A Jersey Kiss (Jersey Romance Series) (30 page)

“
I’d be shitting it, if I were her right now,” Paul said, reading Bea’s thoughts. “There’s no going back now, poor girl.”

Bea sat down on one of the chairs and tapped her foot on the floor.
“Why won’t they call us in?”

The door finally opened and the midwife waved them over.
“Shani’s ready for you both to come in now.” She smiled at Paul. “You don’t need to look so terrified, everything’s fine.”

Bea walked in first, her eyes widening at the sight of Shani lying with her long, slim legs up in stirrups.

“And there’s another contraction,” the midwife said cheerily. “Come in quickly, you two, and please try to stay out of the way.”

“
Glad you could, argh, both make it,” Shani groaned.

Bea felt lightheaded and doubted it was due to the intense heat in the room; the look of pain across her best friend’s usually unlined forehead was shocking. Paul shielded his eyes from the bottom end of the bed.
“They could face the top of your head towards the door,” he grumbled. “Or have a warning note outside somewhere.”

Bea glared at him.
“Don’t be such a baby, you’re not having to do anything,” she said through clenched teeth, not quite certain she had heard him murmur something about being traumatised for life. She took Shani’s hand in hers, wincing when Shani almost crushed her bones with a grip most men would be proud of as she panted frantically through her contraction. “Ouch, Shan, can you let go a little?” she complained as Shani sucked on a tube she was holding in her free hand. “Gas and air?” she asked. Shani nodded.

“
I could do with some of that,” Paul said, concentrating his wide-eyed gaze on Shani’s face.

“
What’s the matter?” The young nurse, smiled. “If either of you think you’re going to faint, then go outside. You’ll find a water cooler in the hallway.”

Paul shook his head and grimaced.

“Phew, that was a bad one,” Shani said, turning to smile at Paul. “You look worse than I probably do.” The midwife put on her gloves and examined Shani once again. “Surely I’ll be ready to push soon.” The woman nodded and smiled.

This was going to be a long night, Bea thought. Maybe the thrill of watching new life entering into this world was a little over-rated. She decided should she ever feel broody again, she would have to visit this place; it would soon put her off wanting babies.

****

“
She’s had a baby,” Paul shouted down the phone to Guy two hours later, his voice trembling.

“
Well, that’s a relief,” he teased over the loudspeaker. “What sort of baby?”

“
What do you mean, what sort? A baby.”

“
Is it a boy, or a girl?”

“
Oh, a girl. She looks like a little moonbeam, so cute and tiny, though she’s a bit crumpled still, but I think she’ll plump out a bit. I think they said she was three kilos or something, though I’ve no idea what that is in real terms.”

Bea pulled a tissue from her sweatshirt sleeve and blew her nose.

“Congratulations,” Guy said. “I can’t wait to give her a cuddle.” Paul told him he’d see him later and ended the call. “You need to take it easy for a while after what you must have been through,” he told Shani, and then frowning looked over at Bea. “Never mind her, you’re looking a bit knackered.”

“
You don’t look so hot yourself.” Bea peered down into the clear bassinette and felt a tug at her heart as the baby took her little finger in her hand.

“
Gorgeous, isn’t she?” Shani yawned and although her face was puffy from the effort of pushing, Bea thought her friend had never looked more beautiful. It felt strange to see someone as tomboyish as Shani looking so maternal and serene. She could tell by the adoring way Shani was gazing at her baby that she’d be an incredible mother, with or without Harry’s involvement.

“
You’re so clever and you were so brave.” She hugged Shani, careful not to disrupt the drip in her arm. “She’s lovely. I’m sorry I was so panicky getting you to the hospital.”

“
Don’t be silly, you were both brilliant in the end. You’d better get a move on; didn’t you have to be at your stepmother’s an hour ago?”

Bea frowned.
“An hour ago?” She rubbed her eyes and yawned.

“
The wedding, it’s today.” Bea stared at her trying to take in what she was saying. “You go and have a fantastic day. Give Mel my love.”

Bea retied her ponytail and checked her watch.
“Shit.” She blanched. “I’m so late.” Bea pulled an agonised expression, making Shani smile. “Nooo, I don’t want to go.”

