Previously…

‘I told you, I mean to have Heather. You are not a fit parent and it’s an abuse against God that a person like you should have custody of an impressionable child––’

‘–an abuse against God? You come in here with a knife, ready to no doubt use it if you didn’t get your way and then spout about God? You make me sick. There is only one place where you deserve to go and that’s hell. So get the hell out of here and don’t come back. If you do, I will have you charged with attempted murder and kidnap.’

She had stopped looking as if she was just about to peg out on the spot and her colour (apart from her livid cheek) began to return to its normal puce colour. She was breathing heavily, but apart than that, looked distressingly normal.

‘You have no proof, you fool. You sent those girls out and you can hardly ask the child to give evidence.’

I hated that smile; it was as if nothing had just happened and she was in command of the situation–but I was about to burst her smug bubble.

‘I think that you might need to get some glasses. If you care to look up at the ceiling, you will notice there are several fine cameras up there. Those cameras are on all the time–day and night. Our friendly local bobby suggested that we installed some security as a precaution. All your antics and comments have been recorded on camera. Now I’m not a cow, unlike someone I could mention and I will do nothing about your actions on condition that I get your assurance that you will go away and never come back. I will not tell the authorities unless and until I have to, but the tapes will be lodged with my solicitor as a precaution. The choice is yours: go now and nothing will happen as long as you leave us alone. Fight me and you know what I will do.’

She looked like she was about to explode and I was sure, given a chance, that she would strike me down there and then. I was glad that the knife was out of harm’s way.

Her hands clenched into fists and she stepped toward me–I stayed put. I was not going to be afraid of her, despite that fact that she was, I realised, as mad as–if not madder than–a hatter.

She bent down and picked up her crocodile skin handbag. She then looked across at Heather and finally at me.

‘This is not over by any means,’ she spat, turning on her heels and pulling the door open; she slammed it behind her with such force that the little bell over the door fell off and clattered tinkling on the floor.

‘ Ah well,’ I thought, ‘that bell was getting on my nerves, anyway.’

I could hear snuffling noises behind me and, turning, noticed that Heather was finally waking up. I went over to the lobster pot and with her eyes still shut she smiled such a sweet smile.

I burst into tears.


And now the story continues…

‘So, Katie,’ I asked as we sat in her office, ‘how do you solve a problem like Victoria?’

‘Sounds a bit like that song from The Sound of Music,’ Katie quipped, looking out of her window using a telescope. The Penmarris Surprise was about a thousand miles away, but she still kept on look-out for her hunky jack tar, more in hope than expectation.

She sighed and returned to her desk.

‘It’s up to you how you deal with this, but I strongly suggest that you get the police involved.’

‘I told her I wouldn’t as long as she stays away from us.’

It was the next day and I was still fuming about it all. I hadn’t told Abby everything about the incident with the knife; she had slight blood pressure problems and the last thing I wanted was for her to go ballistic over what I hoped would be an isolated incident.

She was at home at that moment taking the weight off her belly and practicing breathing techniques. Heather, of course was with me and she had decided that she wanted to play explorer and was crawling about the room and giggling rather a lot. We had taken the precaution of removing anything that could harm her like ornaments, Kalashnikov rifles and stun grenades–just joking!

I had shown the DVD of the Victoria Incident to Katie and she blanched visibly at the knife-toting Victoria and subsequent events. My CCTV had audio as well as visual and everything was on record.

‘Well, I have had a fax through from her solicitor; she wants to prosecute you for slapping her.’

‘What! I was protecting my baby and she was brandishing a knife. Anyway the CCTV will confirm that I was in the right.’

‘I agree, but I don’t think the audio can be used as evidence, just the video. She doesn’t have a cat in hell’s chance of winning on this, based on what we can see on the DVD. You can clearly see that she was brandishing a knife and was heading towards Heather. It’s a clear case of self defence. She’s obviously as nutty as a fruitcake and has bats in her belfry. Maybe she wants to have her day in court so that she can say things about you that would cause you pain.’

