Two Days in Biarritz (43 page)

He sounded anxious but in control of the situation and Annabel felt great relief that Kate had someone who ha always truly cared for her at her side. She put her mobile on speaker so that Damien could hear the conversation.

“Damien’s here too. He’s going to stay with the boys.”

“Okay, Annabel. I’ll tell Kate that. She’s being examined at the moment and some snotty matron is giving me the evil eye for talking on my mobile so I’d better hang up.”

“Great, Shane. Tell Kate not to worry about anything here.” Annabel looked over at Damien. “Did you get that?”

He nodded. “I hope she’ll be all right.”

“You know Kate better than me. She’ll be fine,” Annabel assured him.

“Fancy a cup of tea?”

“Yes, please.” He felt helpless. He had secretly hoped that Kate would let him be with her for the birth. It was his job to look after her now. She may be a strong and independent woman to the rest of the world but she would always be his little girl. “I can’t believe she went so quickly.”

“That’s the way it happens. She’s in good hands.”

Annabel sat down at the kitchen table and Damien sat on a chair next to her.

“Damien, I’ve been thinking about the coffee shop.”

“Yes?”

“I think it’s a really great opportunity. I was talking to Kate about it and we both figured out that fear is stopping me from taking the leap.”

Damien shook his head. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. What’s the worst that can happen?”

Annabel could think of a hundred things – Colin at the centre of most of them. “I know you’re right. But I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“I have faith in you,” Damien said reassuringly.

In all her years of marriage to Colin he had never used words like this. All he had done was undermine her confidence until she felt incapable of being any
more than his wife and mother to their children and even in those tasks he never gave her much praise.

“I told Colin earlier, before Kate rang, that I was going to take it.”

Damien perked up in his seat. “Really?”

She nodded. “I think it’s now or never.”

“Good for you. We can’t go wrong,” Damien smiled widely.

Annabel felt as though she was being filled up with confidence. Damien made her feel special and everything that she wanted to be. She could see a whole new world opening up before her eyes.

* * *

Kate was sweating. It was all coming back to her now. In twelve years she had completely forgotten the birthing experience but the memories started to flood back.

“You’re doing great,” Shane said, squeezing her hand so tightly until it nearly hurt as much as the contraction.

The anaesthetist arrived. Tall and casual, like a friendly country GP.

“How are we doing here?” he asked cheerfully.

“I’m coping.” Kate flinched suddenly.

“You’re recovery will be quicker without the epidural if you can stick it. How many centimetres are you?”

“I was four about an hour ago. I think I’ll try it on my own.”

“Kate, would you not take all the help you can get?” Shane interrupted.

“Typical Dad,” the anaesthetist grinned. “Too late now to be feeling bad! I’ll be around if you change your mind but don’t leave it too long.”

He exited the birthing suite, leaving Kate and Shane alone.

“Sorry about that,” Kate panted between contractions.

“How was he to know? I’d say everyone thinks I’m the dad. I’m only sorry I’m not.”

Kate’s eyes filled up. “Thanks Shane.”

“Why didn’t you tell me the truth? Have you any idea how I’ve been tortured this last couple of months wondering why you rejected me?”

Kate jerked suddenly and let out a yelp with the pain.

“I’m sorry, Kate. I shouldn’t be talking like this,” Shane said – panic shooting out with each word that he spoke.

“It’s not you,” she yelled. “It’s this fucking baby.”

“Should I get the midwife?”

Kate nodded her head frantically. Shane ran out to the main ward and grabbed the nearest women in a pale green uniform. “She’s in terrible pain. Please can you come?”

The midwife examined Kate and smiled widely as she removed the thin rubber glove. “You are nine centimetres, Kate. Not long to go now.”

Shane wiped his brow with the sleeve of his shirt. He had no idea how traumatic an experience giving birth could be.

“The best is yet to come, Dad!” the midwife said grinning over at the traumatised Shane.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Kate had a tiny bundle wrapped in a blue blanket in her arms.

“There seems to be a run in the pink blankets tonight. I’m sure she won’t mind!” the midwife said with a smile.

Shane sat close by Kate on the black leather armchair and watched with wonder at the little pink wrinkled face that blinked up at her mother.

“She has your hair anyway,” the midwife said to Kate, pointing at the mop of black hair covering the little girl’s head. “Have you any names picked?”

“I’ve always liked Molly for a girl,” Shane said turning to look at Kate.

Kate was mesmerised. The whole experience had been totally surreal. It was as if Shane really was the father and they were now a complete family.

“That’s a nice name,” Kate agreed. “I hadn’t really given names any thought. I was so worried that there would be something wrong after the haemorrhage.”

“That’s a fine healthy baby you have,” the mid-wife said as she tidied up the birthing equipment and left them alone at last.

“Thanks, Shane.”

“Please don’t say that. I wanted to be here.”

“It’s been quite a night, hasn’t it?”

“I had no idea what it meant to bring a new life into the world. You were amazing.”

Kate felt closer to Shane than at anytime in her life. Lying on the bed with her daughter in her arms she couldn’t hold the tears back.

“I love you, Shane.”

“Then be with me.”

“It’s not just me. There are three of us – I mean four including the new edition.”

“Then I’m the lucky one getting a ready made family. It’s always been you Kate.”

The baby in Kate’s arms gurgled and put her hand out until it touched off Shane’s.

“Do you want to hold her?”

“Sure do,” Shane said, taking the swaddled baby and carefully wrapping his arms around her. “You know what?”

