to know.’
Scott nods, his facial expression just the same as it always was. ‘I hope it goes without saying that I don’t feel the same way about her. We haven’t been a couple for a long time and I don’t have any desire to get back with her. Since the day I met you, Cleo, I’ve loved you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.’
I feel a lump rise in my throat. ‘You’re such a cheeseball.’
His gaze lowers to the ground for a moment then he looks at me, a smile dancing on his lips.
‘I was going to wait until tomorrow to do this, but … I want to give you your Christmas present now,’ he says.
As he’s digging around in his pocket, I feel an odd feeling come over me. Pain grips me and one of the monitors I’m hooked up to starts making an ear-splitting noise.
‘Cleo?’ Scott’s voice is full of panic as he runs to the door. ‘We need a nurse in here!’
The sounds around me start to feel really far away and my vision begins to blur. Bodies rush into the room and I can hear someone yelling at me to stay awake.
Then everything goes black.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The first thing I notice when I wake up is the pounding in my head, followed by a bright white light.
Oh God, have I died? Is this what heaven looks like? Will Morgan Freeman pop up from nowhere in a minute?
The next face I see isn’t Morgan Freeman’s though; it’s Scott’s.
‘Hey,’ he says, his voice slightly hoarse. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘I … I’m not dead then?’ I reply. My words are fuzzy round the edges and my mouth feels dry.
He chuckles. ‘No! Although you did manage to scare everyone to death.’
‘What happened? The last thing I remember is you were going to give me my Christmas present.’
He face tightens for a moment and I see his face go a little paler. ‘You … you started bleeding and had to go to theatre for an emergency caesarean. The baby was in distress and they had to act really quickly.’
Terror spreads all over my body and I feel my heart begin to race. ‘Oh God Scott, is she …?’
‘She’s fine,’ he says softly, stroking my face. ‘She’s in the special care unit now because she needs some help with her breathing, but otherwise she’s perfect.’
I breathe a sigh of relief and hot tears begin to stream down my face. ‘Oh thank god. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to her. H-have you been to see her?’
Scott nods and I see his eyes are shining with tears too. ‘She’s … she’s just like you. Absolutely beautiful and I think she’s going to be a bundle of trouble one day!’
‘I have to go and see her,’ I declare, trying to sit up and failing. My lower half feels like it’s on fire, even though I’ve only moved a little bit.
‘I’ll go and get Lisa to check on you, then we’ll see about getting you down to see her,’ he says as he gets up and walks to the door. ‘You’ll love her. Oh, and Merry Christmas.’
I sink back onto the pillow and gaze up at the ceiling. It’s Christmas Day and I’ve been given the best gift of all: my baby girl. Abrand new adventure is just about to unfold in front of me and I couldn’t be more excited.
*
Lisa checks me out and helps me into a wheelchair so I can go down to the special care unit. When I’m there, Scott points to the incubator where our little girl is. My breath catches in my throat when I see her. She’s a little bit jaundiced and hooked up to tubes and machines, but she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
‘Oh my god, look at her,’ I whisper, lifting my hands to my mouth. Scott puts a hand on my shoulder and gives it an affectionate squeeze.
‘The incubator can look a bit scary,’ Lisa says, ‘but she won’t be in there for very long. She’s a really good weight for being born so early too; four pounds.’
I nod and swallow away the lump in my throat. ‘When can I hold her?’
‘We’ll see about getting you some cuddles in the next few days,’ Lisa replies. ‘She needs some time in the incubator to stabilise first. I’ll just be down the corridor if you need me, but you’re more than welcome to go inside and see her.’
She heads off down the corridor and Scott wheels me into the special care unit. I put my hand up to the glass and watch her wriggle about.
‘She’s so beautiful,’ I say. ‘Look at her, Scott!’
He nods and crouches down so he’s at eye level with her. ‘See, I told you she was just like you. This has g
ot to be the best Christmas present ever. Thank you, Cleo.’
He puts a hand on my cheek, bringing my face round to meet his and kissing me on the lips.
‘I know this year’s been really tough and we’ve had a lot to deal with, but if it’s taught me anything it’s that I definitely want to spend the rest of my life with you. I originally planned to do this while we were surrounded by our family and friends, but …’
He pauses for a second and digs into his pocket, bringing out a small velvet box. There are tears in his huge brown eyes and I feel my breath catch in my throat again.
‘Cleo Jones, you are the most incredible woman in the world. From the moment I helped you when you got stuck in the rowing machine at the gym, I knew you were special and I feel so lucky that you’re in my life. I can’t wait to build a life together with you and our little girl, and I promise to do everything I can to make you both happy. Will you marry me?’
He opens the box to reveal a beautiful diamond engagement ring; it’s a platinum band with one main princess-cut diamond and some smaller diamonds set into it.
I let out a sob as I nod my head. ‘Of course I will!’
He grins widely and slips the ring onto my finger, pulling me in for a gentle hug so as not to hurt me.
‘I love you so much,’ he whispers.
‘I love you too.’ I put my hands on either side of his face and kiss him.
The baby lets out a little cry from her incubator and we turn our attention back to her.
‘Sorry, we should be giving you all the attention, shouldn’t we?’ I chuckle. ‘And you still need a name!’
Scott laces his fingers with mine. ‘How about Violet? It really suits her and it’s the only name we’ve managed to agree on. Although I’m still holding out for Princess Consuela Bananahammock.’
I swat his arm and roll my eyes, before smiling at my new daughter.
‘Welcome to the world, Violet Robinson. It might be a scary place sometimes, but I promise to be the best mummy I can possibly be for you. I’ll help you chase your dreams, I’ll always be proud of you and I promise to never make you feel like you’re not enough because you always will be. You’re going to be my biggest and best adventure and I can’t wait to be your mum.’