Later, having fed the livestock, Lettie sat down in the shade, leaning back against the wall with a cool glass of water when she felt her phone vibrating in her jeans pocket. She took it out and looked at the screen, answering immediately when she saw Tina’s name.
‘Hi, Tina, how’s the new job going?’ she asked, excited to hear how her friend was getting on working away from home for the first time in over two years.
‘Sorry, Lettie,’ she said her voice tense.
‘What’s the matter?’ Lettie sat upright.
‘I’m at work and there’s an emergency. I need to fetch Noah but can’t get hold of Kyle to collect him. I hate to ask you when you’re so busy, but would you be able to get him today?’
‘No problem at all. Shall I take him home, or to your mum’s?’
‘She’s out shopping somewhere. Could you bring him to the practice please. Hopefully I’ll be able to leave by then, but they’re going to need me for a bit longer and I can’t leave Noah waiting for me.’
‘Don’t be silly. That’s no problem at all.’
‘Thank you, that’s such a relief. I’ll message the nursery now and let them know to expect you.’
Lettie ended the call, wondering what could have happened at the practice to cause such alarm. She noticed how grubby her clothes were and ran into the house for a speedy shower. Tying her hair back and without wasting time to dry herself properly, she pulled on a clean pair of shorts and a T-shirt and ran out to her mother’s car.
She was relieved to notice that there were two other children waiting with Noah and his teacher at the nursery school. They knew her there mostly because she had attended the same school as several of the teachers, or had been taught by others, so most of the staff knew she and Tina had been best friends since they had started school.
‘Hello.’ She smiled at the teacher as she ruffled Noah’s thick hair. ‘Tina’s been delayed at work and was going to message you to say she had asked me to pick up Noah today. Is that all right?’
‘We received her message, so it’s fine.’ Miss Collier had been in the year above Lettie and Tina, and neither of them had been surprised when she had trained to be a teacher. The children loved her – well, Noah and the two other pupils standing with her seemed very calm in her presence and not at all fazed that their parents hadn’t arrived at the school yet.
‘Thank you.’ She smiled at Noah. ‘Shall we go and see how Mummy’s getting on at her new job?’
Noah’s smile widened. ‘Yeth pleath, Auntie Letts.’
She reached out her hand, a warm feeling sweeping through her when his little hand took it. ‘Let’s go then, shall we?’
‘Yay. We’re going to my mummy’s work,’ he bellowed over his shoulder to the other two children and Mrs Collier.
The short walk to the practice was filled with Noah’s excited chatter, which didn’t stop until they reached the entrance. Lettie ledhim up to the door, hoping there weren’t going to be any shocks to greet him but trusting that if that had been the case then Tina would be looking out for them to arrive and would no doubt come outside to warn her.
‘Mummy!’ he shrieked, running into her open arms.
‘Shush, Noah,’ Tina whispered. ‘There are sick animals waiting to see the vet.’
He covered his mouth with his hand and gazed around the room at the three clients waiting, one with a dog on a lead and two with cats in pet carriers.
‘Do you want to come and say hello to Monty?’ the lady with a Labrador puppy asked. ‘He’s very friendly.’
‘Can I, Mummy?’
‘Yes, but be gentle with him. You don’t want to frighten him just before he has his injections.’
‘No, I don’t.’
Lettie and Tina watched Noah, and Lettie couldn’t help asking what the drama was about.
‘A mare at the stables down the road has given birth.’
‘Was it all right?’ Lettie asked.
‘Yes, but the owner discovered there was another still to be born.’
‘Twins?’