Shani giggled.
“Behave yourself, you’ll look gorgeous, and you’re going to have fun. Take some pictures with your mobile if you get the chance and send them to me.” Bea nodded. “Oh and Bea, thanks for everything. You’ve been a star.” Bea sniffed aware her chin was starting to wobble again. She blew her nose. “No, don’t you dare start crying,” Shani said, welling up. “I’m allowed to. No one’s going to see me for hours yet. Mel and your stepmum will never forgive you if you ruin the photos with bloodshot eyes and a big red nose.” She pushed her friends away gently. “Go on, I’ll see you both when it’s all over.”

“
This is one hell of a lot of trouble to go to, to get out of Mel’s wedding,” Paul teased.

“
Perfect timing though, don’t you agree?” Shani arched an eyebrow. “I know. I couldn’t have really planned it any better, could I?”

Bea shook her head and took one last look at the baby.
“Right, here goes,” she said, trying to raise a little enthusiasm for spending the next few hours with her hysterical stepmother and bossy sister. “Finally, the wedding day.”

“
I need a coffee so strong you could stand a ruler in it,” Paul said, rubbing his face with his hands.

“
Bugger coffee,” Bea laughed, hurrying down the corridor towards the car park. “I think I’ll need a couple of vodkas before I’m in the mood to face this lot.”

TWENTY-FIVE

Ninth of May - Archway of Roses

Bea drove home in a haze of emotional exhaustion. She didn’t care what the time was; she had no intention of leaving the house until she’d had a quick nap, freshened up and had a hot shower. She phoned her dad to let him know she’d be about an hour late and to ask him to break the news to Joyce and Mel as best he could. Bea washed her hair, unable to stop thinking about the emotional night she’d shared with Paul and Shani. Now the baby was safely here, all Shani’s cries of pain didn’t seem so disturbing. She couldn’t imagine anything more worthwhile than giving birth. She felt the tears welling up and scrubbed her face.
“No time for regrets,” she murmured, grabbing her electric toothbrush and cleaning her teeth.

“
Hello, darling,” her father said smiling at her, relief obvious on his lined face. He glanced at the plastic-covered outfit she was holding. “Give me a kiss and hang your clothes inside, then come and let me show you inside this monstrosity.”

She looked past him to the enormous white marquee covering most of the back lawn of his beloved garden.
“Red carpet?” she said, wondering how long the whole construction had taken to put up, down to the carpet meandering from the driveway into an entrance decorated with an elaborate archway made up of hundreds of deep red roses, lilies and a mass of greenery. “Wow, you don’t do things by half, do you, Dad?”

“
This display wasn’t my idea.” He puffed on his pipe. “When your stepmother refused to lower the amount of invitees, I had no choice but to hire this damn thing. The temporary lavatories cost as much as a smaller marquee. They’re out the back. Smart wood panelled ones with porcelain basins and proper towels, no less. None of the usual tat, or so I’m told.” He shook his head.

Bea hoped he’d manage to relax at some point and enjoy today.
“Don’t let Joyce catch you smoking again,” she whispered, following him through inside the massive space.

“
Let her,” he said, straightening one of the white-covered chairs. “Look at the top table. We’re going to die of heat sitting in front of the windows.”

Bea agreed.
“That is incredible though,” she said, indicating the elaborately iced wedding cake displayed on a small round table.

“
Don’t even try to estimate the cost of that thing,” he said, puffing on his pipe.

Bea looked at the tiny clouds of smoke coming out of the side of his mouth and gave him a hug.
“Mel’s very lucky to have you,” she said, kissing his cheek. “We both are.” She touched one of the large chiffon bows tied round the middle of each chair to match the bridesmaid’s outfits and squinted up at the silky lining of the marquee moving gently in the light breeze, lit by cascades of tiny prisms from the crystal chandeliers, later to be muted to give off a softer glow, that she was certain must have been Joyce’s idea.

“
She has a thing about lighting,” her dad said, shaking his head once again. “I’m sure she needn’t have spent quite so much on this wedding, so much of it seems like extravagant nonsense.”

Bea believed him.
“The price of the pink feathers in each table arrangement were enough to make my eyes water.”

“
The damn table arrangements for each table cost more than your stepmother’s and my entire wedding. Look at the damn things, ridiculously over the top.” Bea murmured her agreement as she took in the elaborate creations, each displaying a large, cream cathedral candle bound in thin rope and ivy, with even more arum lilies woven into the rope and finished off with the large pink feathers. Very odd. “Flipping heck, she must have commanded an entire nursery’s stock of the things. I’d have been more than happy to help, you know. There are so many flowers in my garden right now.”