‘Maybe, so what should I do?’

‘Have a chat with the police. I’ll have a word with Inspector Mallory from Bodmin, he’s a good man although he has a strange way about him.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘He’s from Bodmin, need I say more?’

‘Point taken.’

So while I sat on the carpet and played chase with Heather, Katie spoke to her friend the police inspector. We were rather noisy, so we went out into the reception area and carried on there. Being lunch time, the office was officially closed, so the receptionist, young Ellie Parslow was out having her lunch.

A few minutes later, Katie opened her door and motioned us back. By this time, Heather was flagging a bit so I was able to park her in her buggy where she promptly fell asleep and started snoring gently clutching Upsy-Daisy in her tiny hand.

‘Right, I’ve spoken to Gary Mallory. He’s actually coming over this way to have a word on another matter. He’ll be here about three. D’you want to go and have something to eat and then we can be back by then?’

‘Okay. I’ll just text Abby.’

‘Hi Abby, gone for din—dins with Katie—will be back l8tr. r u ok?’

The reply flashed back in a few moments.

‘headache, tummy ache and bum ache. ok otherwise. feeling a bit tired so will lay down for a bit. luv u.’

‘me 2 u.

‘do you want me home?’

‘no just need some shut eye.’

‘call me if you need to.’

‘ok, have fun.’

‘bye.’

‘bye,’

‘She’s feeling it a bit,’ I told Katie as we walked up the hill to The Toad.

‘Yeah, I don’t know if I want to have a baby; pain and me don’t mix.’

‘Tell me about it; but I wish it was me having the baby.’

I wasn’t sure where that came from, but I think it was wishing for something that could never happen. I sighed and then looked down at my little munchkin as she slept on with her mouth slightly open as we walked towards our local watering hole.

~ §~

The Toad and Tart wasn’t very busy with it still being off season, when we walked in and ordered a scampi-and-chips-in-a-basket–chicken was off–from Agnieska, our newish Polish barperson. There were slight language difficulties, but she managed to get the gist of what we were saying to her in the end, with the help of flow charts and pointing suggestively at the menu.

Then, we were noticed by a raucous crowd in the corner by the panoramic window.

‘Coooeee, over here.’

Seated around the corner table that overlooked the harbour and East Beach were Jocasta, Millie, Marcia and last but not least my sister, Dawn.

We ‘coooeeed’ back and with our glasses joined to our friends. There then ensued a general round of air kissing, hugs, musical chairs and eventually we settled down and waited for our meal, taking the time to update what had been going on since we last got together.

I won’t bore you with the details of the conversation which touched on babies, clothes and the occasional reference to pending divorce, marriage and wife swapping. Needless to say, a good time was had by all and it seemed only minutes until Katie, Heather and I were back in the office awaiting the arrival of Inspector Clouseau–I mean Mallory.

Ellie Parslow the receptionist and keen babysitter looked after Heather while we awaited the inspector.

‘So, what’s he like?’ I asked.

‘Tall dark handsome. He was my boy friend for a while but it didn’t work out.’

‘How come?’

‘Too much baggage.’

‘What, does he have a drink problem, drive an old Jag, love classical music and treat his sergeant badly? Maybe he’s a secret druggy, gambles a lot and can’t relate to women. Perhaps he’s a loner, with a past who no one likes but everyone respects because he always gets his man––’

‘No, it’s not that,’

‘What then?’

‘We went away to North Wallop on a naughty weekend.’

‘So?’ I asked, all ears and leaning forward.

‘We went for two nights.’

And?’

‘He brought four cases– never trust a man with too much baggage.’

I was just about to say more when the intercom burped.

‘Katie, there be a strong dark ‘andsome man waiting to see you.’

‘Let him in and you shouldn’t say that about your uncle.’

‘Awww, I like to see him blush, dun I?

A few seconds later the door opened and there he was, standing in the doorway.

