Page 19 of A Christmas Wish for the Village Midwife

Alex looked across at Zoe as she sat on the sofa next to him. ‘See the wetland they’re trying to re-establish…? There’s a national park like that in Estonia. It’s meant to be amazing. That’s what a lot of the Lake District used to be like…’

‘Hmm…’ Zoe gave a brief nod. She was trying really hard to find it interesting, though her thoughts wandered more often than she’d admit to him. Billie, on the other hand, was obviously making excuses as she got up.

‘Louisa seems all right in her chair there.’ She gave an exaggerated stretch. ‘I think I might have a bath, if you’re all right keeping an eye on her.’

‘Sure,’ Alex said, and Zoe watched him to see if he seemed disappointed she didn’t share his enthusiasm. But he turned his gaze back to the television.

‘Of course we can look after her,’ Zoe said. ‘Go and have your bath; don’t worry about anything down here.’

Billie had slunk out of the room, but she’d forgotten to take her phone. Moments later, it pinged, and Zoe peered over at the coffee table where it was sitting to see a notification lighting up the screen. It was from Beatriz. It seemed that Luis’s parents were very firmly back in Billie’s life after a notable absence – one that Billie had enforced as she got to grips with her new beginning in Thimblebury.

Alex looked up at the sound of the notification too. He gave Zoe a look, one that asked if it was unreasonable for him to go and read it. Zoe was about to answer when Billie dashed back into the room.

‘Forgot this.’ She snatched it up and left them again.

‘They’re bound to be texting,’ Zoe said. ‘They’re probably still missing her and Louisa. You know what we were like when they went – they leave a big hole when they’re not here.’

‘I suppose you’re right.’ He paused for a moment before restarting the programme he’d stopped as Billie had come back in for her phone, but his brow was furrowed and his expression unreadable. Zoe wondered if that was quite the end of the discussion, but as he didn’t say anything more, she decided that it probably was for now.

4

Glancing up at the clock, Zoe clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, swallowing a curse. She was running late for work, and the rain that bounced from the roof of her car outside meant she’d have to drive with caution, slowing her down even more. It had started the night before, just as they’d all gone to bed after staying up far too late, and it didn’t look as if it had stopped for a minute since then. Beyond the windows, the sky was so heavy and the clouds so low, the tops of the hills were completely blotted out. Alex was standing in the way of the coat peg as she tried to get to it. ‘Sorry, but can you…?’

‘Oh, right…’ He moved, and she dashed to retrieve her jacket, Grizzle sniffing at her feet.

‘She’s not taking you for a walk,’ Alex said with a light laugh as he led his dog away. ‘So don’t get any ideas. The state of the weather, I don’t think you should get any ideas about me taking you either.’ He looked up at Zoe. ‘What time will you be home?’

‘Late.’ Zoe fastened her coat. ‘There’s a surgery meeting after work. Emilia wants to go through some personal development stuff. Boring, but there we are, has to be done.’

‘Can’t you make an excuse to get out of it?’

Zoe searched her bag for her car keys. ‘Sorry, no. Fliss used to let this stuff slide, but there’s no chance with Emilia.’

Alex let out a sigh.

‘Sorry,’ Zoe said.

‘I miss you when you’re not here.’

‘That’s because you’re in the house constantly at the moment with too much time to think about how I’m not here.’ She kissed him before going to the door.

‘That’s why I need a project to keep me busy, and you and Billie keep telling me the one I’ve picked is crap.’

Zoe laughed lightly. ‘We never said that; we just said you might find not everyone around here is as big a fan of rewilding as you are. Can’t you take up oil painting or something? It’s got to be easier and less contentious. You’ve got things to do on the camping field too? You said you wanted to put some better lighting in.’

‘I’m waiting for the kit to be delivered.’ He dug his hands into his pockets and scuffed his feet on the floor like a little boy. ‘Go, abandon me. I know where I am in the pecking order – behind personal development meetings, apparently.’

‘Unless you want me to stop bringing a wage in, there’s not a lot I can do about it.’

‘You could work with me,’ he said.

Zoe paused, the handle of the door cold in her palm. ‘Don’t be daft – there’s not enough for me to do. Not to mention I actually love the job I have. Billie asked you about working for the camping business, and you told her there wasn’t a job for her, let alone me.’

‘But there might be. In the future. I didn’t say there would never be a need for help, just that I’m not busy enough yet.’

‘In the future, if there is a job, Billie will want to do it. She needs something.’

‘You think?’ he asked, and she could see now that his question was earnest, not like the idle speculation he’d been making because he wanted her to be around more. ‘You think I ought to create some sort of position for her? I can’t afford to pay her a proper wage yet, but⁠—’