Bread, Dead and Wed

by Sherri Bryan

  “I think it’s best you stay here until Daddy gets back, sweetheart. He’ll bring you with him when he gets here, okay?”

  “Mummy, I don’t like it when you’re hurting,” Molly wailed, clinging onto Charlotte’s cardigan. “It makes me scared.”

  “You don’t have to be scared. It’s not very bad pain,” Charlotte fibbed as she tried to reassure Molly through gritted teeth. “It’s just the pain the baby gives me because it wants to come out so badly and meet us all. Look, I have to go now, but I’ll see you very soon, alright?”

  She let out a huge breath as she shuffled her way into the front seat of the car. Jess reached out and squeezed her hand. “I’ll get you to the hospital as quick as I can, okay?”

  They set off, with Ava and Olivia jabbering away in the back, giving Charlotte words of encouragement as they made their way to the hospital.

  “Yes, Jess is taking me now,” said Charlotte to Nathan. “Harriett and Betty are looking after Molly, Erin and Esme, and Ava and Olivia are cheering for me in the back seat. I know, I wish you were here, too, but I’ll see you at the hospital as soon as you can get there. What? Hang on. How long do you think it’ll take, Jess?”

  “With any luck, about ten minutes,” said Jess. “There are hardly any cars on the road.”

  “About ten minutes,” Charlotte reported back to Nathan. “Look, I’ve got to go, I’ve got another contraction coming. And don’t forget to stop off to pick up Molly, will you? Yes, love you too. I’ll see you soon.”

  You’ll be able to wait ten minutes, or so, won’t you?” Jess looked anxiously at Charlotte who was bracing herself against the dashboard.

  “I should think so.” Charlotte groaned.

  “How long did he say he was going to be?” asked Ava.

  “Another hour, at least,” said Charlotte. “It’d be nice if he got here in time for the birth, but I have a feeling the baby’s going to beat him to it.”

  They drove on, the wipers squeaking as they flailed against the windscreen at full speed, trying to keep it clear from the deluge of rain that was falling from the saturated sky.

  “Oh no… I don’t believe it,” said Jess. “Damn it!” The car came to a stop.

  “What’s happened?” said Ava, her voice rising. “Have we broken down?”

  “No, we haven’t broken down.” Jess pointed. “Look.”

  The headlights picked out the fallen tree ahead of them, its thick trunk straddling both kerbs and its branches strewn across the pavements.

  “No wonder there’s no one else coming this way,” said Jess. “It’s probably been on the traffic news.”

  “It’s the tree Betty and Harriett told us about, but I completely forgot about it,” said Ava. “They said the coach driver was told he’d have to take the long way round to avoid it.”

  Charlotte looked pleadingly at Jess. “How long d’you think the long way round will take?”

  Jess glanced at Ava in the back seat and tried to keep her voice calm. “Well, it would usually take about forty-five minutes, but in this weather, it might take a bit longer.”

  “How much longer?” asked Charlotte, panting.

  Jess shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. About an hour and a half, maybe.” She grabbed Charlotte’s hand when she saw the look of panic cross her face. “Look, try to keep calm. Maybe we should call an ambulance.”

  “I’ll do it,” said Olivia, dialling 999 and glad to be of use.

  Don’t worry, Charlotte, everything’s going to be fine.” Jess looked across to Ava again. “Isn’t it Ava?”

  “Of course it is.” Ava frowned at Jess as Charlotte let out a worrying groan.

  “No, actually, that doesn’t help!” said Olivia, stabbing angrily at the screen of her phone to end the call. “The ambulance can’t get here. It can’t even come the other way down the high street, because there are trees blocking it for half a mile. And the operator said the long way round is taking even longer at the moment, because all the usual traffic is going that way, as well as the motorway traffic, which has been diverted. She said an ambulance could take anything up to two hours to reach us, and that’s with its blue light flashing. God knows how long it’ll take you to get there if you turn around and go that route, Jess—about three hours, by the sound of it.”

  “Oh, my godfathers!” said Ava, flapping a street atlas in front of her face. “What are we going to do?”

