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“But you’ll offer?”
I just raise my eyebrows at him.
“Yeah, all right,” he says. “Look, if you do manage to talk her into it, just call and book her in for next week for a full anatomy scan. And we’ll need to sort her out with a lead maternity carer. I can do it, but she’d be better off with a midwife.”
“Can you recommend someone who’s… I don’t know… understanding, maybe? She’s going to need a gentle hand. Not someone who’s going to boss her around—I think she’ll just walk out if that happens.”
“Yeah. Well, Angela could do it. She’s all right.” He smiles. Angela is his wife. Like him, she’s in her thirties, lovely and compassionate, smiley and sympathetic.
“She’d be perfect, if she could fit Catie in.”
“I’m sure she could. I’ll talk to her later.”
“I don’t know how much she knows about pregnancy,” I say. “She admitted she’s tried to ignore it up to this point, so she’s not like most of the women I’ve been dealing with, who know every last detail about the process.”
“Good job she’s got you, then,” he says with a grin. “You’ve surprised me with how involved you’ve gotten.”
“I find it interesting,” I say, a bit embarrassed.
“And now you’ll be able to put it into practice. But I can recommend a couple of books, too, for you both.”
“Yeah, that’ll be cool.”
“I’ll email you some links.”
“I was thinking about introducing her to Kennedy. She’s been through it all, and I thought they might get on.”
Kennedy is my cousin. We grew up together, so I’m sure she’d like to help. She’s married and she had her first baby six months ago, so it’ll also be nice for Catie to talk to someone who’s been through it. If she’ll agree to getting to know my family. My parents will want to meet her. I know she’s going to be horrified at that.
Mathew nods. “Sounds like a great idea.” His brows draw together. “Are you all right? Mum and baby are important, but you have to look after yourself too. It must have been a huge shock for you.”
“I’m a big boy. I’ll cope.”
“You’ve got a lot on your plate, Saxon, with Kingpinz and NZAI. I know you work eight days a week, and you’re dividing your time between here and Auckland. We always focus on the mums, and that’s right, of course, because it’s such a big change for them, but I make it my mission to check on the dads. I’m not fucking around—this is going to be hard on you, too, physically and emotionally. You’re young and ambitious, and I know you’re worried about letting Titus down. Don’t take on too much, you hear me? Take time to get to know Catie, and to develop that relationship. Both she and the babies are going to need you when they’re born.”
I open my mouth to reply, but the door opens, and I close my mouth again as Catie comes in.
“Right,” Mathew says, “sorry to move you on so quickly but I need to get ready for my clinic. Take her down to pathology,” he says to me, “I’ve emailed the form to them, and they’ll take a full range of bloods. Then just let us know if you want another appointment.”
“Will do, thank you.” I get up and shake his hand, and Catie shakes it too. The two of us go out, find the sign for pathology, and head toward it.
We don’t say much. I think she’s in shock. They call her in almost immediately, and I wait outside as they take her bloods. Within five minutes she’s done, and it’s time to go.
We walk through the clinic and go out through the doors into the bright November morning. It’s still cool, but it’s a beautiful day. A few brilliant-red flowers are out on the Pohutukawa trees, and the jacaranda is filled with gorgeous lilac-colored blooms. It’ll be December soon, heading toward Christmas.
In March or early April, Catie will be giving birth. Wow. It’s incredible how much my future has changed in such a short space of time.
Chapter Ten
Catie
We walk slowly back to the Aston and get in, but Saxon doesn’t start the engine, and we sit there in the quiet for a moment.
It’s been such a crazy morning, and it’s only just gone nine a.m. I glance at him, but he’s looking away, elbow on the sill, fingers resting on his lips, lost in thought. I’m not surprised. He must be regretting meeting me big time. The thought makes my eyes sting.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, unable to bear the silence anymore. “I turn up on your doorstep out of the blue, with a bump, and the next thing you find out, it’s twins. I can’t imagine what you’re thinking or feeling. Your whole life has been turned upside down in one day. You must be furious.”
He looks at me, puzzled. “Only at myself. This is my fault. I talked you into going back to my hotel room. I knocked you up. I admit I was pretty cavalier with the condom when we were having sex. I’m not shocked it broke. I made a mistake. I enjoyed our time together, but I’m not proud of myself. I should have been more careful, and now you’re paying the price because I couldn’t keep it in my pants.”
