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For a moment, she allowed herself to think about Max and how excited she was going to be to see him. The very thought gave her a glow which was then dulled by the little voice in her head which she then pushed away. She was getting better and better at compartmentalizing things and right now her priority was making sure this poor client was safe.
A couple of hours later, aside from a quick trip to the loo, Emma was still at her desk.
‘Hello, hello,’ said a voice. Emma looked up to see a very heavily pregnant Ruth standing at the door.
‘Hi there. This is a surprise,’ she said, trying to sound as kind and genuine as she could. ‘Come on in.’
‘I was having a massage in the spa, you know that fancy, new one on Princes Street? And I thought I must drop in and see you before you disappear.’ She walked into Emma’s office and collapsed on the small sofa in the corner.
Emma felt a stab of guilt that she hadn’t called her friend since their curry the other week. ‘How are you feeling?’
Ruth made a dramatic display of patting her very large bump. ‘Shattered. You know? Who knew it would be so exhausting growing a human being.’
Emma looked at her trying to think what to say. ‘Can I get you anything? A tea or some water?’
‘You are just so thoughtful. A tea would be perfect thank you. Herbal — peppermint if you have it.’
‘Of course. I’ll be back in a minute. You just sit there and relax,’ said Emma, feeling less than charitable. She went into the small kitchen across the hallway and started rooting about in the cupboards looking for some herbal, or ‘’erbal’ as Ruth called it, tea. She quickly made two cups of peppermint and took it back to Ruth.
‘You are a doll. Thanks, you. My indigestion has just been awful. I’m up all night burping.’
That was perhaps information that Emma didn’t need to know right at this moment. ‘How are you feeling?’ she said, slightly worried at the incessant pinging of her email inbox and phone.
‘Oh, you know, just utterly exhausted.’
Emma tried to make sympathetic noises and appropriate facial expressions.
‘Are you all set for the big day?’
Emma couldn’t help thinking that Ruth’s words sounded contrived. ‘I think so,’ she tried to say brightly. ‘I finish up today, hopefully if I can get through everything . . . then head over to Arran tomorrow.’
‘To be reunited with your sisters?’
‘That’s right.’ She didn’t like the slight sneer in Ruth’s voice when she mentioned the girls. Ruth had a younger brother, and, over the years, she had made it quite clear that she would have loved sisters and was envious of the close bond Emma had with hers.
‘And what about Max? I hear he has been stuck up in Aberdeen?’
‘Yes, how typical, eh? A full-on case. He’s not due back until the start of the week.’
‘Mmm,’ said Ruth in a way that made Emma realize that there was more to Ruth’s visit than just a friendly, I-want-to-wish-you-well-for-your-wedding, drop in. ‘He’s cutting it quite fine then?’
‘I’m sure all will be good,’ said Emma, trying to keep her tone light. ‘Look, I’ve got a lot to get through today before I finish up. I’m sorry, if you don’t mind, I’m going to have to get on with it.’
‘Sure,’ she said, feigning hurt. ‘Well, I just hope that man of yours is back in time for the wedding. I’d hate to think of you being left high and dry at the altar.’
‘I don’t think it will come to that,’ said Emma, resisting the urge to lose her rag at the bitchy comment Ruth had just made. She would put it down to her hormones, even though these little snide comments were a theme of their apparent friendship of late. Emma was definitely relieved she wouldn’t be at the wedding.
‘Sounds like it’s not all work up there and a bit of play too,’ said Ruth, clearly not in a rush to move.
‘What do you mean?’ Emma’s curt tone made it clear that she’d better get to the point.
‘Oh nothing, nothing . . . I just heard they had some late nights which involved drink.’ Ruth’s reluctance to share any details was unusual and confirmed to Emma that she was just there to cause mischief.
‘I’m not surprised drink is involved, Ruth. He’s working on a very highly pressured case. I think a few beers at the end of a night are allowed.’ She stood up, signalling that their conversation was over.
‘Okay. I get the message.’ She made a dramatic display of hauling herself to her feet and kissed Emma on both cheeks. ‘I hope you have a wonderful day, and I am sorry I will miss it. There is no way I could have been a bridesmaid anyway looking like this.’
‘Thank you,’ said Emma. There was no point in telling Ruth that she never would have been a bridesmaid whether she was pregnant or not. ‘Do let us know about the baby, won’t you. And take care.’