Well he was strong, dark and handsome and if I wasn’t already taken, I would have been sorely tempted to get more intimately acquainted with his nether–and other–regions. As it was, I took a strong gulp of coffee and nearly suffocated and scalded myself in one swift move.

After I had recovered myself, we all sat down and the inspector looked at me appraisingly.

‘So, he said,’ you’re the famous Samantha Smart.’

‘Me, famous––?’I said with an annoyingly squeaky voice.

‘You’re well known down at the station,’ he replied in a soft creamy Devonian accent.

I felt a shiver going up and down my spine that had little to do with the weather.

‘Why am I well known, I haven’t a record have I? I was late paying for the TV licence ten years ago and that parking ticket––?’

He laughed a manly laugh.

‘No, nothing like that. You managed to stop Colin Statham from killing you. He was a nasty bit of work with blood on his hands. He didn’t only kill your father-in-law, Nigel Manning, but he was implicated in a whole string of unsolved murders, extortion and other nasties. He was what we call in the trade, a bit of a sod. We were able to close the book on several cases when he was fricasseed.’

I shuddered at the thought of Statham and the way he died. Well, he burnt his fingers once too often–literally and I would not be crying any crocodile tears over that piece of excrement.

‘Yes,’ continued the smooth policemen in his spotless and somewhat expensive suit, pristine white shirt and red silk tie–not that I was noticing that sort of thing, ‘he was what is technically known as a naughty boy.’

He smiled at his subtle joke and then his perfect eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch enquiringly.

‘So, how may I help you ladies?’

‘Well, Gary,’ said Katie, ‘Sam here has a bit of a problem regarding Victoria Manning–’

‘Not surprised, she came down the nick a few times wanting to get Ms Smart here arrested for everything up to and including attempted infanticide. A nasty bit of work she is. She’s been cautioned for wasting police time, twice now. If she does it again, we’ll ’ave ’er, as my sergeant says.’

‘Well things have moved on a bit–look, I’ll let Samantha explain.’

He turned to me gave me a smile that would melt glass and I knew that I would be punished by Abby later. She always says look but don’t touch, but my steely resolve was crumbling under the intense gaze of those icy blue eyes. He made James Bond look like a double glazing salesman from Cleethorpes–tacky.

Yes, I would have to confess all to Abby later and when she stopped laughing I would have to pay the consequences which normally involved the industrial strength loofah and some chocolate sauce liberally s––

‘–Are you with us Sam?’ asked Katie.

‘Sorry, right erm, well Inspector––’

‘–call me Gary please; all my friends do.’

‘Gosh–erm well Ins–I mean Gary, it was like this––’

I told him all that had happened regarding “the Victoria incident”.

‘Mmm,’ so you have the CCTV footage?’

‘Yes,’

I fished the DVD out of my handbag and handed it to him.

‘I’ll have a look at it when I get back to the station. You know that she’s a fruit cake?’

‘Nutty as? Yes. It must run in the family because Nigel was several pence short of a shilling too and my late wife, although I loved her at one time, had her extreme moments.’

I had the vision pop up in my head of Olivia and I having sex in a cinema once–or was that twice? It was a good job that it was dark and the film was noisy…Why did I have to always agree to what she wanted? Was she the strong one or was I just weak? Ah well, water under the bridge––’

‘–Earth to Samantha.’

I looked up and Gary was smiling. I blinked slightly. Were those teeth naturally that white? They sure gave off a bit of a glare.

‘Sorry, you were saying?’

‘Yes, will you want to prosecute?’

‘I wasn’t going to, but while she is able to threaten me and my family, I don’t want her anywhere near us. Abby’s pregnant and I don’t want anything to go pear shaped–’

My phone made clucking noises like a hen who had laid an egg. Abby had changed the ring tone for a laugh and I hadn’t worked out how to change it back. Technology and I don’t mix very well–you may have noticed.

