Unexpected

by Jenny Frame

  “Thank you. That’s such a relief, I can’t tell you. Let me make you tea before you go. I’ll even give you posh biscuits.”

  There was no way Dale was going to turn down that. “Great. That would be nice.”

  Once Becca made the tea, Dale carried the tray over to the table and sat down. Dale’s bag of things she had bought was still sitting on the floor and she was waiting for the right moment to bring it up.

  When she was nearly finished her tea, she lifted the bag onto the table and prayed this would go down well.

  “Before I go, I wanted to give you something. I was doing some research on the net about high blood pressure and I picked up some things that might help.”

  She rummaged in her bag and brought out three bottles onto the table.

  “Potassium, vitamin C, and magnesium. I checked with the pharmacist that they were okay for a pregnant woman. It says on the internet that these vitamins can really help.”

  “Dale, that’s really thoughtful, but—”

  “There’s more, hang on.”

  Dale took out a box and placed it on the table before rubbing the back of her neck bashfully.

  “I know when Val was pregnant, getting massages from Sammy always made her feel better, so since I can’t do that for you, I got you this neck massager.”

  Dale handed over the box to an astonished Becca.

  “The guy in the shop said it was really good. You put it around your neck like a scarf.”

  Next she brought out a digital music player. “I made up a special relaxation playlist for you on here. I thought you could listen while you had the neck massager on. Oh, and I got a pack of my favourite lollipops for the wee man. You can just pretend you bought them.”

  Becca started to feel emotional again. Despite the fact that Dale could have thrown money at her, she took the time to find out what little things would make life easier, and bought her those. No one had ever taken such an interest in her pregnancy. In fact Trent saw it as an inconvenience, something that had ruined their plans, but Dale was almost like an excited kid about it.

  Becca tried to remind herself that she barely knew Dale and could never trust her intentions. A little paranoid voice inside her said, She’s just using you to get close to Jake.

  “Dale, I don’t know what to say. This was very kind.”

  Dale put the empty bag down on the table and looked sad. “Well, this is my last day with you. The car’s fixed and I didn’t want to leave without helping in some wee way.”

  Becca wanted to hug Dale then for her sweetness and for being sad. It was insane, and so unlike Becca’s normal behaviour, but each day Becca saw Dale, and every bad joke she heard, something softened inside her.

  Just then the baby made itself known and gave Becca a sharp kick. When Becca cried out in surprise, Dale was on her feet in panic.

  “What’s wrong? Is it the baby?”

  “She’s kicking. Come here and feel.” Becca was astonished at herself. Why had she said that? She always kept people at arm’s length, and here she was inviting Dale to feel the baby.

  Dale was over like a shot, kneeling down in front of her, full of excitement. Becca took her hand and placed it on her stomach.

  The baby didn’t disappoint and gave her a few strong kicks. Dale gasped in wonder. “Wow. I can’t believe it. She’s really in there. Hello, wee yin. I can feel you kicking.”

  Becca couldn’t help but feel excited at sharing this moment with Dale. When she was pregnant with Jake, she’d never shared anything like this with anyone. It was nice.

  Then Dale looked up at her with eyes full of emotion. “Thank you for sharing this with me, Becca.”

  Becca’s heart started to beat fast as this moment began to feel rather intimate. She had to stop herself from running her hands through Dale’s short messy hair.

  “Dale?”

  “Yes?” Dale said breathily.

  She couldn’t understand why she was about to say this, but she did anyway. “Do you want to come back next week and do some more repairs from Jake’s list? Whenever you’re free, of course.”

  The biggest smile imaginable broke out on Dale’s face. “I’d love to. Thank you so much, Becca. I promise I’ll follow any rules you want to give me. I just want to help you.”

  “It’s so hard for me to trust, Dale. I hope I’m doing the right thing,” Becca said.

  “You are. I promise.” Dale reluctantly took her hand off the baby bump and stood up. “I better go, I suppose.”

