Page 27 of A New Arrival at Cwtch Cove

‘I can do that,’ Henry said.

‘It’s fine, Henry. Go and get the kettle on.’ Trudy gave a small nod and Henry knew not to argue. She wanted him to go with Alice because she knew he’d been worried too.

‘Yes, boss,’ he said with a smile.

By the time he’d made tea, Trudy had joined them and the three of them sat at the table in the staffroom. He waited quietly for Alice to begin, discretely wiping his clammy palms on his jeans. He was nervous and trying not to show it but his body was betraying him.

‘So… Tarquin was great about it.’ She told them what he’d said and how he’d reacted and Trudy laughed at Alice’s description of how shocked Tarquin was at first. When Alice told them that Tarquin had dropped to one knee, Henry’s stomach rolled over but she quickly added that she’d told him to get up and that there was no way they were getting married. Henry was filled with relief like he’d been handed a cold glass of water on a boiling hot day. It made him feel selfish for wanting Alice to be single but he reassured himself that it would be wrong for Alice to marry a man she didn’t love. It wouldn’t be good for her or the baby.

‘And there you have it. Tarquin was great about it all and he’s keen to be as involved as I’m happy for him to be. Which is fully involved because I want this baby to have both parents round as well as both sets of grandparents. And,’ she said, meeting Henry’s eyes, ‘to have a Henry around.’

He lowered his mug and bit the inside of his cheek as emotion welled inside him. ‘Th-thank you,’ he whispered.

‘Of course. You’re family too,’ Alice said, beaming at him and he realised that the talk with Tarquin had freed something in her. It was like a weight had lifted and she could allow herself to be happy now.

‘That’s all wonderful news!’ Trudy stood up and pressed a kiss to Alice’s head. ‘Right, why don’t you two head on home? I’ll finish up here then come home and cook us a nice dinner.’

‘I can finish up here,’ Henry said then he closed his mouth and nodded because Trudy was shaking her head at him. ‘All right then, I’ll make dinner at yours. How does that sound?’

‘Perfect,’ Trudy replied with a wink.

‘I could do with some air actually,’ Alice said. ‘If that’s OK?’

Getting plenty of fresh sea air would be good for her and for the baby, he thought.

‘Of course. Where do you want to go?’ Henry asked.

‘The beach.’ Alice smiled and he thought his heart would burst with joy at seeing her smile.

He helped her into her coat then grabbed his own and they went out into the October afternoon. They walked down to the beach and stood at the rail overlooking the sand. The wind was strong near the sea and it buffeted them, so Henry held out his arm and Alice stepped closer to him. He told himself it was because he didn’t want to risk her getting blown over but it was also because he wanted to be close to her. He needed to be close to her right now and it was a powerful feeling that took him by surprise. For the first time in his life, Henry had met a woman who didn’t judge him on his looks. She seemed to genuinely like him for who he was and how he treated her. They were able to talk, laugh, relax and be themselves. Henry felt seen by Alice, that she was more interested in his mind and his heart than the exterior, and it had helped him to be himself. They still had lots to find out about each other but that was fine; he felt certain that they had time to do that and to enjoy the journey.

They gazed at the sea as it crashed against the shore and above them seagulls swooped and cawed against the backdrop of the grey sky. But despite the weather and encroaching gloom of evening, Henry was filled with a sense of hope. He rested his head on the top of Alice’s head, breathing in the scent of her shampoo and the other scent that was all her.

Alice was carrying another man’s child. She wasn’t his partner. They might never be more than friends. But that was OK because right now, they were here, together. Hell, he hadn’t even kissed her and didn’t know if she would want to kiss him…

He felt her move and she looked up into his eyes then reached up and stroked his cheek. ‘Thank you for this,’ she said. ‘It’s what I need right now. I’m so tired all the time and it’s taking some getting used to knowing that I’m going to be a mum, but you are… simply wonderful.’

‘No, you’re wonderful,’ he said and then he kissed her forehead gently. ‘I’m not sure where this is going but I’m here for you and I’m happy to take things as slowly as we need to. There’s no pressure at all in any way, shape or form. You just need to look after yourself and the life inside you. I’ll be here, come what may.’

She rose her tiptoes and kissed his cheek then his lips, her touch featherlight against his skin, before turning again to gaze out at the horizon. In that moment, Henry knew that he really would be there for her and the baby, come what may.

EPILOGUE

ALICE – six months later

‘Careful, Alice.’ Her mum plumped up the pillows behind Alice and helped her to sit upright. ‘You need to watch those stitches for now so no sudden movements and no heavy lifting.’

‘I don’t think Henry will let me, do you?’ Alice smiled as her eyes strayed to Henry who was standing at the window cradling her new-born daughter. His expression was one of joy and pride and he could easily have been the baby’s father.

‘No, I don’t think he will.’ Her mum laughed softly.

In the final weeks of her pregnancy, Alice had been gearing up for a natural birth but her body had other ideas and she’d ended up being rushed in for an emergency caesarean after her blood pressure shot up. It had been a shock to her, Henry and her mum but the medical team had been amazing, and her care had been wonderful. Her mum and Henry had been at the hospital with her throughout the whole ordeal and Tarquin had visited this morning with his new partner, Drake. Tarquin and Drake had met in Swansea at a mutual friend’s wedding three months ago, and they’d become inseparable. Alice thought that Drake would make a wonderful extra parent for their little girl.

‘It’s a beautiful day outside,’ Henry said. ‘Just right for taking this pretty girl home.’

‘It’ll be nice to get home. I know I’ve only been here two days but I want my own bed and some home cooking. From both of you,’ she said as she gave her mum and Henry a pointed stare. They all laughed because Alice had been very vocal through her pregnancy about how much she enjoyed her mum and Henry’s cooking, requesting all sorts of strange combinations as her cravings escalated. She knew they’d both take good care of her once she got home and that she wouldn’t have to lift a finger until she felt stronger. She was lucky to have that security and just the thought of how she’d landed on her feet made her emotional.

‘Come on then, let’s get baby ready and we can get going.’ Her mum placed Alice’s clothes on the bed, along with the going home outfit that Tarquin had bought for the baby to wear.

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