With a smile of apology, I answered it, as it was Abby.

‘Hi, Abby how’s it going, why are you breathing heavily like that, have you been running?’

‘Come–home–now!’

‘What’s up, doc–I mean, honey?’

‘Baby–water–broke.’

‘Baby water–what–oh my God! Don’t move. I’ll call Marcia; get some towels–boil some water–no don’t do that. I’ll be there soon, hang on in there, sweetie!’

I looked up at Katie and Gary.

‘My Abby–she’s pregnant–I mean having it–the baby I mean. Must call Marcia––’

Katie looked at me and got all decisive and firm. Gary looked uncomfortable–typical of a man not to know what to do in a female-type crisis.

‘Right,’ said Katie, ‘toddle off and see to Abby. I’ll ring Marcia and the hospital. Gary you go with Sam and try to make yourself useful–she’s not fit to drive in this state. Ellie will look after Heather. Right, let’s get cracking!’

Gary and I went downstairs, stopping momentarily as I gave Heather a quick hug. He then bundled me into his car and strapped me in.

‘Ooh,’ I thought, ‘he has a Beemer just like mine but in black–enough thoughts about cars. My Abby’s in agony and I think about cars!’

He put a flashing blue light bulb on top of the car and soon we were tearing up the hill to Jellicle Cottage, the car making ‘eee-aw’ noises and frightening the local population as we went. He nearly ran over two cats as we drove into our little drive but they jumped out of the away just in time as we skidded to a halt.

I was out of the car as soon as it stopped and ran into the house, nearly tripping on that step with the wobbly plank that we always said that we would fix one day.

‘Abby, Abby, where are you?’

I stopped to listen and heard some steps coming from the kitchen.

‘Hello Sam, you made it then?’

There was Abby standing there as large as life holding a mug of tea in her hand and a hobnob in the other. She looked all right and not exactly in the throes of birth labour whatsits.

‘Bloody hell Abby. I thought that you were unshipping the sprog or something!’

‘Tut, tut Samantha, you can be a bit coarse sometimes. No, it’s okay. Marcia’s arranging for an ambulance. My case is packed and the contractions are still manageable and well spaced out.’

‘When you phoned me, I thought that you were having the baby there and then.’

‘Sorry honey. I must admit that I panicked a bit. It’s not every day that you have Niagara Falls occurring between one’s legs, drenching one’s knickers and it was a bit painful with the contractions when you rang. Come and give us a hug.’

She put the drink and biscuit down on the hall table and we embraced as enthusiastically as possible, belly permitting.

‘Er—hem!’

We decoupled and turned around and there in all his glory was the inspector looking only five percent flustered, the rest being cool, calm debonair and edible–did I just say that? Put it down to the tension.

‘I take it that the emergency has passed?’

I could hear an almost inaudible wow coming from Abby. I could see that she too was taken in by his rather obvious charms, though how she could think of things like that when she was on the verge of dropping a premature baby, I would never know.

‘Panic over,’ I said, rather lamely.

‘That’s good. Look if you don’t need me, I need to go and see a man about a horse that’s been nicked. Samantha, I will have a look at the tapes and get back to you.’

‘Any time,’ I said smiling.

‘Abby, nice to meet you. I hope all goes well,’

All Abby did was giggle for some reason and then give him a little finger wave.

As soon as we were alone again–or as alone as you can get with several thousand cats all wanting attention–we went and sat in the sitting room to await the cavalry.

Abby winced slightly as she sat down.

‘All right, love?’

‘Mmm, the contractions are getting more regular.’

‘D’you want me to do anything?’

‘Just hold my hand and tell me about these tapes.’

‘Oh, there nothing, but they are DVD’s not tapes. I just saw someone that I had rather not see in the gallery and I wanted to know if she had form.’

‘Form?’

‘Yes, TV detective speak for if she has a record.’

‘Not that cow Victoria?’

‘Mmm.’

‘What has she done now?’

