Page 28 of The Village Midwife
‘It really helps to have good neighbours, in our situation, I think.’
‘Yes,’ he said, turning that warm openness on again. ‘I couldn’t agree more. Not that we’d be bothering you every hour of the day, but it’s reassuring to know you’re not far away. For Billie, I mean.’
‘I actually meant Victor and Corrine, but I take your point.’
Zoe silently wondered what sort of neighbours Alex and Billie would turn out to be. Something told her she’d like having them around, but they’d come with baggage. Did she want that? She was still dealing with so much of her own, after all.
‘Ah,’ he said, taking another sip of his drink. ‘Of course. We tend to keep ourselves to ourselves, so don’t worry about?—’
‘I didn’t mean that at all,’ Zoe cut in. ‘Anything you need, anything Billie needs, please don’t think you can’t come over and ask. In fact, I’ll give you my phone number before you leave. Billie has the surgery number in her records, but you can have my personal…’ Zoe flushed. It was silly, there was nothing in her offer but friendship, but she suddenly worried that it would be taken the wrong way.
‘Thank you,’ he cut in. ‘It’s kind of you.’
She relaxed as she realised he’d taken it at face value, just as she’d intended. Or perhaps he’d understood her mortified expression and wanted to put her at ease. Either way, it was a relief.
‘I wanted to say,’ he continued, his words measured, as if he’d rehearsed them, ‘I am sorry about the way I spoke to you yesterday when you came to check on Billie. I’m surprised you didn’t throw her out of your clinic.’
‘Why on earth would I do that? Even if you had been unforgivably rude to me – which you weren’t – it’s not Billie’s fault, and it’s certainly not her baby’s!’ She shook her head. ‘I’d never turn her away!’
He stared at her. Perhaps it had been something of an impassioned outburst, and perhaps it had been a little too dramatic, but since she’d lost her own baby, her motivation to make sure it didn’t happen to anyone else was something like a personal religion. She’d never been one to take life seriously until it had happened to her, but losing her own child had changed her. These days she took life, and her job, very seriously indeed. That didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy it, and she did, but she was determined to pull out all the stops to care for her expectant mums in the very best way she knew how, no matter what it took, no matter if it encroached on her personal life.
‘You really…I’m glad Billie’s got you in her corner.’
Zoe flushed again. She suddenly felt silly for the way she’d reacted, quite certain that he hadn’t been looking for such a passionate response. The kitchen fell into an embarrassed silence.
Then the moment was punctured by the sound of a phone pinging the arrival of a message.
‘I think that’s yours,’ he said. ‘Doesn’t sound like mine.’
‘I think it might be,’ she said. ‘I’ll get it later.’
‘Don’t mind me, if you want to see who it is?—’
‘I’m sure it will wait half an hour or so. If they really need me, they’ll phone rather than text.’
‘Good point.’ He tipped up the mug to drink the last of his coffee.
‘Not that I meant you only had half an hour or anything,’ Zoe added hastily, realising how that sounded and blushing again.
‘I know what you meant,’ he said with a warm smile. ‘But I think I probably have outstayed my welcome, and you’ve got an evening meal to heat up.’
The smile that broke free from her now matched his. ‘I’d offer you some, but there’s not enough.’
‘I wouldn’t dream of it, and besides, I’ve got to get back. Billie’s cooking, and I’m sure it will be nearly ready.’
‘It’s good to know she’s looking after you as much as you’re obviously looking after her.’
‘She does,’ he said, his smile spreading, warm and mellow as a summer’s evening. There was so much pride in it, so much protection, so much subtext that told Zoe that his daughter was everything to him, and if Zoe had ever doubted their relationship, that smile would have swept it all away.
Zoe’s phone pinged again, and this time a vague frown creased her forehead. She got up to put it on silent and noted the identity of the messenger, and her frown deepened.
This village of yours is really hard to find. Did you choose it deliberately so I wouldn’t be able to visit, lol? x
What did that mean? Surely Ritchie didn’t mean literally? He wouldn’t be on his way in the car? Would he? They’d made no arrangements, even though he’d mentioned coming over earlier that day.
No, Zoe decided, even Ritchie wasn’t that obtuse. He must have been looking on Google Maps or something, trying to find Thimblebury’s location online. Even that bothered her, though she couldn’t exactly say why.
Despite trying to draw a sensible, reassuring conclusion to what Ritchie’s message might mean, Zoe was suddenly gripped by a vague panic and a need to get Alex out of her house. As she scrabbled for an excuse that wouldn’t sound rude, he seemed tounderstand. She looked up from her phone to see him put his mug down and stand up.