“Hmm?”

“I think she’s going to be a Daddy’s girl!”

* * *

“That was Shane,” Annabel said, smiling, closing her mobile phone with a snap.

“You have a healthy grand-daughter!”

Damien got up from the sofa and rushed over to Annabel on hearing the exciting news. “Should we wake the boys?”

“It might upset them,” Annabel said, looking at her watch. It was half-past twelve and they were meant to be at school the next day.

“I think you are right. We’ll leave them and I’ll bring them into the hospital tomorrow afternoon,” Damien nodded. “Do you fancy having a drink to celebrate? I think I left a bottle of champagne at back of that cupboard in the corner.”

Damien rooted around the drinks cabinet and produced a bottle of Bollinger.

“I shouldn’t really,” Annabel said shyly. “I have to get back.”

It was already late. The last few hours she had been entranced with Damien’s company. How she had missed him!

“Well, what about if we put it in the ice-box and drink it tomorrow night – after we sign the papers on our new enterprise?”

“Oh, Damien!” Annabel exclaimed. The business was going to happen for real. Her face lit up. “I’m so excited. I’m so happy for Kate! Do you think she’ll get back with Shane?”

“I’d say after what they have just been through the answer is definitely yes – don’t you?”

Annabel lowered her head shyly. Her own true love was only inches away – if only she could tell him how she felt.

Damien moved over until he was almost upon her. “She deserves to be happy. We all do!” He felt like it was now or never. The signals he’d been receiving from Annabel all night made him confident that she felt the same way as he did.

Annabel looked up until her gaze was locked firmly onto Damien’s eyes.

Neither could speak. The space between them was too much. They had to be closer than this. Damien reached out and gently brushed a strand of blonde hair from her face. For a moment his finger touched her cheek.

She grabbed his hand and pressed it against her face, then turned her head until her lips placed a gently kiss on his palm.

They were transported back in time to another place on a rocky sea.

“We have no storm to protect us now,” he said. “Are we ready?”

Annabel nodded as Damien leaned forward and tasted her honey-sweet lips.

Epilogue

Four years later

Kate sat in front of the mirror as Annabel put the final touches to her make-up.

“You look beautiful.”

“Thanks to you,” Kate said rubbing her gloss-coated lips together. “Where has Molly got to?”

Annabel pointed to the bedroom door. “She’s running around the house telling everyone that she’s a princess.”

“As long as she isn’t killing the baby!”

“She loves him. I heard her say the other day that he wasn’t her brother but her baby, while she was trying to put him into her toy buggy.”

“She’s been so spoilt. She’s such a daddy’s girl.”

“Like her mother!”

“And her mother’s best friend.”

Annabel laughed out loud. Her relationship with Damien had been slow to take off but now that were a
bona fide
couple everyone was delighted.

“Nervous?”

“Just the usual wedding day jitters,” Kate grinned. “I hope everything goes well.”

“Third time lucky!”

“I know it sounds corny but it feels like the first time.”

“It doesn’t sound corny at all,” Annabel said, smiling widely. “You’re only doing what you should have done years ago.”

Kate nodded. “Annabel.”

“Yes.”

“You do realise something, don’t you?”

“What?”

“There’s a very good chance that someday you’ll be my step-mother.”

Annabel smiled. Damien and she were keeping their news until Kate and Shane got back from their honeymoon.

THE END

If you enjoyed Two Days in
Biarritz here is a sample of Three Nights in New York, also by Michelle Jackson and available now as an ebook.

Prologue

February in
New York

Eve Porter wished that she had stayed in New York. Her transition to the London branch of the
‘Just for Coffee’
exclusive dating agency had been good for promotion but London didn’t have the same buzz. However, just now that same ‘buzz’ was creating a problem. Standing on a snowy Seventh Avenue, surrounded by a cacophony of blaring car horns and gridlocked traffic, she wondered how she was going to make her appointment with Lucille on time. She could always catch the subway. Most New Yorkers didn’t think twice before using it – even the mayor was reported to take it to work – besides, she did get the Tube on the odd occasion now that she lived in London.

She held her breath as she descended the steps for the subway and avoided eye contact with the masses on their way to work. She pulled back the sleeve of her coat to see the face of her Rolex. John had given it to her for Christmas and even though she’d removed every trace of his existence from her flat in Chiswick she continued to wear the diamond-studded watch. One of its benefits was the dual time system. Although it was now five years since she had left
New York, she still liked to know what time it was in the Big Apple – and it was convenient when conversing with Lucille across the Atlantic.

She gave her arm a shake and the sleeve fell back over the watch as she teetered at the edge of the platform. She was anxious to be first on the carriage – near the door so she could make a rapid escape.

The tiles on the wall of the other side of the track were shiny – whiter than they should have been with the bombardment of trains passing by every few minutes. She thought she heard the train get nearer but it was only her stomach rumbling. Eating in the mornings was a chore and a cup of black coffee was usually all she could manage to keep down.  She was sorry now she hadn’t forced herself to eat a piece of toast at least or a few spoonfuls of muesli – anything to keep this unpleasant sinking feeling at bay. As a child she was regarded as anaemic and her doctor had warned not to fast for too long between meals. But Eve was now a professional woman and well able to make her own mind up about if and when she should eat. Another rumble from her stomach and she felt a light and airy pressure rise from the top of her spine and rush around her skull. Hypnotised by the tiles in front of her eyes and a gentle breeze brushing past her face, she began to sway.