‘Oh she just came and shouted a bit, nothing to worry about. Anyway,’ I said, subtly changing the subject, ‘what do you think of Inspector Gary?’

‘A bit of a dish, I thought. Judging by the way you looked at him, I think that you might need a cold shower and a session with the loofah.’

‘You too, I saw what you were like.’

‘Never mind that, how long is this ambulance going to take? I could have had baby by now and he or she could be in secondary school.’

Just then we heard the ambulance siren and then a few seconds later, the place was full of paramedics and Marcia who came straight to us.

‘How are things?’

‘You’re the doctor, you tell me?’

‘Not helpful, Abby. Have you timed your contractions?’

‘About 5 minutes apart. I get back ache that comes around to the front in waves.’

‘Okay, let’s have a quick gander.’

Without any ceremony, she got down on her knees, hitched Abby’s skirt up and had a look. After a few minutes, she came up for air.

‘Everything looks all right. We have time to get you to hospital. It’s going to be a premature so we need to be close to the NICU. Right, boys, let’s get moving.’

The ambulance people loaded her on a wheeled stretcher and we were out of there and heading for the hospital almost quicker than I write about it, which wasn’t very quick as I am a one finger typist.

On the way, I held Abby’s hand and tried to support her but felt pretty useless. The contractions seemed to get a bit closer and I was worried that she might give birth in the ambulance but we managed to get to the hospital without mishap and Abby was soon in bed awaiting developments, as it were.

She had some pads on her tummy to monitor things and as no alarm bells were sounding, we assumed that everything was hunky-dory.

I sat beside her offering encouragement. It seemed as if the baby would come out when he–or she–was ready and not before, so we waited–and waited–and waited–– I managed to check up on Heather during one of the boring non—contracting times and was told that Dawn had her and we were not to worry.

I also rang Mummy Dotty. ‘Hello, Mummy. We’re at the hospital, Abby has started.’

‘Started what?’

‘Having the baby.’

‘Oh so it’s sprog eject time, eh? Bit early don’t ya think?’

‘Yes, she’s gone seven months, two weeks and three days approx.’

‘Mmm; Abby all right?’

‘Yes, she’s having contractions but we don’t know how long it’s going to be.’

‘It took Mother three days ter have me. She was climbing off the ceiling by the time I came out. Always been late that’s me. Anyway, hope the little tyke’s all right. Want me ter do anything, feed the cats? I’ll send Jenkins around with a hamper when it’s all finished.’

I couldn’t really get my head around Mummy’s jumping all over the place whenever she talks.

‘I’ll let you know.’ I said, ‘anyway I must dash.’

‘Right; give her me love won’t yer. I’ll be thinking of yer both. Keep yer pecker up.’

‘Will do, Mummy,’ I said, a bit emotionally.

~ §~

As we sat and waited for things to happen, I had a bit of a guilt trip. It should have been me lying on the bed sweating a lot, grimacing and in pain, but it wasn’t; Abby was going through all the pain and sufferings and not me. Well I was in a bit of pain as Abby has a strong grip, not surprising, bearing in mind what she does with clay, and my hand felt at the time like it had gone through a mangle, but I’m a brave girl and I could take it and whimper in silence.

The day turned into night and the contractions only gradually came together. I was wide-eyed as I had been drinking vending machine coffee for hours, although it could have been tea for all the difference in the taste. My heart was thumping like a big base drum most of the time and was only sometime afterwards that I realised that I hadn’t taken my thyroid pills–naughty Samantha.

I had spent a lot of the time phoning people to let them know what was happening but it was waste of time as the grapevine knew more than me about it. Abby had periods when she almost fell asleep between the bouts of pain. The poor love was very tired. Marcia had been in several times, but had other things to do around the hospital and had to dash off at regular intervals. The midwife, Mavis Potterlow was in constant attendance and she was a reassuring–if rather prim–presence in what was a scary time for us.

