Nothing New for Sophie Drew: a heart-warming romantic comedy, Katey Lovell [booksvooks .txt] 📗

he’s doing well at the moment, although he has to use a stick to walk. He used to love running, even did the Great North Run a few times. It’s hard to believe that, looking at him now.”

I got the impression from the sadness in his eyes that he didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

“Can we get going for that food?” I was suddenly famished. “I really fancy an all-day breakfast.”

“I’m sure we can find a pub that can stretch to that. Do you still want the tour of the house first though?”

I nodded, keen to see the place he called home.

Max gave me the grand tour, and it actually was pretty grand – five bedrooms (three with en suites), two living rooms, a dining room, an office and a large kitchen diner. That was without mentioning the garage, the summer house, the large garden complete with pond and water feature… It was a beautiful home.

When I’d finished admiring everything about the house, from its convenient location to the tasteful yet individual décor (which Max told me was all his mum’s doing) we made our way to a pub Max insisted served the best pick-me-ups in the city.

We’d only just sat down when my mobile rang.

“Hello?”

“Sophie? It’s Mum,” she said through strangled sobs. “I’m afraid I have some awful news.”

Chapter 27

“What is it, Mum? What’s the matter? Is it Norma?”

You heard about couples who literally couldn’t live without each other. What if Fred’s funeral had hit her so hard that she realised she couldn’t physically live without him?

“No, no, Norma’s fine.” Mum’s voice wavered as she continued. “I’ve just been on the phone to Nick. There’s something wrong with the twins.” She gulped loudly, then sniffed.

I clenched my fist so fiercely that I feared my thumb might break as I scrabbled around my brain for something – anything – I could say that might make the situation better. I failed to come up with anything.

“Are you sure? Everything was fine at the last scan, Chantel told me. They’re checking her regularly to make sure her and the babies are okay.”

“After you left the funeral Chantel called the midwife because she’d had some pains.” Mum was trying to be matter-of-fact, but she couldn’t conceal the trembling in her voice. “They sent her straight to the hospital for another scan and it showed that one baby is significantly bigger than the other.”

I swallowed. It hurt.

“They said it can happen when twins share a placenta, the bigger one is taking more blood. Normally it’s picked up earlier than this, but it’s serious, Sophie. They said there’s a possibility she could lose one or both of the babies.”

My stomach knotted at the thought of my poor sister-in-law coming to terms with the fact the babies she’d been so excited for, buying tiny packs of pure white cotton Babygros that she “just couldn’t resist” along with her Waitrose shop, might not make it. When was our family going to get a break?

“What happens now?”

Mum exhaled. Even her sigh sounded wobbly. “They’re monitoring her closely, but they’ve warned them that if it gets worse they may have to deliver the twins early. Obviously the longer they can stay where they are, the better, and Nick did say there were other treatments available, but there are no guarantees. They’ve told Chantel to rest as much as possible in the meantime.” Mum sobbed audibly. “I can’t imagine what they’re going through.”

“Is there anything I can do? Maybe look after Noah for them?”

“Chantel’s parents have still got Noah,” Mum said. “Chantel hadn’t collected him because she went straight to the hospital from the funeral. She wanted him with her, bless her, but she’s exhausted and tearful, and Noah would only pick up on her stress, so she agreed he’ll stay at her mum and dad’s tonight.”

“Well, if they need me to have him in the future, I will. Family comes first.”

“You’re a kind and thoughtful soul. You always have been.” My heart clenched. “I hope you know how much I love you.”

“I love you too, Mum.”

And then my mum broke down in tears, and I broke down in tears, and we didn’t say another word. We just cried our hearts out, companionably, down the phone line for a very long time, until Max took me back to my house, because as grateful as I was for his support, I wanted some time alone to think.

I never even had chance to order the food I’d so been looking forward to.

When I woke the next morning, my neck hurting from where I’d been lying at a funny angle, my spine was stiff, as though it needed to be cracked back into shape. The sun streamed in through the window where I’d not had the foresight to draw the curtains, and for one bliss-filled second I believed in the beauty of the day.

Then I remembered. Nick and Chantel’s babies were in danger.

I’d contemplated phoning them in a show of support, but hadn’t wanted to be a bother, plus it had been late by the time Max had finally thought me calm enough to be left alone, so I’d settled on sending a text instead. When I’d tried to package my concern into a measly amount of words it came out sounding insincere, so after deleting my message numerous times I’d settled on a simple, Mum told me your news. Call me if I can do ANYTHING. Love you, Xxx.

I padded my way to the bathroom, pushing my shoulders back to wake myself and my body up. The image that greeted me in the mirror shocked me. Hair full of static stuck out at all angles, and I looked exhausted. Streaks of black mascara under my eyes highlighted the puffy dark bags, a combination of jet lag and stress, but I didn’t care about my appearance. I didn’t even care that Darius still hadn’t had the decency to reply to my messages asking for answers. It wasn’t life or