The Cold Cold Sea (17 page)

She told Mark about it after school, and he nodded.

‘I can buy that, because it was Hailey’s mother who pulled her back. If you or I had done it there probably wouldn’t have been such a bruise. But when it’s your own flesh and blood you often react more forcibly than you actually have to in a situation like that.’

Katie frowned. ‘But why did Hailey say she couldn’t remember what happened? She must.’

Mark shrugged, grinning. ‘She wanted to avoid a lecture on the sins of dreaming while she was crossing the road? Or maybe she got such a fright she’s blocked it out. Search me.’

It all sounded reasonable. Katie knew she should make an effort to be more objective about Hailey. But try as she might, she couldn’t put aside the feeling that there was something here she just wasn’t getting.

Mark looked at her hopefully. ‘That extra piece of advice will cost you one coffee. Let’s go to the harbour caff and watch the fishing boats unload.’

Katie gathered her things together, grateful for the company but more than a little distracted by her thoughts.

Phillip slammed his laptop shut and the casing split at the corner, but that really didn’t matter because the goddamn machine was dead anyway. He’d wanted to check his flights.

He stood by the window of Gran’s hospital room and gazed at the scene below, blue-green water with white-tipped waves rolling up the long, golden beach. Happy Californians were out there having a good time, just as he’d done as a boy, when he and Gran had spent every summer here with Great-aunt Mary. He’d always dreamt of coming back with his own family one day, but soon now his last tie with this place would be broken. How strange it would be, no ‘home base’ at Winchester Beach. No Gran.

There was a tap at the door and Jeff Powell put his head round, beckoning Phillip out to the corridor when he saw that his patient was asleep.

‘Anything new?’ said Phillip, knowing that nothing now could be new. The cancer was everywhere and the doctors’ aim was simply to keep the old woman comfortable.

‘I wanted you to show you this,’ said Jeff, leading Phillip into his office. Phillip watched apprehensively as the doctor accessed Gran’s scans and pointed to the stomach tumour on the latest image. ‘And this.’

He clicked on another set of pictures and indicated an area on Gran’s spinal column.

‘It’s spread very quickly this week, Phillip. I know the two of you have arranged to say goodbye on Thursday, but we’re looking at days here. A week, maybe. I don’t know if that could change your plans.’

Phillip was silent. Only last Wednesday the doctors had thought that Gran could linger into November. So this really would be his last chance to be with her, but - there was Jennifer too. He just had to go home and see if she was coping as well as she said she was. If he was honest she’d sounded a bit odd the last several times he’d phoned. All this stuff about a surprise. And what the hell was he supposed to do now?

‘How sure is that?’ he said at last, and the doctor grimaced.

‘Well, there’s never an exact prognosis, and the fact that the lung tumour hasn’t grown makes it even more difficult. If I was a betting man I’d say a week or less, though.’

‘Right. I - I’d better stay, then.’

The doctor patted his shoulder and left him on a bench in the corridor. Phillip leaned his arms on his knees, trying to get his head round the decision he had just made.

It was a horrible situation to be in. He was waiting for his Gran to die, and no way did he want that wait to be over, and yet... he had a duty to Jennifer too. She’d had such a bad time before. Still, that was in the past now. He was just nervous because he couldn’t see with his own eyes that she was okay.

He would have to phone and tell her about his delay coming home. If only she’d agreed to come over. She had repeatedly refused though, and now he thought about it, even that was a bit strange. Her fear of flying wasn’t really a good enough reason to say no to his request that they spend a few weeks with his dying grandmother.

Apprehension settled even more firmly in Phillip’s middle, and he sat straighter, thinking back to his last telephone conversation with his wife. What on earth could this surprise be?

A little shiver ran through Phillip as he remembered Jennifer’s voice on the phone. She was definitely hiding something big. If only he could contact Thea, but he had no phone number for her and he hadn’t been able to find her on the web. Maybe he should phone Bea. But the last time he’d done that, Jennifer had made it very clear that she didn’t want him to have anything more to do with her mother.

Maybe he was worrying about nothing. An over-bright voice on the phone and a mysterious surprise. That was all.

‘Last day of the holidays, Hailey darling, we’re going to have such a lovely time!’

Jennifer watched as Hailey took her place at the breakfast table. Thank goodness the child had a little more colour this past week or two. The hair was still all wrong, but they were going to address that today and then she would look like a proper daughter and not some waif from the local orphanage. And the bruises were almost gone.

Jennifer spooned up her muesli. She was feeling surprisingly good these days. She’d expected the last few weeks of her pregnancy to be exhausting, but life was so bright and – exuberant, yes, that was the word – she really couldn’t remember when she’d last felt so energetic.

Of course Hailey still had her moments of being sulky, and she could be a real scaredy-cat too, which was infuriating when Jennifer was in such a good mood all the time. But all in all, the child was settling in very well. There had been no more wet clothes brought home from school - it was amazing what setting clear boundaries could do. So all they needed was to fix the hair.

A rush of affection almost overwhelmed Jennifer as she looked at Hailey, who was drinking her milk exactly as a good child should. The little girl caught her eye and smiled promptly. Oh, it was
wonderful
to have a daughter. And in no time at all Phillip would be home to share her joy. The wait was nearly over now.

Jennifer massaged her belly, rejoicing when a baby moved beneath her hands, but her happy mood slipped when she glanced at Hailey again. What was the child thinking, scowling into her cereal like that?

Jennifer sipped her tea, deliberately looking away from the little girl. She was going to enjoy today, even if Hailey insisted on being miserable. It was marvellous, feeling strong and positive all the time. Jennifer laughed aloud.

