Page 72 of A Christmas Wish for the Village Midwife

‘Yes…’ She threw a grateful smile at Simon before going to the table. ‘I’m coming!’

Zoe was helping Lavender to wash up when the text message came through. She dried her hands, expecting it to be Alex asking how long she’d be and if she needed him to do anything before she got home, but it wasn’t. It was Kat, the woman she’d helped on the boat the week before.

Hi, how are you? I’m home now, everything is good. I thought you might like to see a photo of Skye. I’d love for you to come and visit if you get time!

K x

Attached was a photo of an adorable baby dressed in a pink romper, face scrunched and a little ruddy, but still perfect to Zoe’s eyes.

Lavender peered over her shoulder. ‘Who’s that?’

‘Oh…’ Zoe turned the phone so she could see better. ‘Remember the woman whose waters broke when we were on the boat trip? That’s her baby. She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?’

‘A bit bald,’ Lavender said carelessly. ‘I’m sure she’ll get cuter in a few weeks.’

‘You’re so mean!’ Zoe said with a laugh.

‘Honest. All babies are ugly when they’re that young, aren’t they? They’re bound to be when you think about where they’ve been cooped up for months before they come out.’

Zoe’s laughter grew. ‘You’re terrible. Don’t say that when we go to see Shabana’s!’

‘I won’t.’ She put her hands on her hips and surveyed the kitchen. ‘There’s not much left to do here – you could go if you wanted, and I could finish up.’

‘I’m not going to leave you with all the mess.’

‘You live further away, and it’s dark already. I’m only around the corner. Go on – get going. I might not even finish it all myself – I can always come in early tomorrow and put all the crocks away, as long as we get the leftover food in the bin and the dishes washed, the rest can wait.’

‘Are you sure it’s no bother?’

‘I wouldn’t have said if it was! Get lost, Padbury! Go home to your hot man!’

Zoe laughed again. She was still laughing as she went to get her coat. Lavender was a strange bird, and she didn’t think she’d ever be able to work her out, but there were few better colleagues when the chips were down. In fact, everyone she worked alongside at Thimblebury surgery felt like a blessing; she couldn’t imagine a team she could love more.

15

‘Are you sure you’re OK with this?’

Zoe stepped over the threshold as Heath invited her in, followed by Alex and Billie with Louisa in the car seat.

Ottilie came from the living room to greet them, Anthony chattering away in her arms.

‘Yes,’ Ottilie said. ‘Stop stressing.’

‘It’ll be good practice for when we have another one,’ Heath added with a grin.

Ottilie aimed a fake scowl at him. ‘Absolutely not! I’m too old to have another; I’ve just about got enough energy for this one.’

‘Oh, but—’ Zoe began, Ottilie swiftly cutting her off.

‘I don’t mean having Louisa is going to be a problem before you start that again,’ she said. She smiled at Billie and Louisa. ‘It’ll be fun getting to know her. After all, she and Anthony will become playmates at some point – might as well get them used to one another from the start, eh?’

‘She’s due to go to sleep soon anyway,’ Billie said. ‘She normally goes through till about five a.m. after that, but I don’t know if she’ll go that long tonight because she’s not in her cot at home. But if she gets up⁠—’

‘We’ll sort it,’ Ottilie said. ‘Have you all got time for a drink before you go? The doors don’t open for another forty minutes, do they? We’ve got snowballs on the go.’

‘Snowballs?’ Billie scrunched up her nose, and Zoe laughed.

‘You’re too young and cool to know what a snowball is! I’d go for one; I love a sneaky snowball at Christmas!’