  “Well, you helped when Molly was born,” said Jess. “Can’t you do the same again?”

  Ava’s eyes widened. “That was inside, in daylight, with lots of room, Jess, not in the pitch of night in the back seat of a car in the middle of a rainstorm.”

  A huge clap of thunder sounded right above them.

  “Make that a thunderstorm.”

  “Look!” said Charlotte, firmly. “I don’t care how, but I have got to get to the hospital. If you have to go the long way round, then please just do it, Jess. Please try.”

  “I could get you there quicker, Charlotte,” said Olivia, quietly.

  Three heads turned in unison.

  “And how exactly to you intend to do that?” said Ava.

  Olivia chewed on her lip. “I’ll carry her.”

  “Carry her?” chorused Jess and Ava.

  “Don’t be so ridiculous!” said Jess. “In case you hadn’t noticed, the rain is like stair-rods, it’s blowing a gale and the puddles are two foot deep.”

  “Have either of you got any better ideas?” Olivia said, with a glare. “This way is the quickest route to the hospital, but the car can’t make it. If you turn around and go the other way, you have no idea how much traffic you’ll get caught in. If I take her on foot, we’ll get there in half an hour, max. She’s going to get soaked, but I’ll get her there as fast as I can.” She leaned forward. “What do you think, Charlotte?”

  Charlotte forced a smile. “Well, as much as I think it’s a wonderful idea, it might have escaped your attention that I’m nine months pregnant and I weigh a ton.”

  Olivia chuckled. “Is that all you’re worrying about?” She sat up straight and flexed a bicep. “Look at me, Charlotte. I can carry a side of beef on these shoulders and I’ve got arms like ham hocks… and it’s about time I used them for doing good, rather than for pushing people around. I’m strong, I don’t fold under pressure, I’ll be careful, and I can do it.”

  “But what about your hair? It’ll get ruined.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “I don’t give a stuff about my hair, Charlotte. I just need you to trust me.”

  Charlotte looked at her for a while. “If you really think you can, then I trust you.”

  Olivia nodded and sprang into action. “Right, we can use this blanket for starters,” she said, pulling it off Ava’s knees. “And, Jess, do you have anything else in the boot we can use to cover her up with?”

  ____________

  When Charlotte was bundled up in two blankets, a plastic poncho, and a baseball cap from the back of Jess’s car, Olivia lifted her so easily into her arms, it was as though she was made of cotton wool.

  “Are you comfortable?”

  “Not really,” said Charlotte, “but I’m no less comfortable than I was in the car. Look, Olivia, before we set off, are you absolutely sure you can carry me all the way there?”

  “I promise you, I won’t stop until we get there - unless you need me to - and I won’t let you fall. Just put your arms around my neck and hold on tight, okay?”

  “Come on then,” said Ava. “

  “You’re not coming, too, are you?” said Olivia.

  “Well, someone’s got to bring the suitcase,” said Ava, her arms pumping up and down as she splashed along in a pair of Charlotte’s wellington boots. “I knew all that speed-walking would come in useful one day.”

  “And if you think I’m missing out on this, you’ve got to be joking,” said Jess, locking the car and turning up the collar on her jacket. She linked arms with Ava, and took the suitcase from her hand. “Eve
ryone ready? Then let’s go.”

  ____________

  True to her word, twenty-seven minutes later, Olivia strode into the foyer of the St. Eves’ General Hospital, her heavy boots squelching underfoot.

  “Please don’t tell me you carried this woman here?” said the woman behind the desk as Charlotte was settled into a wheelchair, and Olivia, Jess and Ava dripped water all over the floor.”

  Beaming with pride, and with her teeth chattering, Ava patted Olivia on the back. “She did. For almost thirty minutes. We had to stop five times, on account of Charlotte’s contractions - which are around five minutes apart, by the way - but Olivia carried her all the way.”

  Jess nodded. “If we’d had to wait for an ambulance, or go the route that wasn’t blocked, we’d probably still be hours away, and Charlotte would be having her baby in the back of my car.”

