Page 35 of Christmas for the Village Midwife
‘For today,’ Corrine said. ‘And yes, there’s spare for you, you great greedy gannet.’
‘That’s not why I came down,’ Victor said, and when Corrine lifted her eyebrows so high in disbelief they might have left her head entirely, Zoe burst out laughing again. The day had been good for her soul, if not for her baking confidence, because she realised then that she’d laughed an awful lot. She’d even seen flashes of contentment in Billie’s expression at points during the evening. She couldn’t wait to tell Alex.
‘I’d avoid that one,’ Zoe warned him, pointing to her tray.
‘Righto,’ Victor said, eyeing it briefly before, apparently, deciding he ought to take Zoe at her word. He moved along the counter and snapped a corner from another tray. ‘Ooh, that’s nice,’ he said as he munched. ‘Very tasty. And let’s see…’ He then went to a second tray and did the same. ‘Lord above! Corrine – you’ve outdone yourself! I think this is the best you’ve ever made! Sorry, ladies’ – he grinned at Zoe and Billie as he stuffed another chunk into his mouth – ‘but the crown’s not going anywhere this year.’
‘As it happens,’ Corrine said mildly, ‘that’s Billie’s.’
Victor stared at the young woman. ‘Yours? Ruddy hell, lass! I didn’t know you could bake!’
‘I don’t.’ Billie looked confused. ‘It’s nice then?’
‘Nice? I’ll tell you how nice it is – I’m going to take the rest, and I’m not going to apologise for it!’
Billie’s gaze went back to the construction. ‘It doesn’t look very good, though.’
‘Practice makes perfect,’ Corrine said. ‘That’s all you need. You’ve got the basics, so that’s halfway there.’
‘I think she might be in with a chance this year,’ Victor said to Corrine, who nodded, shooting Billie a look of pride that was heartening. Ever generous, Zoe suspected Billie winning would mean more to Corrine than winning herself, simply for the confidence it would inspire in the younger woman. ‘A bit of beginner’s luck is nowt to be sniffed at, eh?’
‘That’s not beginner’s luck,’ Corrine said. ‘It’s a God-given talent.’
Billie shook her head, but Zoe saw something that perhaps even Billie herself didn’t know she was showing. A brightness, a tiny moment of epiphany so imperceptible that it might not have been there at all, but Zoe had spent enough time with Billie now to recognise a change in her demeanour when she saw it. Had Corrine inadvertently stumbled on the catalyst for Billie’s recovery? She’d lived for so long in the shadow of her grief for the man she’d lost, the man who hadn’t ever known about his baby, and in fear of what her life might be raising that baby alone, that Zoe had never known her without it.
‘It’s all a bit of fun anyway.’ Corrine moved her creation to one side to make a space on the worktop. ‘It’s only to raise money for charity; in the end, it doesn’t really matter who wins as long as lots of people join in. Now then…’ She took off her apron, tossed it into the washing machine and then took a clean one from a drawer, fastening it over her dress. ‘Who’s for a bite to eat? I thought I’d make some ham sandwiches and a nice cup of tea.’
12
The following evening, Zoe slipped off her coat, red-cheeked from her walk over the fields to Hilltop Farm. Alex took it from her to hang up with his own while Zoe kicked off her boots, the chill of the stone floor of Hilltop’s kitchen seeping through her socks. It wasn’t unwelcome. They’d walked quickly and despite the freezing conditions outside, she’d worked up a sweat. ‘Something smells good.’
‘It’s probably Billie,’ Alex called as he returned and took off his own boots to sit at the back door. ‘Are you in?’ he called to the empty room.
Grizzle rushed through, wagging his tail and leaping around them in circles.
‘Hello!’ Zoe bent to fuss him.
A moment later, Billie’s voice made her look up. Alex’s daughter was taking a glass to the sink.
‘Have you been baking again?’ Alex asked.
Billie nodded. ‘I tried some different things in the gingerbread. I’ve been watching some cooking videos. I asked Corrine about vanilla and she said it might be nice. She’d never put it with ginger before, but I wasn’t so sure when I made some.I did some with caramel too, and that was all right.’ She gave an aimless shrug. ‘The thing is, I don’t know if I’m tasting stuff right.’
‘How can you not taste stuff right?’ Alex asked.
Billie shot him a withering look. ‘Because I’m pregnant. Everything is weird when you’re pregnant.’
‘She’s got a point,’ Zoe said.
‘OK.’ Alex grinned sheepishly. ‘The man will shut up now.’
Billie took a seat at the table. ‘Anyway, there isn’t that much time to keep messing around now. I’ll have to decide soon because it’s in a few days, isn’t it? And I still need to get the hang of building the house. I mean, I know I’m not going to win or anything, but I don’t want it to be embarrassing.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll do the embarrassing for you,’ Zoe said. ‘I can’t see anyone else having to worry about winning the booby prize.’
‘Yours didn’t taste that bad,’ Alex said.
‘Liar,’ Zoe replied with a grin, and he grinned back, not even trying to argue.