The baby’s heart was okay according to Mavis, but we were surprised at that, as it was going so fast. I was getting constant texts asking what was going on by virtually the whole village, or so it seemed. Then a number of friends came and waited outside and I was forever up and down delivering bulletins like they do at Buck Palace.

~ §~

By two in the morning, most, apart from Jocaster, Marcia, Millie and Katie, who was doing the rounds as well as popping in from time to time, had gone home.

Dawn, my sister and and Adrian, my brother—in—law were looking after Heather and their own brood. Tracy and Tammy were staying at ours to watch out for the cats. Mr and Mrs Pearson were going to Jellicle Cottage early in the morning to do things with the new nursery–we hadn’t expected to need it so soon and anyway, didn’t want to tempt fate. We would probably have the little one in with us at first, but it was a village thing that the nursery had to be finished before the child could cross the threshold. Jocaster and the girls were going to assist the staff and open up the gallery and pottery in the morning and keep things going until we were back in harness.

All in all I think we were truly blessed to live in such a closely knit community. Even the old sage dropped in and gave us some lucky heather and mumbled something about the waxing moon. She might be weird, but her heart was in the right place.

All was relatively calm until Mummy Dotty arrived on the scene. She wasn’t waiting outside for anyone and to hell with hospital protocol.

She burst in with Sarah trailing along looking a bit worried for some reason. I was in the waiting room at the time drinking my umpteenth cup of pig swill–sorry, coffee.

‘Mummy!’ I exclaimed and then, unaccountably, ran to her and burst into tears.

‘There there,’ she said, hugging me, ‘bit much for you, eh? Not surprised. A lot on yer plate. Not easy waiting for a sprog to hatch. Now then young Samantha, it’s goin’ ter be all right.’

Sarah stood behind her mother and looked a bit uncomfortable and not her normal cheery self. After I had calmed down a bit and Mummy had sailed in to see Abby, I went and sat down beside her.

‘What’s wrong, Sarah?’

She just shrugged, but said nothing.

‘Come on, you can tell me.’

She looked at me, indecision etched on her pretty face.

‘You know my Uncle Ronnie–though he prefers to be called Ronald?’

My mind did a quick checking thing and the name popped up, Mummy’s son Ronald, something in the city —got a wife called Cara, I thought.

‘Mm.’ I said, ‘I know of him but we’ve never met.’

He's coming home at the weekend and bringing her.’

‘Her?’

‘Aunt Cara.’

‘What’s wrong with that? I would have thought that it would be nice to see your relations.’

‘We didn’t see them much. I think that Mummy and Uncle had a row once about something they won’t talk about. But they patched things up and there are coming here.’

‘You still haven’t told me what’s wrong,’

Sarah looked up and had small tears her eyes.

‘I…I think that they want to take me back to London. I overheard Mummy talking to him on the phone. They can’t have children themselves, something wrong with her Philips tubes or something.’

‘You mean fallopian tubes?’

‘Probably; anyway, I think that they think that Mummy’s too old to look after me especially as I still have my boys’ bits. They don’t mind me being the way I am, but they want to sort of have me as the daughter they never had.’

‘And don’t you want that?’

She shook her head emphatically. ‘No way. All my friends are here and I love the school. I don’t want to leave Mummy, I love her too much. If I go away, I would have to live in grotty old London. I hate cities, my parents lived in cites when they were alive and I hated the noise and dirt and so many people who never even say hello. You don’t get that here. Everyone knows everyone else and if you are in trouble, people care and will look out for you. And anyway, if I went to them, she would probably dress me up as a Violet Elizabeth Bott* lookalike or something.’

‘Well you like to look feminine.’

‘Yeah, but there are certain levels that I would never descend to.’

‘Have you spoken to Mummy about this?’

She shook her head. ‘No, I don’t want to worry her.’

‘You must tell her; otherwise she won’t know how you feel about it. Speak to her before they come so that she can think of ways to sort it all out for you. She loves you to bits and I know she wouldn’t let you go unless you really wanted to.’

