Page 27 of Mistletoe Kisses at Cwtch Cove

‘I don’t want to wake her at this time.’

‘But that’s her job, right?’ Fluttering began in Lucy’s chest like a small bird was trapped behind her ribcage. ‘She’s used to be woken at all times.’

Ellen shook her head. ‘If it’s not labour then I’ll have got her out of bed for nothing and she has a young family of her own.’

Lucy gnawed at her lip. ‘Right… OK… Uhhhh…’ Suddenly she felt utterly useless. She was meant to be here to help Ellen but her mind had gone blank. If Ellen was in labour then she knew it could take ages for it to advance, and yet some of the TV programmes she’d watched with Ellen over recent days had shown women whose labours had progressed so quickly they hadn’t been able to get to hospital. Not that Ellen wanted to go to hospital; she had a detailed birth plan about her desire to stay home and enjoy a peaceful labour in a birthing pool while Billy held her hand and Lucy brought her cool drinks. Sometimes, Lucy knew, things didn’t go to plan though, and she worried that Ellen could be in labour already.

‘It’s a bit early still, right?’

‘Only two weeks.’ Ellen’s bottom lip wobbled. ‘I want Billy here when the baby comes.’

‘Can you cross your legs?’ Lucy asked, joking but wishing it was a viable option.

‘Ha! Yes, that’ll work.’

‘Hold on. I have an idea.’

‘Does it involve a cup of tea?’ Ellen’s voice rose hopefully.

‘Absolutely. I’ll put the kettle on once I’ve grabbed my phone.’

She hurried upstairs and picked up her phone then went down to the kitchen. While the kettle boiled, she scrolled through her phone to find Jack’s number. She hadn’t seen him since Friday night at the beach when they’d gone for that freezing swim — or Saturday morning to be precise —and it was a long shot that he’d be awake right now, but worth a try. She wouldn’t phone him and wake him but if he was up, or up within the next few hours, he might reply.

She sent a quick message asking what he thought about Ellen’s pains, then slid her phone into her dressing gown pocket. Placing two mugs of tea and a packet of digestives on a tray, she felt more in control already. At least she was doing something constructive, though if Ellen seemed to be in pain or distress, she’d insist on phoning the midwife, taking her to the hospital herself or worst-case scenario, phoning for an ambulance.

‘Here you go.’ She set the tray down on the hearth rug and Ellen smiled.

‘I’m OK, Luce. It’s uncomfortable but nothing I can’t handle. Pregnancy is, however, exhausting. I thought I was feeling restless when I went to bed and now…’ She yawned. ‘I’m incredibly tired and just want to sleep but I can’t. What if this is it? For real?’

Ellen had progressed from calm to worry in a short space of time and Lucy forced her own panic down. It was her time to be strong for Ellen.

‘I wish Mum was here.’ Ellen sniffed.

‘It’s OK, honey. I’ve got you.’ Lucy wrapped her arms around her sister. ‘This is probably not labour but let’s have our tea and see how you feel in half an hour.’

Elle nodded. ‘Good plan. I’m also starving, so open the biscuits.’

Lucy swallowed her laughter. Even in a situation like this, Ellen could feel hungry so that had to be a good thing.

Ten minutes passed, and fortified by tea and digestives, Lucy felt better. She’d helped Ellen to the sofa and got her comfortable with her feet up and a blanket over her.

‘How’re you feeling?’ she asked.

Ellen yawned again. ‘OK. It feels less intense now.’

‘That’s good. Stay there and I’ll make us another cuppa.’

‘I’m not moving.’ Ellen grinned. ‘Could you pass me the TV remote though?’

‘Of course.’

In the kitchen, Lucy filled the kettle then leant against the worktop while she waited for it to boil. A vibration in her pocket made her jump then she remembered that she’d put her phone in there. Pulling it out, she saw a message from Jack telling her that it was probably a false alarm but that he’d come over now if she wanted him to assess Ellen. It was just after 4.30 and still dark outside. Asking him to come over would be wrong. She should phone the midwife really, but then the old hesitation hovered in her gut, the dislike of troubling people. And if Ellen was feeling better then…

A gentle knock at the front door made her gasp then her phone buzzed again. It was Jack telling her to come to the front door. She hurried through the hallway and opened the door to find him panting on the front step in jogging bottoms and a hoodie.

‘Jack!’

‘Sorry if I startled you. I knew you wouldn’t want to bother me, so I thought I’d come over and check you’re both all right.’

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