  Becca walked her out to her van, and Dale asked, “What do you and Jake do on a Friday night?”

  “We usually watch a film, if I can drag him away from his latest coding project. He’s coding a game to help children with maths at the moment.”

  Dale smiled with what Becca could only describe as pride. “He’s such a great kid.”

  Becca nodded, “Sometimes we get a pizza, if I can manage it. Pizza is Jake’s favourite food.”

  “A boy after my own heart,” Dale said, but clearly realized how it could be taken and corrected herself quickly. “It’s just a turn of phrase—I didn’t mean he was mine.”

  But he is, Becca thought.

  “So what does Dale McGuire do on a Friday night? I’m sure the ladies are lining up waiting for you.” Becca regretted saying it as soon as the words came out of her mouth, when she saw Dale’s face fall.

  “I go out to the pub because I don’t have anything else in my life, not because I go on the hunt for women. Your kind of Friday night sounds much better. Take care of yourself and the wee yin. I’ll see you Monday.”

  * * *

  Dale almost skipped with happiness and excitement as she walked into the headquarters branch of McGuire’s Motors. The garage was full of noise and shouts as cars up on the ramps got fixed or serviced. Some the mechanics called out to Dale as she passed. One man said, “Hey, stranger, where have you been hiding?”

  His workmate said, “Somewhere getting some of what you can’t, Mike. A woman.”

  Dale laughed and left them to their banter. If only they knew she was with a woman, having no sex whatsoever, and happier than she had ever been. If only she could see Jake too, it would be perfect, but Dale hoped she could work on that. She never ever wanted to take Jake away from Becca, that was the truth, but she would like to see him again.

  Dale went into the reception area where the customers waited for their cars, and walked up to the desk manager, Ted, a retired mechanic who was really good with the customers.

  She waited until he was finished and leaned on the desk.

  “Dale, what can I do you for?”

  “I have a list of car parts I need for the Ford I’ve been working on.”

  Dale handed Ted the list and he sucked air in through his teeth, before saying, “New tyres, new engine, paint job? For all this year of car is worth, you’d be as well buying a whole new car.”

  “I know, but that isn’t an option for my friend. So I have to just make the best of it.”

  Dale would have gladly gotten her a car, or given them one of McGuire’s Motors’s courtesy cars, but she knew Becca would never, ever agree to that.

  Even though the car was fixed, it was in bad condition, so Dale thought if she could give it a complete overhaul that would be a safer car for Becca and the children.

  Ted nodded. “I’ll get them ordered up. It should just be a couple of days.”

  “Thanks, Ted, are Sammy and Val here?”

  “Yes, they’re stock-taking in the back office.”

  “Thanks, mate.”

  As she walked back to the offices her head was full of ideas to make Becca’s house more liveable. She had enjoyed being around the house, helping Becca out and trying to break down her walls.

  Becca’s initially frosty reception had given way to a reserved and careful woman who didn’t give anything away, except today. Today she had seen the Becca underneath the reserved exterior, and she wanted more.

  Dale found Sammy go
ing through the stock lists and Val working on the computer.

  “Hey, mate,” Sammy said. “How did you get on today?”

  Dale threw her jacket on her chair and sat down in front of her computer.

  “It was fantastic. She let me feel the baby kick,” Dale said excitedly.

  Val and Sammy looked at each other, before Val said, “Wait, the same woman that didn’t want you there and would hardly talk to you let you feel the baby.”

  “Aye, I think my excellent repertoire of jokes finally got through to her. She was upset because the dishwasher broke and I comforted her, and the wee yin kicked inside her and—”

  Dale stopped and relived the moment. It brought tears to her eyes, and she quickly had to get herself under control.

  “Dale? What was it like?” Val asked.

  “It was the best moment of my life. I couldn’t have imagined feeling like that—the feeling that a part of me was growing inside a beautiful woman like Becca.”

  Before she completely broke down, Dale logged on to her computer.

