Page 110 of The Village Midwife
‘Down the stairs. I sort of slid down the last few steps and scraped my spine. I was carrying my laptop though, and it flew in the air and then that hit my belly.’
‘Hmm. When did it happen?’
‘About two hours ago.’
‘And how have you been since then?’ Zoe took off her coat and perched on the sofa next to Billie. She removed the blanket and looked up for permission to lift her top. Billie nodded, and Zoe began to gently feel around her bump.
‘My back hurts. I felt a bit sick at first.’
‘That might well have been the shock. How about now? Better or still sick?’
‘Youweresick,’ Alex reminded her from the doorway, where he leaned against the frame, hands in his pockets, watching them. He looked at Zoe. ‘She threw up.’
‘Shook you a bit, eh?’ Zoe turned back to Billie. ‘No bleeding, no other kind of discharge.’
‘From down there?’ She pointed.
‘Yes,’ Zoe said. ‘You haven’t been to the toilet since and noticed anything untoward?’
‘I don’t think so. I might have peed myself a bit.’
‘Hardly surprising.’ Zoe smiled. ‘Sounds like quite a knock.’
Then, to her shock, Billie burst into tears. Zoe stroked her hair and murmured soothing phrases, but there was little else she could do. She glanced up to see Alex looking desperate, but he kept his distance, perhaps deciding that Zoe was dealing with the situation and his interference might only hinder her progress. But Billie’s state told Zoe something more important. Whatever she might say, she cared about this baby.
She dug into her bag and pulled out a pack of paper handkerchiefs, offering one to Billie, who took it and did her best to regain control.
‘It’s a normal reaction,’ Zoe said. ‘Do baby’s movements feel normal to you? About what you usually get?’
‘I don’t know,’ Billie sniffed. ‘I don’t always notice how much he moves. I mean, I don’t think I’ve felt anything, but I’m not sure.’
Zoe sat back and eyed her thoughtfully. ‘I can’t see anything to worry about…’
Alex spoke again. ‘Should I phone for an ambulance to take her to the hospital anyway? Wouldn’t it be better to have scans and heart monitors and whatever else?’
‘You might be up there a long time,’ Zoe said. ‘Most falls don’t do any real damage – a pregnant woman’s body grows its own safeguards, and you’d be surprised how much it can withstand.’
‘But there are times when they fail, right? It’s not always OK?’
‘True.’ Zoe got up. ‘If it helps to ease your mind, then I’ll drive Billie over. I’ll have a word with the on-call team there and see if they’ll take a look.’
‘Can you get my coat and shoes, Dad?’ Billie asked.
Alex left them to do as she’d asked while Zoe helped Billie off the sofa. But as she stood, Zoe’s eye caught a tiny patch of scarlet on the throw that had been beneath her.
Shit.
She turned to Billie and forced a bright smile. ‘Don’t panic, but you might notice there’s a bit of spotting on the sofa where you’ve been sitting.’
Billie looked down, her eyes widening. ‘Dad!’ she cried. ‘Hurry up! We’ve got to go!’
‘It’ll be fine,’ Zoe said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. She couldn’t lose another baby in her care, not this soon after Tegan.
Zoe had never been gladder to have her car with her. They were in luck with the roads too, which were empty and dry, and meant they reached the emergency team in a short-enough time to keep Billie calm. Alex sat with her on the back seat. Whenever Zoe caught a glimpse in the rear-view mirror, she could see Billie leaning into him, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Every so often, he’d give her head a tiny kiss. They didn’t often show it in front of Zoe – in front of anyone, really – but they were devoted to one another. It was hardly surprising, Zoe reflected as the beams of her headlights swept the silent road ahead; theywere all each other had in the world. And when she thought about it that way, she understood more than ever Alex’s reaction to the news that Billie planned to give up her baby.
Zoe had given Alex the number of the team at the hospital, told him who he needed to speak to and to mention her name and why they were bringing Billie over, so that when they arrived, someone was standing by to examine Billie.
‘Hi, Grace,’ Zoe said as one of the on-call midwives came to speak to her. ‘Do you need an extra pair of hands? I’m here; feel free to use me.’
