Page 105 of Christmas for the Village Midwife
‘Oh…’ Alex looked at Billie, who nodded. ‘Then we’ll stay.’
‘There’s no need.’
‘I know, but we want to.’
Zoe raised her eyebrows at Billie. ‘I can’t see it being a very comfortable night for you.’
‘I might be able to help with that,’ the vicar said. He disappeared through a side door and then came back with his arms full of pillows and duvets. ‘It’s supposed to be going abroad for charity,’ he explained. ‘It’s all clean. You’re welcome to sleep on it if you want to stay the night.’
‘Like a sleepover,’ Alex said with a grin.
‘The weirdest sleepover ever,’ Zoe replied. ‘We won’t forget our first Christmas together in a hurry.’
‘Perhaps someone can come and help me get more out,’ the vicar said. ‘There’s plenty, so you ought to be comfortable enough.’
‘Stay there,’ Alex said to Zoe. ‘Keep the weight off that ankle. It must be hurting.’
‘It’s throbbing a bit, I won’t lie. I haven’t really thought about it so much until now.’
‘I bet you’ve been running on adrenaline though. You know, like they say, when the moment is highly stressful and you forget to feel pain.’
‘Probably. And ignoring it a bit too, so I could focus.’
While Alex went to help, Emilia sat next to Zoe. ‘Want me to take a look at your ankle?’
Zoe glanced at it and then shook her head. ‘It’s only a sprain; it’ll be fine.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘Positive. If it gets worse, don’t worry, I’ll tell you.’
Emilia nodded slowly and then fell to silence for a moment before she took a breath and spoke again. ‘I haven’t thanked you properly.’
‘I think you have.’
‘You absolutely went above and beyond today. I don’t know how to express how grateful I am.’
‘I’m sure you would have done the same.’
‘Still, I appreciate it. We all do. I owe you an explanation?—’
‘You don’t. I mean, I don’t know what for, but I don’t feel like there’s any explanation needed for anything.’ She gave the tiniest nod at Brett and Georgia. ‘Do you think they’ll be OK?’
‘I hope so. They had a big bust-up earlier…that’s why they left the church during the service and I followed, and I suspectthat’s where the trouble started with Georgia. But…I think all this has shocked Brett into some kind of epiphany. I’ve spoken to him – he knows the drinking and the wallowing in self-pity can’t go on, not now he has a son.’
Zoe couldn’t help but feel that, despite Emilia’s good intentions, her intervention was a bit heavy-handed. Georgia and Brett would work things out by themselves, as he’d come to his own conclusions about the changes he needed to make to be the man Georgia and their little boy needed. In the circumstances, perhaps Zoe could also understand why Emilia would feel the need to get involved. They were living with her, after all, and what they did affected her too.
Emilia pulled out her phone. ‘Signal’s been dropping out all night.’
‘I know. It’s caused havoc in one way or another. What time do you make it? I’m too tired to get my phone out to look.’
‘Almost midnight,’ Emilia said. ‘Give it a few minutes and I’ll be able to wish you a happy Christmas.’
‘I thought you didn’t like Christmas.’
Emilia gave her a rueful look. ‘It’s a difficult time for me, but I don’thateit…and other people like it. The least I can do right now is respect that.’
‘Why is it difficult? Seems like you have a proper love–hate relationship with this time of year. You don’t have to tell me, but…’
