Page 8 of Wistful Whispers

“Windermere or Keswick?” Jake asks when he takes a seat next to me.

“Go to Keswick. The A&E is larger so hopefully the wait will be shorter.” Fellside sits almost smack bang in the middle of thetwo towns so they’re almost equal distance, with Windermere being a smidge closer.

“Keswick it is.” Jake turns on the radio and carefully pulls away from the curb. There’s a tense silence in the car. Jake is clearly anxious; his face is scrunched up and he’s holding the steering wheel in a death grip.

“Jake, it’s going to be okay,” I try to reassure him. My words seem to pull him out of his trance.

“Fuck. Sorry, Hanny-bee. I should be the one telling you that. I should be here for you.” He sounds so angry.

“You are here for me. You answered my phone call in the middle of the night. You’re taking me to hospital just because of two minor pains. I don’t know what I’d do without you,” I sniffle and tears are rolling over my cheeks. Jake gently squeezes my hand. “Can I blame my pregnancy hormones for these tears?” I sigh.

“You don’t have to blame anyone or anything for your tears. If you feel like crying, you cry.” There he goes again, saying all the right things.

Jake keeps holding my hand for the remainder of the drive except when he has to change gear and it calms me down a little. He just has this effect on me.

Unfortunately, my hope that we wouldn’t have to wait too long was unfounded. The waiting room is full and a kind but clearly stressed nurse asks us to take a seat after I answer a list of questions for her.

“Guess I should take it as a good sign that she didn’t think I need to be seen immediately,” I try to joke.

“It’s bollocks, that’s what it is” Jake grumbles and guides me to two of the few vacant chairs. I lean against his shoulder as tiredness catches up with me.

“Do you have clients in the morning?” I ask. It’s easy for me. I just need to text Ols to let him know that I’ll be in late and that’s that. We run an outdoor adventure company together and this time of the year we’re not overly busy. There are no tours booked for tomorrow… well, today, and Ols can easily man the phone on his own. But Jake works at the Greenview Manor Hotel. He offers sailing lessons and sailboat excursions on lake Windermere. The hotel has its own jetty and boat and Jake is being kept surprisingly busy.

But even when he doesn’t have boat trips there’s plenty to do to keep the boat up and running or in helping out with other tasks around the hotel. He loves his job and to be fair it’s a pretty sweet deal. They pay him well at the Greenview Manor Hotel and he lives in a small studio flat above the boathouse for free.

“No. I was supposed to help the housekeeping team with painting but I've texted Sheila earlier.”

“Oh, okay.” I feel a bit guilty but I know management at the Greenview Manor Hotel are great and they will understand. I hope.

“Jake, I’m cold,” I say quietly. I’m wearing a jacket and a hoody but it’s bloody freezing in here and my tiredness makes me feel even colder.

“Come here.” He lifts his arm and puts it around my shoulders before pulling me against his chest. The warmth coming from him is heavenly. “You should have called me after the first pain,” he says quietly. It’s not an accusation, just a statement.

“To be honest, what scared me the most was that I was on my own. I suddenly had visions of what would happen to me if I couldn’t call for help.” I wasn’t sure that’s what caused all the anxiety until I said it out loud.

“What if I move in with you until the baby comes?” Those words make me sit up. Jake looks at me sheepishly and shrugs. “Think about it. I’d be around during the night and you wouldn’t have to worry about being alone. I can stay on a camp bed in the baby’s room.”

“I… you’d do that?” The thought of him being there gives me relief.

“Of course!”

Why did I even ask? Is there anything Jake has ever not done for me?

“But you already give me and the baby—”

“The princess.”

“Fine, the princess,” I roll my eyes. He loves that nickname. “You already do so much for us. We’re—”

“Hanny-bee, you’re my responsibility. You’re my best friend and staying at yours for a few months is not a hardship.” He gives me a big grin. It does sound perfect, to be honest.

“Okay. Then, sure. Join our kingdom.”

“Kingdom?” he chuckles.

“Well, if she’s the princess that makes me the queen,” I declare dramatically before we both burst out laughing.

“Queen Hanny-bee.” Jake pulls me back into his arms to warm me up and I don’t want to tell him that I’m actually quite warm now. His hugs are just the best.

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