Her father shrugged.
“It’s almost obscene really, when you think you’re paying for all this for only one afternoon. Things have certainly gone up since you and Simon were married.” He turned to face Bea and took her hands in his own. “Talking of which, I know I can’t help you pay him off, especially since this production has expanded into something out of one of those glossy magazines.”

Bea kissed him on the cheek.
“Dad, it’s fine, honestly,” she assured him, although she couldn’t help feeling a little choked, although she wasn’t too sure why, because it certainly didn’t have anything to do with Simon. Tiredness probably, she decided.

“
No, it isn’t, but I can help towards your legal fees. And before you argue, I insist. I want you to beat that sod in court. Annabel and I fell out over you many times over the years, but she loved you, very much, and she wouldn’t have wanted him to have half her house, especially not after what he did to you.”

Bea gave him a hug.
“Thanks, Dad that would be wonderful. Now all I need to do is find a way to prove that Aunt Annabel was intending putting in a clause in her will to make sure he didn’t benefit from her death in any way.”

“
Damn law. Whether you inherited the house when you were still together or not, I don’t see how that house can be considered a matrimonial asset; he was messing around with someone else. It’s not right.”

“
Please don’t worry about me, Dad. We’ve got a brilliant day ahead of us.” She laughed. “Even if it’s all a little over the top and I’ll just have to find a way to sort Simon out.”

“
Good girl, you remind me so much of your mother when she was your age.” He put his arm around her as they walked towards the house. “I still miss her, you know,” he said, lowering his voice. Bea swallowed the lump in her throat. “Right, you’d better get in there, they’ll be panicking if they don’t see you soon.” Bea nodded, unable to speak for a moment. “How come you were delayed, anyway?”

She cleared her throat and took a deep breath.
“Shani went into labour during the night. She had a baby girl a few hours ago. By the time I got home, unexpectedly dosed off for longer than I’d intended and then showered, I ended up being late.” she explained, relieved to have something else to talk about. Bea nodded her head in the direction of the upstairs windows. “I’d better go and make my presence felt, before I’m missed.” She hugged him and raced up to the spare room. “Ooh, your hair looks gorgeous, Mel,” she said spotting her sister having her hair primped and curled. Before Mel could answer she held a hand up. “I’ve got exciting news. Shani’s had a little girl last night.”

Mel squealed, knocking the hairdresser’s hand away. She turned to Bea.
“Is she okay? Is the baby gorgeous?”

Bea tried not to laugh at the hairdresser’s irritated expression.
“Yes, they’re both doing great, although Shani’s a bit tired after everything she’s been through.”

“
Melanie, sit still. You don’t have all day to get your hair done,” Joyce said, taking Mel by the shoulders and facing her towards the dressing-table mirror once again. “That’s wonderful news, Bea; now please can you get changed? You’re already late and we still have to do something with your hair.”

She held Bea’s fascinator up for the hairdresser to see.
“We need this in Bea’s hair as soon as she’s changed into her bridesmaid outfit.” She smiled at Bea. “What a relief Shani didn’t spend the night here after all. It would have upset Melanie’s entire routine and imagine how ghastly it would have been if her waters had broken over my new spare linen.”

“
Mum,” Mel shouted, indignant on her friend’s behalf. “What a thing to say.” Before they could descend into a row, Bea left them and went downstairs to the kitchen to make some tea and toast. She was starving and hoped that breakfast would keep her going for the next few hours.

“
Coping?” asked her father, listening out for Joyce’s high-pitched voice. “I’m keeping my distance from those two.” He pointed upstairs. “They’re getting more anxious as the hours pass.”

“
I know, they’re driving each other nuts already.” Bea buttered her toast and ate it hungrily.

“
Thankfully the caterers are here and organised, the florist has left, and, although I don’t wish to tempt fate, it appears that we’re keeping to schedule.” He shook his head and smiled at Bea. “Apart from you, that is.”

“
Beatrice, get up these stairs immediately.” Bea grimaced at the sound of her stepmother’s command.

“
I suppose I’d better do as she asks,” she giggled.