‘Do you think?’

‘I know.’

She smiled a bit then.

Just then Mummy sailed out of the side ward.

‘She’ll do,’ she said briskly, ‘Strong as an ox, that one. My two took forever to pop out, didn’t seem to matter after drinkin’ half a bottle of claret. They won’t do that here. Namby-pamby NHS. Don’t see why yer didn’t go private, at least you’d have carpets on the floor and the staff are more deferential.’

‘Mummy, you can’t go around saying things like that; and you a governor of the place too.’

‘Good job that I am, otherwise it would be worse than it is. Matron knows my views on the subject. Hello, young Sarah, been blubbing?’

‘Oh, Mummy.’

She ran over to Dotty and hugged her tight. Mummy looked at me enquiringly.

‘I think that you two should have a quiet chat. I’ll go and see Abby.’

~ §~

Abby looked up as I walked in.

‘Hi,’ she said rather breathlessly as Mavis pottered around her.

I sat down next to her and held her rather sweaty hand. She looked like she was nearly all in and how she could raise a smile, I would never know. Then she gripped my hand tightly and started panting.

‘That’s right, dear, breathe.’

‘That’s what I am doing.’

She was breathing in and out deeply and I followed her pattern and gave her some encouragement.

‘Oooh,’ she gasped.

‘Oooh,’ I gasped as she crushed one of the bones in my hand. I knew that giving birth was painful–but it wasn’t supposed to be like that for the audience.

Mavis had a quick look under Abby’s gown.

‘Good, any minute now—bear down.’

‘What the hell do you mean “bear down”? I’m bearing as much as I bloody well can!’

‘No need to swear, dear, just push when you need to.’

‘If–I–want to sodding–well–swear, I bloody–well–will!’

‘There-there,’ I said soothingly.

‘Don’t–there, there–me, it’s your bloody fault that I’m doing this, don’t you dare come anywhere near me with that sodding turkey baster again–blooooooody hell!’

I was lucky that my hand was now numb. It would probably drop off at some point. Just then Marcia came in looking cool, efficient and pretty–damn her!

‘Right, how are we doing, Mavis?’

‘We–WE–? It’s me on–this bloody–bed trying to give–birth to a baby whale––!’

Marcia just grinned and winked at me, then with a degree of panache, she lifted up the hem of Abby’s gown like she was doing some sort of conjuring trick and exposed her belly and other bits.

‘Ah good, cervix is fully dilated, we have a go situation, all lights green–’

Did I tell you that Marcia always fancied herself as a wannabe astronaut?

I craned my neck to see what was happening, but then Abby yelled.

‘Aaaaah,eeeey,oooh. Where’s the gas and air?’

‘Breathe, dear––’

‘–Sod off, Mavis.’

‘Language, Abby,’ said Marcia smiling.

‘Right– here’s the top of the head; not much hair, but what do expect when we are this early? Give us a push Abby, don’t just lie there and think of England, push!’

‘Aaah,eeeeeh, oooooh!’ I said as my hand was crushed once again in a killer grip. I could actually here my bones cracking…

‘EEEH, OOOH, AAAAAH––––OH SHIT––!’ screeched Abby.

Then it all happened in a rush.

‘We have ignition, Houston,’ said a chirpy Marcia.

‘Lift off, first stage, head out………… second stage, body out…………. right number of arms and legs………..ooh lucky you, an easy birth. We won’t talk about the third stage, Mavis, get a kidney dish dear; Samantha looks like she’s going to lose the contents of her–’

‘For–God’s sake!’

‘Don’t blaspheme, Abby.’

‘Bugger off.’

There was a snipping sound and then a sucking sound and then there was baby wrapped in a blanket, incredibly small.

‘She’s a fine baby girl,’ said Marcia beaming as she laid the little one on Abby’s chest.

‘A quick hug and kiss from both of you and then we’ll take her down to NICU. She’s breathing okay but we need to be careful.’

