Page 39 of Christmas for the Village Midwife
Zoe gave a small smile. She didn’t reply immediately. She was tired and felt grubby from a day in an office where the heating had been set far too high, and as much as she wanted to oblige Georgia, she also needed some time alone to decompress. It was something that had felt in short supply recently, scarcer and scarcer as she became more deeply involved in the lives of Alex and Billie, and now Georgia. Not to mention the expectant mums in her care and all her other new friendships. Her visits to Ottilie, Stacey, and Corrine and Victor might have been more casual, but collectively they all ate into the time she had simply to exist as herself.
However, she had always found it almost impossible to ignore a call for help, and the more she thought about it, the more she recognised a subtext to Georgia’s messages. Bored meant lonely. Brett was out again, and Emilia was working late.Did neither of them see that Georgia needed their support? Emilia had said as much to Zoe, and yet she didn’t seem to be doing her bit. As for Brett…Zoe was beginning to see that he was rarely around. When she’d visited that first time, he’d been absent, and every time Georgia texted in the days since, there would be some hint – if not explicitly said – that he wasn’t there with her. What was he doing? Where on earth could he be sneaking off to all the time? It was especially perplexing when Zoe thought about how close Georgia’s labour was – most men would be making the effort to be around more, not less, on standby for the big event. Georgia was due on New Year’s Day, so in her case the big event was extremely imminent.
After another moment of indecision that she decided was a bit on the uncharitable side, she texted back.
Can you give me an hour? Need to shower and get my head on straight, then I’ll call to see you.
If you’re tired, there’s no pressure. You don’t have to. Sorry, I didn’t think. I bet you’ve had a hard day.
Honestly, it’s fine. It will be lovely to chat, and you can tell me all about your plans for when the baby arrives! See you around 7.30?
I’d love that, thank you!
By the time Zoe showed up at Emilia’s house, Brett had returned from wherever it was he’d been. He was polite as he greeted her but tense, and it looked as though Georgia had been crying. Zoe wanted to ask but realised it might not be the right moment – if it was even her business at all.
Despite this, Georgia gave Zoe a broad smile and a warm hug. ‘You know you really didn’t have to come out in the cold if you didn’t feel like it, but is it bad that I’m glad you did?’
‘Aww, no, it’s not. Sometimes I need a kick up the backside – it’s too easy to stay home and rot. I’m glad I came out. I can’t stay late, though, if that’s all right. Alex dropped me off. He says I can phone him to come and get me in a few hours.’
‘Alex?’
‘He was coming down to the village anyway, and he knows I’m not fond of driving down that hill in the dark. I can’t say I’m always fond of walking it – it’s so steep! I mean, I get on with it when I have to, but it’s nice to have a lift.’
‘Alex doesn’t need to come out – Brett and I can take you home.’
‘It’s fine. I can?—’
‘I insist! Brett – we’ll take Zoe home later, won’t we?’
Zoe decided, looking at Brett’s face as he put the can of beer he’d just taken from the fridge back with a barely disguised sigh of impatience, she’d rather go up to Kestrel Cottage blindfolded on roller skates than have him drive her. He nodded stiffly before she had time to protest again.
‘Of course we will. Tell your boyfriend not to worry about it. It’s not like I’ve got anything else to do…’ he added as he left the kitchen.
Perhaps he’d assumed it was under his breath, but Zoe heard well enough. She watched him go. She was no expert on body language, but she’d seen more positive-looking examples of that too.
Once he was gone, she turned back to Georgia with a painted-on smile. ‘So you’re making the most of your time in the Lakes? Brett certainly seems to be enjoying being out.’
‘He’s walking a lot.’
‘He likes walking?’
‘He’s been known to. It wears me out at the moment, so I don’t go. And I think he appreciates some quiet time. Let’s face it, there’ll be precious little of that in a few weeks.’
‘Newborns do tend to liven things up. Does he have any paternity leave lined up?’
‘No. I mean, yes, he’ll have time at home. Probably. It’s all a bit up in the air at the moment.’
Zoe wanted to ask why, but again, she couldn’t tell if it would be a welcome enquiry or not.
And then Georgia lowered her voice and it seemed the mask finally slipped. ‘Things are a struggle right now.’
‘For you?’
‘For us both. I might as well tell you…I don’t know why I was bothering to hide it, really.’
‘The pregnancy’s been hard?’
‘Among other things…’ Georgia paused and seemed about to share something significant with her, but then – and it was hard to be sure – seemed to change tack. ‘Emilia is helping to look after me, which is more than a lot have. She’s been so kind, more than we deserve. I should be grateful I have her. I suppose it’s the baby making me feel down, and I really have no right to…’
