Page 74 of New Dreams for the Village Nurse
‘You wouldn’t be disturbing. He’s been telling me you were there today helping him move in. You should have phoned me – I’d have come over too.’
‘I thought you’d be busy.’
‘Never too busy for my two biggest heroes. I owe you both for that night Mackenzie was ill. I owe you for the night he was born! You only have to shout up when you need anything; you must know that.’
‘You don’t, but thank you.’
‘So come over, please. If you need it to be just us two I can make some excuse and I’m sure he’d understand.’
‘No, don’t do that,’ Ottilie said, her mind going back to Heath’s issues with Simon and suddenly feeling quite belligerent about being in his company. Ottilie got to say who she spent time with, not Heath. She had nothing to feel guilty about and nothing to hide, and she was perfectly entitled to choose her friends. Besides, Simon was going to be a partner at the surgery – it made sense to get along with him for that reason if no other.
‘Please come over; it’d be good to see you,’ Stacey said.
‘You know what, I will. Shall I bring a bottle?’
‘Oooh, if you like!’ Stacey said with a light laugh. ‘Now you’re talking my language!’
Ottilie’s plans had taken a complete about-turn. Rather than sulking in bed, she was now on her way out to Stacey’s with a bottle of red and a determination to put Heath’s unreasonable moodiness out of her mind. Stacey and Simon were both brilliant company, and there was nothing quite like a Mackenzie cuddle to cheer her right up. He might be in bed, of course, but with a bit of luck he’d be up for a feed and she’d get to make a fuss of him. Before she left home she checked her phone for missed calls or messages from Heath, but there was nothing. She supposed he might still have been driving. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that was the case, and if he was still sulking, she wasn’t going to give it a second thought.
When she arrived, Stacey threw open the front door. She was beaming and Ottilie couldn’t help a broad smile in return. She wondered if Stacey had made a start on her own wine, because she had a distinct glow about her and she was bouncier than Ottilie had seen her in a good while.
‘You didn’t mess around, did you?’ she asked, kissing Ottilie on the cheek.
‘I was already dressed and ready to go. I’ve left a sinkful of dishes but who cares, eh? Sometimes there are more important things than dishes.’
‘Absolutely. I’m glad you decided to come.’
‘Me too,’ Ottilie said as she went inside and closed the front door behind her.
In the living room, Simon looked very settled on the armchair with a glass of wine at his side and Mackenzie on his knee. Ottilie’s smile spread as he looked up at her.
‘Hello again! We’ve got to stop meeting like this!’
‘I know.’ Ottilie held out the wine for Stacey to take. ‘I’m sure we’ll see enough of each other at work soon.’ She glanced at Stacey. ‘Where’s Chloe?’
‘Out with the mystery man again.’
‘So we know it’s a man now?’
‘I’m making an educated guess. She’s being very sneaky. If it was a friend she wouldn’t care what I knew about it, but as she’s playing her cards close to her chest, it’s a boy.’
‘Probably.’ Ottilie cast a longing glance at Mackenzie.
‘Oh.’ Stacey laughed lightly. ‘Sorry, Simon, I think you’re going to have to give him up for a minute. Ottilie can’t live without her baby cuddles.’
‘Well, I am his godmother, after all,’ Ottilie said with mock affront as Simon offered him up. As she lifted Mackenzie to her, he let out a delighted giggle, thrusting a drool-covered hand into her hair.
‘I can see he loves you,’ Simon said as he watched them.
‘I should think so,’ Ottilie cooed. ‘I’m the first face he saw in this world.’
Simon’s confused glance went from Ottilie to Stacey and then back again.
‘Ottilie helped Chloe give birth upstairs. It’s a long story, but apparently my family is really good at creating emergencies.’
‘I didn’t do it all alone,’ Ottilie said as Simon threw her a look of awe. ‘I had you with me, Stacey. And Heath was there too.’
‘I seem to recall I wasn’t much use,’ Stacey said, her tone rueful now. ‘Heath was a star.’
