Page 57 of A Christmas Wish for the Village Midwife

‘So she’s definitely going to do it?’

‘I think so. She certainly seems keen, and she’s done plenty of research of her own.’

‘That’s good.’ Once again, Billie didn’t make eye contact with Zoe, and her tone was neutral as she dug into the box of baubles for another. ‘It’s good she gets to do something she wants.’

‘She certainly hasn’t had an easy journey, though,’ Zoe reminded her.

‘None of us have.’

Zoe couldn’t argue with that.

‘The tree looks great,’ she said instead. ‘I can help if you want, once I’ve got changed.’

‘I think we’re good,’ Alex said. ‘But you can help with the rest once we’ve done the tree. I was going to put some lights up outside on the trees.’

‘I can do that. Shall we have a cup of tea first?’

‘It’ll be dark soon – best to get it done. We can have tea after… In fact, we can crack open the wine if you like… It’s the weekend – might as well make the most of it.’

Louisa let out a shriek, as if to remind them she was still there and hadn’t had a scrap of attention for the last couple of minutes. Grizzle was in his basket, looking as if he felt quite sorry for himself after being sent back by Alex on Zoe’s arrival. She wondered whether to offer to walk him, but as she glanced at the window, she realised Alex was right – the light was fading, and soon the sun would be below the horizon. If they wanted to get the trees in the garden decorated, they’d have to do it soon.

‘Sorry, Griz,’ she said as she passed him on the way to pick Louisa up. ‘Your W.A.L.K. will have to wait.’

‘She’s all right there,’ Billie said, more sharply now. Zoe paused, stung by the tone, and then nodded. ‘Sorry, I just thought… because you were busy.’

Alex looked sharply at his daughter.

‘I wasn’t being funny,’ she said. ‘It’s just that she’s fine, and if Zoe picks her up, I’ll have to settle her again after.’

‘I could have taken her upstairs with me,’ Zoe said. ‘I thought it might help, that’s all.’

Perhaps Billie had realised how badly she’d come across because she went back to the box full of decorations. ‘I didn’t realise you were going to do that. You can if you want to, and I’ll take her off you when you go to help Dad outside. She’ll need her bath soon anyway.’

Zoe paused, torn, and then went to the door without the little girl. ‘You’re right – she’s happy playing, and she needs to learn to do things on her own sometimes. I’ll get a cuddle later, when we’re all done and settled down.’

As she glanced back, she noticed Billie looking awkward, and, unnoticed by her, Alex watching his daughter thoughtfully.

12

Shabana and Zoe arrived at the surgery at the same time to start their working day. Lavender was already in reception, adding to a forest of tinsel that, the day before, had already looked as if it could suffocate them all if it got any bigger. The radio was blasting out festive tunes, and Lavender wore a jumper bearing the knitted face of a reindeer with a giant red nose.

‘That’s my Whamageddon challenge knackered,’ Shabana said as she noted the strains of ‘Last Christmas’.

‘You didn’t really think you had a serious chance of keeping it going until the twenty-fifth, did you?’ Zoe replied with a wry sideways look. ‘Not working here, at any rate.’

Emilia came through, greeting Zoe and Shabana briskly and then turning to Lavender with a barely disguised look of exasperation. She placed a sheet of paper onto the reception desk and cleared her throat loudly. Lavender looked down from the top of the stepladder where she was fastening yet another glittery garland to the wall. ‘Could you chase these results?’

Lavender nodded. ‘Yeah. Put it on the pile in the tray.’

‘Could you do them as a matter of urgency?’

‘OK.’

Emilia paused for a second, taking in the desk. Lavender’s work was on there, some half done, but it was also littered with drawing pins, more decorations and Christmas cards. ‘I’m not going to put it in the tray because it needs to be done immediately, and I’m not going to leave it on this desk because it will never be seen again.’

Lavender let out an obvious sigh of irritation. She pinned another tack into the wall and then came down the ladder. At the bottom, she held out her hand, and Emilia handed over the sheet. ‘I’ll phone them now,’ Lavender said, going to the phone. ‘If it will make you happy.’

‘If by that you mean doing your actual job will make me happy, then no, it will not make me happy. It will make me content that I don’t have to sack you this week.’