Page 14 of A Helpin g Hand for the Village Nurse

‘I’m here for Mum,’ the girl said. ‘I’m all right, just getting fatter every day.’

‘Oh…’ Flo looked at Stacey. ‘What’s wrong with you then?’

‘I…’

Stacey looked helplessly at her daughter. Ottilie knew a good moment for an intervention when she saw one. She bounded over.

‘Did I hear you say Stacey?’ she asked Flo very deliberately before turning to the woman in question. ‘I’ve just met Magnus and he told me you were sort of related to him. I wanted to come and say hello, so it’s lucky I’ve bumped into you here.’

Stacey gave a blank look, and Ottilie sat on the bench next to her.

‘I’m the new nurse – Ottilie. I’m thinking of restarting the mother and baby group…’ She turned to Chloe and smiled. ‘Magnus told me you were expecting, so I thought it might be good to ask what sort of thing would be useful to you. I mean, what would you like from a playgroup? Is there any other sort of support group or social group you might like to see in Thimblebury?’

Chloe shrugged. ‘Is there one where they take the baby and bring them back when they’re earning?’

‘Chloe!’ Stacey gasped.

‘No, I’m sorry…’ Chloe looked suitably mortified. ‘I’m having a bad day, that’s all.’

‘Hormones, I expect,’ Ottilie said. ‘Totally understandable. You’re allowed to feel a bit crabby every now and again in your situation; don’t worry about it.’

‘You mean the situation right now, or the one where my life is ruined?’

Ottilie offered the most sympathetic look she could. It was true that she’d never experienced pregnancy, let alone one that was so fraught with external issues, and so while she couldn’t empathise with Chloe at all, she wanted to understand how it might feel, and she wished she could say something to make it better. She doubted there was anything but at the same time felt confident that time would make things better. There wasn’t really a way to make her see that either, she supposed. But it looked as if she had good support in the form of her mum and wider family, and that the community would also rally around her, and that had to be worth a lot.

‘But what’s wrong with you, Stacey?’ Flo asked, completely ignoring any other discussion. ‘You’re all right, aren’t you?’

‘I could ask the same of you,’ Stacey said with a shrewd look that made Ottilie give an internal round of applause. Nicely sidestepped.

‘I had one of my turns,’ Flo replied with a sour look Ottilie’s way. ‘And the nurse said I had to come to see Dr Cheadle. Honestly, it’s a complete waste of time.’

‘It’s never a waste of time,’ Ottilie said with superhuman patience.

‘Nurse…’

Ottilie looked round to see the receptionist beckon her back to the desk.

‘Doctor says she’ll take a quick look at Flo. Do you want to go in with her? You said you wanted to talk to Doctor.’

‘If I could, that would be great. Might as well fill her in on what happened?—’

‘Which was nothing,’ Flo cut in.

‘And introduce myself at the same time,’ Ottilie said with a faint smile. She turned to Stacey and Chloe. ‘If you don’t mind, perhaps I can catch you another time for that chat?’

Chloe shrugged, while Stacey looked more enthused. ‘That would be nice.’

‘Perhaps we could grab coffee somewhere.’

‘In Thimblebury?’ Chloe gave a scornful look. ‘You’d be lucky – we don’t even have a coffee shop.’

‘There must be a café or something?’ Ottilie asked.

‘Nope. There’s a kiosk where you can get something to take away, like if you’re driving through, but you can’t sit in there and meet friends. Honestly, you’ll find there’s nothing in this village. If not for this baby, I’d be getting out, and if you had any sense you’d get out while there’s still time.’

‘Really? I like it so far; it’s lovely.’

Chloe shrugged again. ‘You were warned.’

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