  Charlotte hung up the phone and handed it to Jess. “I’ve told Nathan I’m here and he’s going to bring you all some dry clothes.” She looked at the woman on the desk. “I don’t suppose you could give them a towel, or something, till my husband gets here, could you, please?”

  The woman smiled. “Leave it to me.”

  Charlotte nodded, then held out a hand to Olivia. “I don’t know how to thank you for this.”

  Blushing, Olivia took Charlotte’s hand and looked away. “No thanks necessary. I’m just glad you’re alright.”

  Charlotte started to speak but a contraction took the breath from her words as she was wheeled away.

  ____________

  Molly cradled the baby in her arms, tears rolling down her cheeks.

  “Why are you crying?” said Charlotte.

  “Because he’s so perfect,” said Molly, staring at the baby’s crumpled face. “Look at his tiny fingers and fingernails. And his tiny feet and tiny toes. He’s like a perfect little dolly. And he’s my brother and I’ll get to see him every day. I love him so much, Mummy.”

  “Well, that’s good,” said Charlotte. “I’m glad you like him. It would have been a bit of a problem if you didn’t, because we can’t send him back, you see.”

  Molly giggled and cried at the same time. “Can we have another one?”

  Charlotte held up a hand. “No more babies, sweetheart. This is definitely the last one. I’m a bit too old for any more.”

  Molly nodded and kissed the baby on the forehead. “What are we going to call him?”

  Charlotte looked at Nathan, who’d arrived home, then walked all the way to the hospital with Molly, and a bag containing dry clothes for everyone.

  “Well, Daddy and I were thinking…”

  ____________

  As Ava and Jess cooed and ooohed and aaahed over the baby, passing him from one to the other, Olivia looked on awkwardly from the end of the bed.

  “I’m not very good with kids,” she said. “Never have been, really. I don’t think they really like me.”

  A hand slipped into hers. “You were good with me, Oliver,” said Molly. “And I like you.”

  Olivia chuckled. “Yes, but you’re different. You’re not like other kids. You’re just… I don’t know, but you’re different. I think I scare lots of children, but I don’t scare you, do I?”

  Molly shook her head. “Nope.” She looked at Charlotte and Nathan for her cue and returned Nathan’s discreet wink with a very obvious one. “Oliver?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’ve got a surprise for you.”

  “Oh?” Olivia said, warily. “What surprise?”

  “You know my baby brother?”

  “Er, yes.”

  “Well, d’you know what his name is?”

  “No. I didn’t know you’d decided.”

  “Yep, we have.”

  Olivia shrugged. “I’ve no idea.”

  Molly grinned. “Well, we’ve named him after a really, really good friend… who we all like very much, and think is brilliant,” she added, for good measure.

  “Oh, right,” said Olivia. “And who’s that then?”

  “Can’t you guess?”

  Olivia sighed. “No, Molly, I really can’t.”

  Molly squeezed Olivia’s big hand with her small one. “You, silly. We called him Oliver.”

  Chapter 24

  Gordon Buckingham shuffled to the kitchen to throw the leftovers of his TV dinner for one into the waste bin.

  He hunched over the sink, his hands clutching the counter, and blinked back the tears.

  Since Izzy’s arrest, he’d been searching for the positives in his situation, and the bright side he always looked for, but he hadn’t been able to find either.

  It didn’t help that Lara wasn’t there to talk to, and he had no idea when she was coming back. He didn’t blame her for going back to the cruise ship with Joseph, but he missed her terribly.

  Surprisingly, though, the past few months had brought him an unexpected friend in Olivia. She’d arranged for a company who specialised in mobility aids to call round and fit him out with whatever he needed to make his life more comfortable, and she visited him as often as she could.

  But, as hard as he tried not to be, he was sad.

  It was early, just before eight, and the May sky was still blue as the onset of summer marched on.

  His carer had left half an hour before, and he wasn’t expecting company, so was surprised to hear a knock on the door.

  He wiped his bleary eyes and shuffled down the hall, making sure the chain was securely in place before he opened the door.

  It took him a while to focus. He took off his glasses and blinked.

  “Hello, Gordon.”