  Sammy cleared her throat. “Listen, mate. I know what it feels like to experience something like that. I couldn’t stop touching Val’s baby bump when she was pregnant with Mia, but…”

  “But what?” Dale said sharply.

  Val patted Sammy on the hand and answered for her. “You’re not her partner, and you’re not the baby’s parent. Rebecca is.”

  Dale was starting to get really angry. “Why are you saying this to me? You were the ones that said I should try to help her out.”

  “Yes, help her, Dale, but it sounds like you’re getting attached, and when Rebecca decides she’s had enough of your help, you are going to be hurt.”

  Dale sat back in her chair and tried to look as nonchalant as possible. “Me? Hurt? No way. I just want to help, that’s all.”

  Val made an exasperated noise and slapped the desk, making both Sammy and Dale jump.

  “Don’t give me any of that Dale-from-the-bar patter. I helped bring you up, I held you when you found out your first girlfriend was married, and then again when your mother wrote you that letter, so don’t try and tell me you couldn’t care less.”

  Dale sprang up and walked to the window. “Okay, okay, I care. I want to know them. I want to get to know Jake, I want to help Becca. I think she’s beautiful and I want to break down her walls. I want more than a life of going to the pub, drinking, dancing, and waking up in some stranger’s bed, some woman I don’t even like. I’m ready for something more now.”

  After receiving a push from Val, Sammy walked over to her and put an arm around her. “Mate, do you not think it’s a bit soon to feel this way?”

  “I felt my child move inside her, Sammy. How could I not? I need to try. If I’m hurt, then at least I tried.”

  “If that’s how you feel,” Val said, “then we’ll be here for you.”

  Dale managed a smile. “Thanks, and thanks for covering for me with the business. I know I’ve been preoccupied.”

  Sammy laughed. “So preoccupied, you haven’t even changed the month on your precious Britney Spears calendar.”

  Dale’s eyes went wide and she hurried over to the other side of the room and took the calendar off the wall before flipping the page to the next month. She put it back up onto the wall and spoke to it.

  “I’m sorry I forgot about you, Britney. There’s another wee lassie in my life now, and she might not know it yet, but I’m going to wear her down and make her like me.”

  Chapter Eight

  Since the car was fixed, Becca thought she would meet Jake when school let out, then pick up some things for dinner. So she called ahead and asked the school to not put Jake on the bus. As she drove down the country roads, she thought how wonderful it was to have her car back in full working order. In her current condition, it meant independence and freedom.

  Without the car, Becca had been too reliant on Sadie, and as willing as Sadie was, Becca didn’t like to put so much on the elderly woman’s shoulders. Now she didn’t have to be a burden to anyone, and that was all thanks to Dale McGuire.

  Dale had bounced into her life without warning, with her bad jokes and big smiles, and despite the cold reception she had given her, she kept smiling and trying.

  Becca pulled through the gates and parked in the parents’ and visitors’ area. The Westview School’s building was beautiful, a former eighteenth-century estate house that served the once bustling village. It was similar to the school Becca had attended as a child, although she had boarded, and Westview took both boarders and day pupils. Becca couldn’t imagine not having Jake come home at night. He was her little miracle and meant everything to her.

  She turned off the engine and sat back in the seat.

  Becca looked over to the group of parents also waiting for their children. They chatted and laughed, no doubt sharing stories and the difficulties of family life. Becca had never walked over and joined the group. She always stayed on the periphery, trying to go unnoticed. Not that she was shy or inhibited, but she had learned through experience that protecting her anonymity meant never making friends and never letting anyone in.

  She closed her eyes and unexpectedly an image of Dale on her knees, feeling the baby kick, floated across her mind, along with a feeling of warmth.

  Her eyes snapped open. That moment had replayed over and over in her mind since it had happened.