All too soon, our little darling was transferred to a portable ventilator thingie and was wheeled off with Marcia and a nurse in attendance. I felt a tug at my heart strings when she was taken from us and I knew that Abby, despite being totally knackered, felt the same way.

‘Ooooh–aaaaah––mmmmm.’

That was the third stage; we don’t need to talk about that.

~*~

‘Baby will be fine,’ said Mavis, matter of factly after cleaning things up, ‘she looks a strong—un and is breathin’ fairly easily despite bein’ quite early.’

I was asked to leave while Mavis did ‘things’ to Abby and I was able to tell Mummy and Sarah what had happened.

‘Heard her yellin, of course. When I had my two I was as pissed as a newt, sorry Sarah.’

‘That’s all right Mummy,’ said Sarah who hadn’t batted an eyelid at her mother’s language–probably used to it.

Sarah looked a bit happier and when I had the time I would talk to her more.

‘I have to get back. Can you ring around and tell everyone. The baby’s in NICU so I’ll probably stay for the rest of the night. I will have to call Dawn to see if she will look after Heather in a minute,’

‘We’ll sort that out, won’t we, Sarah.’

‘Will you? that’s great. I’ll let you know what happens when I know more. Abby’s really tired so she’ll see everyone tomorrow probably.’

I hugged and kissed Mummy and Sarah and then returned to Abby. She was fast asleep so I didn’t disturb her. Instead I went down to the small but well equipped NICU unit and looked in on the new addition to our family.

She looked so small in the plastic bubble thingie. Annabel Potts was the nurse in charge and she came over to me.

‘She’s doing fine. Vitals are okay and we are doing blood tests to make sure that we keep her that way.’

‘She’s so pretty.’ I whispered.

‘Yes, she’s not as scrunched up as some we have in here. She’ll be a right looker when she grows up.’

I nodded and smiled as Annabel departed, leaving me staring down at the small form covered in a white blanket with wires coming out from underneath, a little white hat on her head and sensors on her likkle tootsies.

I felt very emotional at that time and wondered what she would be like as she grew older. Would she be a happy child and would she love her two mothers as much as we loved her. Would she have a boy friend or maybe a girl friend? Would she marry, would she have children of her own? I was going ahead of myself. We would have a sister for Heather and I hoped that they would be friends and love each other.

All I did know at that moment was I was the happiest woman alive.

~ §~

Abby was still asleep when I returned to her room, and I was given a room just across the corridor so that I could be nearby if anything untoward happened.

Luckily, I passed the night undisturbed and at nine in the morning after ensuring that the baby was all right–she was fighting fit and smiled at me I think, though it may have been wind–I went into Abby’s room just after doctors’ rounds. She was eating breakfast and looked a lot more chipper than the previous night in her clean nightdress.

‘Hello, sweetheart,’ I said going over to her bed and giving her a kiss.

‘Hi you; seen baby yet?’

‘Yes, she’s wonderful.’

‘We’ll have to think of a name soon. I hope she and Heather get on.’

‘Well you know what they say about sisters?’

‘Mmm, maybe they’ll buck the trend. Why are you wearing a rather fetching looking plaster on your arm?’

‘Oh, I just hurt it.’

Recollection dawned on her face.

‘I did it?’

‘Sort of.’

‘Oh My God, I am sorry how bad is it?’

‘Three bones broken in my hand. I should live if I rest, have thin soup for a week followed by an extensive holiday to which you and the girls are invited. The doctors have hopes for a full recovery.’

‘Blimey, I didn’t know I was that strong. Still, at least you felt the pain of childbirth.’

We stared at each other for a moment and then dissolved into fits of helpless laughter.

To be continued…

*Violet Elizabeth Bott see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_William_series

Please leave comments…thanks! ~Sue

My thanks go to the brilliant and lovely Gabi for editing, help with the plot-lines, pulling the story into shape.