After too long being made up and her hair being fussed with, Bea was relieved to be able to change in to her outfit and then help Mel with her elaborate puffball of a dress and veil.
“You look sensational, Mel,” she said, happy to see her sister looking so excited. For some reason they looked even less alike today. Mel, with her shiny, almost black, hair all glossy and up in a French pleat and her with her wild blonde hair and blue eyes never managing to look very sleek. Mel looked more like Shani than she did her. No wonder people found it surprising to discover they were half-sisters.

“
I do, don’t I?” she said, lifting out her skirt and smoothing down the corset of her dress. “Listen, I can hear the cars. Bea, quick, your shoes hurry up and put them on.”

Bea slipped her feet in to the towering heels and went to rescue the small bridesmaids from Joyce. The smallest one’s jaw was set and Bea could tell she was on the brink of rebellion. She took them by the hands and followed Mel and her mother out to the cars. The phone rang, but Eric grabbed it.
“Get them in the car, I’ll see who this is,” he said, waving them outside.

“
That was Tom,” he said, a few minutes later joining them outside. “He sends his apologies but has been unavoidably detained somewhere. He said he’ll text you.” He motioned to the back of Joyce’s head as she rearranged her wide-brimmed hat in the back of the second car. “Joyce won’t be impressed that her table plan is going to be even more out of kilter,” he said, unimpressed with the late cancellation. “At least Shani has a decent excuse for not turning up.”

Bea couldn’t imagine what Tom could be doing. It was a Saturday and surely even he didn’t have to work over the weekend.

“He said he would give you a call later and explain,” her father added, shaking his head.

Bea sighed. It didn’t bother her whether he turned up or not, but she wasn’t looking forward to Joyce finding out.

“What? Oh, Eric,” Joyce snapped, when he told her the latest news, as if it was his fault Tom wasn’t going to pitch up. “This ruins my entire seating plan, Beatrice. This really isn’t acceptable.”

“
But it can’t be helped,” Bea said, slyly passing a sweet to each of the little bridesmaids. “Let’s not worry about it now. This is Mel’s big day and we need to make sure she doesn’t have any reason to get in a state about something we can’t do anything about.”

Bea settled into the back of the limousine, soothed by the smell of the vintage leather seats. Her phone bleeped. She read the text from Tom asking her to go to his apartment later. ‘
I have something urgent to talk to you about and need your help. Please come round whenever you can, it doesn’t matter what time. We can have a quick chat. Tx
’ He’d never asked her for help before. Bea considered his request and replied, saying she’d go to see him as soon as she could.

She put her phone into the small matching bag and closed her eyes, making the most of sitting still. Not sure how long she’d dozed off for, she was jarred awake by Joyce hissing directions in her ear.

“Get out of the car, this instant.” Bea checked her mascara was still reasonably in place and tripped out of the car. “Oof,” she said, her breath being forced out of her lungs as someone caught her at the last minute before she managed to plant her face onto the tarmac.

“
You okay?” Luke asked, looking as shocked as she probably did. “That was close.”

“
Stupid girl,” Joyce said through gritted teeth, grabbing the other bridesmaids and positioning them behind Mel as she stepped out of her car. “Always day-dreaming.”

Bea pushed the fascinator from in front of her eyes and back where it was supposed to be.
“Thanks for catching me,” she giggled, more out of shock than amusement. “That could have been pretty embarrassing.”

“
You think that wasn’t?” Mel laughed.

“
Right time, right place,” Luke said, still holding on to her waist. Their eyes locked and Bea straightened her dress. Luke glanced down at his hands. “Sorry.” He let go and raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’d better get back in the church and find the groom. He only sent me out to check if you lot were on your way.”

“
See you inside in a minute,” Bea said, watching him entering the church.

“
I told you he’d look great in my photos,” Mel said, winking at Bea.

Eric linked arms with Mel.
“When you get inside, we’ll follow on,” he said to Joyce pointedly. “Okay, girls, I think this is your moment.”

Bea watched him whisper something in Mel’s ear before giving her a kiss on the cheek. She could remember him doing the same thing to her. She gave the little bridesmaids a big smile.
“Ready?” They nodded. “Come on then, let’s help Mel get married.” She motioned for them to start walking down the aisle and stepped into the cool church behind them to where Grant and Luke were standing facing the altar. Unable to wait any longer, Grant turned to look past them to the back of the church, where Mel and her father were standing. His eyes lit up in such a way Bea felt sure they’d always be happy together.