  Becca had no idea why she had acted so spontaneously and let Dale experience what her baby felt like. She never allowed anyone that close, far less someone potentially dangerous to her family. Yet she had, and every time she had a quiet moment the tenderness they’d shared when Dale gazed into her eyes with genuine wonder was something she couldn’t forget.

  Becca kept trying to remind herself that she couldn’t trust Dale, no matter how genuine she appeared. Someone had slipped behind her defences before and destroyed the last vestiges of her family.

  Angel, trust me with your heart. I love you, and I’ll take care of you…

  Becca was disturbed by a knock on her window, and she jumped in fright, but turned her head and saw the smiling face of one of the teachers. She rolled down the window and said, “Good afternoon, Ms. Chester. Is everything all right?”

  “Yes, nothing to worry about. I just wondered if we could have a quick chat?”

  Becca followed the teacher to one of the school offices.

  “Take a seat, Ms. Harper. My classroom assistant is getting the children ready, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to get a quick word with you about Jake.”

  Becca was immediately on alert. “Why? Did something happen?”

  “No, don’t worry. I simply wanted to discuss his behaviour. We’ve spoken before about Jake being slightly withdrawn from the other children, liking to work himself on projects and other class activities. Well it’s getting worse, I’m afraid. I do understand Jake is working at a much higher level than anyone else, but learning to work together is important.”

  “I understand, Ms. Chester, and I’ve been encouraging him to interact more. That’s why I sent him to computer club after school.”

  Computer club was an expensive extra at Westview School, but if it meant Jake would benefit from it, Becca would do anything.

  “He loves computer club, Ms. Chester, and I’m sure it must be helping—”

  “Ms. Harper, he doesn’t work with the other children there either. My colleague who runs the club contacted me because she had similar concerns. Jake works on his own projects, not group activities, and in the last few weeks he’s been a lot worse. He won’t even go outside with the other children at break time.”

  This new information was hitting Becca hard. “I had no idea. I just assumed that computer club was helping.”

  “I’m afraid not. Does Jake have friends outside of school that he regularly plays with?”

  “No, not really.” Becca hadn’t really thought about that aspect of her son’s life. She was so used to hiding and coveri
ng her tracks that it never occurred to her that Jake would be learning the same patterns from her. She had never discouraged friendships, but never encouraged them either.

  Ms. Chester leaned forward. “We think Jake should start sessions with the school psychologist.”

  Becca felt an intense feeling of panic. Everything was going wrong in their life, and she knew the blame should lie at her door. She had lost control.

  * * *

  Dale answered the doorbell and Mia jumped into her arms. “Dale!”

  “Hey, munchkin. How are you today?”

  “Great, I can’t wait to play with you. I brought all my favourite games.”

  Sammy appeared at the door a few seconds later and said, “Are you sure about this, Dale? Val’s mum couldn’t watch Mia, but we could change our dinner plans. I know you always go out Friday nights.”

  Dale took Mia’s bags from Sammy and shook her head. “No, I don’t want to go out. There’s nothing I want or need at Belles any more.”

  Sammy looked at her seriously. “They’ve got inside your head, haven’t they?”

  Dale gulped hard. Inside her head, inside her heart…Jake and Becca were all she could think about. She had this need inside her that she’d never known could exist, or that she even had a name for, but it was pulling her heart to that run-down vicarage in the country. It had gotten even worse since she had shared that special moment with the beautiful Becca and the baby.

  “Yeah, but I’ll handle it. You and Val have a good night, okay?”

  Sammy gave her a soft punch on the shoulder. “You know we’re here for you, mate.”

  “I know, thanks.”

  Once Sammy left, Dale put Mia’s bags in the spare room and walked back to the living room. “We’ll order pizza soon. You get the game set up and I’ll get some juice, okay?”

  When she came back through to sit down, Mia was sitting on the couch looking at her picture of Becca and Jake.

  Shit!

  She had forgotten to put it back in her wallet. “Hey, Mia. Here’s your juice.”

  Dale put both their drinks on the table and down beside Mia.