AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And it was too soon to be even thinking that, but every part of this was new to Naomi.
So instead of panicking about the impossibility of it all she pulled on dry jeans and a black jumper, and as she did so she recalled his kiss.
And while she tried to reel herself in, her heart felt as if it was rolling out and she ran down the stairs on a cloud of excitement about all the night might hold.
Bernard, as it turned out, was Barb’s husband and had been Jobe’s driver. ‘I’ve driven him for close to twenty-five years,’ he told Naomi as he drove her to the hospital. ‘Barb started working for him after Mrs Devereux passed and then he took me on as his driver. We were going to stay for two years,’ he told her as he pulled up at the hospital. ‘That was the plan.’
Naomi was about to laugh and say something about the best-laid plans, but it died on her lips when she saw his strained face and remembered that tonight not everyone felt as happy as she did. He must be so terribly sad about Jobe, and perhaps worried about his and Barb’s future.
‘It’s such a difficult time,’ Naomi said, and Bernard nodded.
‘It’s great news about the baby, though.’
‘It is,’ Naomi agreed.
‘I’ll wait for you here.’
‘Thank you.’
Naomi headed into the private wing and, having shown her ID, was let through to see Merida, who was rather more flustered than yesterday.
‘How are you?’ Naomi asked.
‘Fine, but she’s not feeding and they said she needs to go under the lights. That she’s got jaundice.’
It was all completely normal, but for Merida completely overwhelming, and Naomi took her time to reassure her that all was well, but Merida was worried about Naomi too. ‘I feel terrible that you’re here and rattling around the house on your own.’
‘Don’t be daft,’ Naomi said. ‘Barb and Bernard have been lovely and I’ve been out sightseeing today.’ She had already decided not to mention that her day had been spent with Abe.
In fact, she would have to work out when, or even if, she would tell Merida.
For now, though, she focussed on the baby, who was crying and hungry. ‘Try and relax,’ Naomi said as she positioned her to feed. ‘Maybe try talking to me while you feed her.’
And it worked, because as Merida chatted about all that had been going on between her and Ethan, she relaxed and so too did little Ava.
‘I know you’ve been so worried about our marriage, and in truth so have I, but things are going really well. I know you must be thinking it’s just in the rush of Ava being born, but it was before that. We talked, I mean, we really talked. I think this is a new start for us.’
‘I’m so happy for you.’
‘Webothwant this marriage to work.’
She looked down at her baby. ‘I’m so glad that Jobe got to see her. Ethan and he are finally talking...’
‘But they work together,’ Naomi pointed out.
‘I mean, they’re finally close. There’s some stuff with the mother that I found out...’ She didn’t elaborate and Naomi didn’t push—in fact, her eyes came to rest on the huge teddy bear.
‘Abe brought that in for Ava this evening,’ Merida said when she saw where Naomi was looking. ‘Hard to believe. There must be a heart in there somewhere...’
‘Everybody’s nice if you give them a chance.’
Merida shook her head ‘Not Abe. He’s an island. And a hostile, uninhabitable one at that.’
And Naomi had no choice but to listen as Merida spoke on.
‘Honestly, the way he works his way through women... I don’t know how Candice puts up with him.’
‘Candice?’ Naomi checked. She’d heard that name, or rather she was sure that she had read it somewhere as she’d skimmed articles on Abe during her research into the Devereux family. She had only really been trying to find out about Ethan, so she could help her friend.
