Behind her, Teo’s footsteps skittered in alarm.
‘Rita? Rita! Are you OK? I call Sennen. I find Zenya… oh no.’
She shook her head, though he couldn’t see. Between breaths she managed, ‘No! Teo, I’m fine. Just give me a minute!’
‘You eat too much chocolate?’ he asked through the door. ‘I tell you, I love the Creme Eggs you have here, but too many,no sé.’
Despite her sickness, she snorted. Then instantly regretted it.
She’d been to the doctor’s that morning, and got the confirmation she’d expected. So it was really happening, but it didn’t make it any less confusing. Her inner thoughts were in turmoil.I can’t tell Teo, not now. Not yet. He’s Archie’s son; he’s like a child to me. But I have to tell my own kids first.
‘Rita?’ His voice wobbled. ‘You really OK?’
‘Teo. Just… a tummy thing. I’ll be out in a minute.’
After a few slow breaths and a splash of cold water on her face, she appeared. Teo stood there, his bottom lip stuck out in sympathy.
‘You look like ghost,’ he said with a smile, cleaning up the mess that had fallen out of the cupboard.
‘Oh God.’ She rubbed her forehead. ‘I’m fine. Really.’
She scrabbled in her messy drawer. ‘Here’s the tape.’
‘Gracias. And next time you call me, I get the steps for you and help you, OK?’
Rita nodded furiously.
‘Get some water and rest please, Rita.’
‘Hilda says resting is for old fools. I have too much to do. Now go on, stick your poster up.’
‘Sí, sí, but you know where I am.’
The moment he was gone, Rita pressed both hands to her belly. It was as if this was happening to someone else. Like a bad dream, in a way, where she didn’t know what the ending was going to look like.
The house was quiet again. Too quiet. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and seeing the name on the screen, she grabbed it like a lifeline. Without even taking a breath she launched into a tirade of panic.
‘Oh, Kel. I keep being sick. I’m sure I wasn’t with the twins. And I don’t know what to do.’
‘You just have to keep thinking what a blessing it is to have fallen pregnant at your age.’
Rita sat herself down at the kitchen table. ‘A blessing? I’m completely bloody terrified.’
‘It’ll be a boy in there then, I reckon with all that sickness. They can’t even keep themselves to themselves in the womb. I literally heaved for months with my Dylan.’ Kel took a breath. ‘How are you feeling, darling? This is huge, I know.’ Her voice softened. ‘When you say you don’t know what to do, what do you mean? You do have options, you know.’
‘And if you mean not having it is an option, then I… I just couldn’t.’ Rita felt tears rushing to her eyes. ‘A special Valentine’s present from Jago Jenken, and there was me thinking the bracelet was too much.’ They both laughed. ‘And get ready, I’m due on the seventh of November but I bet he or she comes on Fireworks Night.’
‘A literal explosion. It’s poetic, Reet.’
Rita let out a shaky breath. ‘Yes, but how am I going to do this? I’m too old, for one thing. I’d officially have been a geriatric mother ten years ago.’
‘You’ll manage,’ Kelly soothed. ‘Have you told Jago yet?’
‘Noooo,’ Rita whined. ‘We are testing our love by having a break and now hey, guess what we’ve done! Instigated the biggest test of any couple.’
‘Did he ever mention wanting kids?’
‘Yes, but it was never in the equation with me. Starting a family in your forties is a different story, Kel. Life is becoming busier for me but also settled. Isn’t life now meant to be enjoyed, without nappies, school runs, and the constant worry?’
