Page 17 of The Midwife By the Sea

‘There’s a reason I need to be in Cornwall.’

‘To get to know Joe Carter.’ It was a statement rather than a question and it didn’t take Hope by surprise. Dave and Alison had always been open with all four of the girls about Hope’s arrival into the family, but her sisters never referred to Joe or Laura as her biological parents. They were known only by their names, with no greater title than that bestowed upon them.

Tabby’s words had summed it up, when Hope had first told them that she was going to seek Laura out. ‘Just don’t forget that you’re our sister and nothing is ever going to change that.’

Her sisters had been unfailing in their support and there’d been no sense of guilt assigned to what she was doing, because they all knew the impetus to do so had come from their mother. The conversations that Hope had with her sisters during that time had somehow cemented the sense of belonging, which she wouldn’t have believed could become even stronger.

‘I’m not sure getting to know Joe is going to be possible. At least not in any meaningful sense, because I’ve decided I can’t ever?—’

‘Hope! Annie! Over here, quick!’ Bea’s voice cut through the warm air, the urgency in her tone making goosepimples break out all over Hope’s skin. Bea sounded terrified, and seeing her youngest sister crouched on the sand in front of her did nothing to ease Hope’s concern. Especially when she saw the female figure lying in front of Bea, curled around herself on the ground. A wail that couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than pain suddenly filled the space between Bea and her sisters, as both Hope and Annie broke into a run.

‘I think she might be in labour.’ Bea’s face had drained of all colour by the time Hope and Annie reached her. The woman lying on the sand was still curled into a ball, clutching her arms over a sizeable baby bump. She was wearing just a black bikini and as the woman suddenly turned onto her back, her bump seemed to shift, becoming almost lopsided as the muscles visibly contracted. Bea was right, the woman was definitely in labour. Teddy had backed away at the sound of the stranger’s distress and he was lying on the sand too, about twenty feet beyond them, with his head resting on his front paws, keeping a watchful eye on what was going on.

Hope dropped down onto the sand, on the opposite side of the woman to Bea. ‘It’s okay, my name’s Hope and I’m a midwife. Can you tell me your name?’

‘Freya.’ The word was barely more than a whisper.

‘Okay, Freya. How many weeks pregnant are you?’

For a moment the woman didn’t say anything, her face twisting into a grimace, but then it relaxed as the contraction seemed to pass and her bump returned to a more even shape. ‘Thirty-five, but it’s started. I know it has. It’s just like the last time, and I can’t have the baby here, I can’t.’

‘That’s not going to happen.’ Hope wasn’t sure she sounded any more convinced than she felt, babies came when they wanted to and they were no respecters of location, but she had to try and reassure Freya all the same. There was every chance this was just the start of labour, and that they had plenty of time to get Freya to a place far more suitable for giving birth. Labours usually lasted at least six to eight hours, even for second deliveries. But as another contraction took hold of Freya’s body, it was clear they were already in the active phase. The contractions were too close together for it to be anything else, which made Hope less certain that they would definitely be able to get Freya to a place of safety in time. One thing Hope knew for certain was that it was pointless asking Freya any more questions until the latest contraction had passed.

‘What can I do to help?’ Bea looked up at her, eyes wide with concern. Hope didn’t want her sister to see anything she might not be ready to see, if this baby really was on its way. It was different for Annie, she and Hope had chosen occupations where they needed to be equipped to deal with this kind of situation. Bea hadn’t.

‘Take Teddy home and ring for an ambulance.’ Hope could see her younger sister was about to protest, so she cut her off before she had the chance. ‘It’ll be the quickest way. You know what the phone signal is like around here and Freya really needs your help. Tell the operator she’s thirty-five weeks pregnant and in active labour.’

‘I—’

‘Please, Bea. Freya really needs your help.’

‘Okay, but I’m coming back afterwards, in case you need me too.’ Bea’s tone was resolute and Hope nodded. She should have known better than to doubt her little sister, despite the fact she was only eighteen. If she was needed, she’d do whatever it took. It was something else that went right down to the core of the Masterson clan.

‘Can I do anything?’ Annie asked, as Bea sprinted off in the direction of the house. ‘I’ve never done this, assisted with a delivery, I mean. I haven’t done my obs and gynae rotation yet.’

‘Hopefully you won’t have to assist today either, but if you do, you’ll be brilliant. I don’t doubt it for a second and I’ve done this lots of times before.’ Hope smiled, silently praying that she sounded more confident than she felt. She had done this lots of times before, but never on a beach. ‘Right now, it would be great if you could check Freya’s bag and see whether she’s got a towel or something to cover her up a bit. It looks like she’s come straight out of the sea.

‘How are you doing?’ Hope turned towards Freya, who nodded weakly, as she got another break from the contractions.

‘I’m bloody glad you’re here.’ Freya managed a half smile. ‘I went in for a swim to ease my back and then the contractions started. I left my daughter with my mum, but when she was born it was so quick I had her in the car. I’ve got an appointment with the midwife tomorrow and they said they’d start monitoring me twice a week to check for any signs of early labour and I’m supposed to get induced at thirty-seven weeks either way. This wasn’t meant to happen.’

Suddenly Freya started to sob, and Hope took hold of her hand. ‘It’s going to be okay, try not to worry.’

‘We nearly lost Evie, she came so quickly and she couldn’t breathe properly. She only made it because we were so close to the hospital and I screamed at my boyfriend to just keep driving.’

‘That’s not going to happen this time.’ Hope squeezed her hand again, only releasing her grip as the expression on Freya’s face turned back into a grimace. She was going to need to examine her and see how far along things were. The trouble was there were other people on the beach and a small group had already gathered just a few feet away. The onlookers could easily become a crowd if she and Annie didn’t do something about it.

‘Do you think if we help you, you might be able to get up?’ Hope was keeping everything crossed that Freya might be willing to try and move, but she vehemently shook her head.

‘No, no way. I can’t. It feels like my insides are coming out of me. It must be the head.’ Freya was crying again, her next words half strangled by a sob. ‘I don’t think I could move, even if my life depended on it.’

They couldn’t force her to attempt it, especially if she was right about how far the labour had progressed. It could well be the baby’s head she was feeling, and the gathering crowd needed to go. Right now.

‘Here you go.’ Annie passed Hope a large rainbow-coloured towel. It was a start, but they were going to need a lot more than that.

‘Thanks. Can you go and ask those people to move away and give Freya a bit of privacy?’ Hope looked up at her sister. ‘And see if you can find anyone on the beach who’ll lend us a windbreak, although two would be even better.’

‘I’m on it.’ Annie turned and spoke to the people watching the drama unfold in front of them, her tone more strident than Hope had ever heard it, as she instructed them in no uncertain terms to give Freya some space. When one of them protested that they just wanted to see if they could help, Annie delegated the task of rounding up as many towels as they could find, before sprinting off in search of a windbreak. She was a born leader and if anyone could create a makeshift hospital room, with the help of the similarly makeshift team she’d assembled, then it was Annie.