  The woman on the doorstep had aged twenty-five years but, to him, her face was as beautiful as it had been on the day he’d last seen it.

  “Melanie?”

  “I’m so sorry to turn up like this, out of the blue.” She wiped the palms of her hands on her skirt. “Would you like me to leave?”

  Gordon stared at her for a while. “I can’t take any more upset at the moment.”

  She nodded. “I’m sure you can’t, and it’s not my intention to upset you. Can I come in, please?”

  He stared at her again, then stepped aside. “You know where everything is.”

  Melanie made her way into the kitchen and perched on the edge of a chair. A smile spread across her face. “I don’t believe it, you’ve still got my Princess Diana mug!”

  Gordon blushed. “Hmpf, well, you know I don’t like to throw things away. It’s a perfectly good mug, after all. I didn’t keep it for sentimental reasons, if that’s what you’re thinking.” He grimaced as he settled himself in his usual chair, his fingers clenched around its arms. “What do you want, Melanie? I’m tired.”

  She turned her chair so it was facing his. Her dark hair, streaked with copper highlights and swathes of grey, was cut to her chin, and she tucked a lock of it behind her right ear. “I suppose I might as well just come out and say it.” She chanced a smile. “I’m sorry I left. I know it sounds feeble, but I am. I’ve regretted it every single day since then.”

  Gordon fixed her with a glare. “You obviously didn’t regret it enough to come back, though, did you?”

  Melanie nodded. “But I did. I did come back. I came back twice. I spoke to Lara the first time.”

  Gordon’s brow creased. “What d’you mean, you came back twice? Why didn’t I see you, then?”

  “Because the first time, you had a doctor with you and Lara wouldn’t let me in. In fact, not only would she not let me in, she told me that if I ever showed my face around here again, or tried to get in touch with you, I’d be sorry. Honestly, she was vicious.”

  Gordon stared, his mouth hanging open.

  “Anyway, I hoped the passing of time might have made her less antagonistic, so I came back again a few years later.”

  Gordon shook his head. “She never told me.”

  “That’s because she wasn’t here, and neither were you. She’d taken you to a physio appointment. I had the dubious pl
easure of speaking to Izzy, instead.” Melanie shuddered. “I told her I wanted to see you and she said you’d been through enough, and that she and her mother were making sure nothing ever upset you again. Then she told me I had ten seconds to make myself scarce before she stuck a knife in me.”

  Her gaze dropped to her hands folded in her lap before she raised her eyes to meet Gordon’s. “I promise what I’m telling you is true. I know I did wrong by walking out, but I was young, and scared, and I didn’t know how to cope with the situation. I should have stayed with you; in sickness and in health, just like I promised I would. Remember?”

  She slid off the chair and knelt down next to Gordon. “I’m so sorry I hurt you. I swear I never meant to, but I did, and I can’t take that back.” She took his hands in hers. “But I can try to make up for it… if you’ll have me.”

  Gordon flopped back in the seat. “Are you saying you want to come back? After all this time?”

  “I would have come back years ago if I could have. I’m only brave enough now because I know Lara and Izzy are out of the way. I love you, Gordon… I’ve never stopped.” Melanie held up her hand with the wedding ring she still wore, and brought his hands to her lips. “I hoped, as you never got in touch to ask for a divorce, that you might still feel the same way I do. I know it’ll take a long time, but do you think you’ll ever be able to forgive me for leaving you?”

  His eyes shone with tears as he took her hands and pulled her into a hug. “Do I think I’ll be able to forgive you?” His chest heaved with a sob. “Oh, Melanie, my love, of course I forgive you.” He pulled away from her and ignored the tears that fell onto his cheeks. He cupped her face in his hands and smiled.

  “Forgiveness is the only way, you know… forgiveness is the only way.”

  Chapter 25

  On an autumn day – the best kind, when the sky is blue, the air still holds its warmth, and nature’s colours are vivid and warm – a steady stream of guests arrived at All Saints church to celebrate the wedding of Olivia Elizabeth Floyd-Martin and Roy Ashwin Tanner.

  In Olivia’s living room, Charlotte stood back and brushed a tear from her eye.