‘We have a busy day in front of us, darling. First, we’re going to get our hair cut. Then after lunch we’re going to the clinic and Dr Rosen will check that the babies are alright. That’ll be fun, won’t it?’

Hailey stared mutely, touching her straggling brown hair. Jennifer got up and walked round the table.

‘Big smile, darling, Mummy wants you to be happy!’

The smile appeared immediately and Jennifer hugged Hailey tightly.

‘Answer the lady nicely when she speaks to you,’ said Jennifer, swinging into the last parking space outside the hairdressing salon near Polpayne harbour. ‘And don’t forget to smile. You know what will happen if you aren’t good, don’t you?’

Her face blanching, Hailey nodded.

It probably wasn’t necessary to repeat warnings like that anymore, thought Jennifer, pushing the child into the salon. Hailey knew what was expected of her, look how nicely she was greeting the two hairdressers waiting for them. Jennifer’s explanation of too much tropical sunshine, and shampoo that had done more harm than good was accepted, and the younger assistant started to wash Hailey’s hair.

Jennifer leaned back, enjoying the soothing fingers massaging her scalp. There was nothing like a relaxing visit to the hairdresser. And she needn’t have worried about Hailey because both hairdressers were interested in nothing but Jennifer’s pregnancy.

When was the baby due? Twins! Did she know what sex they were? Was it to be a Caesarean?
Twins!!
Didn’t she get awfully tired?

Jennifer enjoyed herself thoroughly. They left the salon an hour later, Jennifer newly washed and blow-dried, and Hailey shorn within an inch of her scalp.

As usual, the practice contractions started after lunch. Jennifer lay on the sofa, glancing through Hailey’s baby album, still on the coffee table after Miss McLure’s visit. What a special time babyhood was. Hailey had changed, look at the dimples in those first birthday photos. Did dimples just come and go like that?

Uneasily, Jennifer rubbed the tightness away from her bump, glad to see that it was time to go to the clinic. She had booked herself into the Rosen Clinic, a private hospital on the Bodmin Road. The NHS maternity unit at Newquay was nearer, of course, but the Rosen Clinic was quieter and she was guaranteed a single room there.

‘Come along, Hailey,’ she called up the stairs, and the child ran down quickly, a scared expression on her face until she remembered the smile.

Irritation flashed through Jennifer yet again. Hailey had rushed into the kitchen for her jacket without even looking at her mother - now a normal little girl would have given her mummy a hug on the way past, wouldn’t she? But Hailey never showed any affection. They would start work on that later.

Jennifer eased the car out of the driveway. Driving was the one thing in her life now that wasn’t effortless, in fact she knew she probably shouldn’t be doing it at all. Her bulk made it difficult to turn properly, and the frequent surges and kicks from the babies were starting to make her jumpy.

‘Afternoon, Mrs Marshall,’ said Dr Rosen, and Jennifer gave him her best smile. He looked like one of those perfect family doctors in an American TV series - glossy, greying hair and dimpled chin.

He glanced at her folder, where the nurse had printed out the various tests she’d just run.

‘This is looking pretty good. Blood and urine are fine, only slightly swollen ankles, not much weight gain. Hm.’

He glanced over to Hailey, who was sitting near the door of the examination room.

‘Hailey, you’re the boss now. Tell Mummy she has to put her feet up and eat more peanut butter,’ he said jokingly.

Jennifer laughed, and stared hard at Hailey to tell her she should laugh too. But of course Hailey didn’t understand, she just sat there gawping up at Dr Rosen. It had been a mistake to bring her here.

‘And quite a few of these practice contractions I see. Well, on paper you’ve another six or seven weeks to go, but I don’t think the babies will wait that long. Two more weeks would be good, though, longer if possible. We’ll just monitor your uterus activity for half an hour and see what’s happening there.’

The nurse wheeled the monitor across the room, and to Jennifer’s dismay, Dr Rosen sat down beside Hailey and started to chat.

‘And how old are you, Miss Marshall?’ he asked, leaning forward and grinning at her.

‘Five,’ said Hailey, and Jennifer pressed her lips together. One word answers really weren’t appropriate for a child of Hailey’s age. She had forgotten the smile, too.

‘And are you looking forward to having two babies at home?’

Hailey took her time thinking about this, then to Jennifer’s relief she said, ‘Yes.’

Dr Rosen laughed, clapping Hailey’s shoulder. ‘I do like a woman who thinks things through and then speaks her mind clearly. Where do you go to school?’

‘Polpayne Castle Primary,’ said Hailey promptly.

‘And is your teacher nice?’

‘Oh
yes!
’ said Hailey, beaming suddenly.

What a stupid girl, thought Jennifer. Why couldn’t she have said ‘oh yes’ like that when he asked about the babies?

‘Want some juice, Hailey?’ asked the nurse.

Hailey nodded, then glanced at Jennifer and said, ‘Yes please.’

‘On you come with me then. We’ll leave Mummy to relax for a while.’

Jennifer’s tummy tightened immediately. But of course Hailey would be good.

‘Hailey’s small for her age, isn’t she?’ said Dr Rosen, peering at the printer.

‘She was born six weeks early,’ said Jennifer. ‘She’s never really caught up with her age group. Of course, both my parents are small too.’

‘Yes,’ said Dr Rosen, and she could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn’t thinking about Hailey any longer.

Home again, Jennifer heaved a sigh of relief. Driving was definitely too tiring now. She really should send Hailey to school in a taxi next week.

‘I’m going to phone Daddy,’ she said, easing herself down on the sofa. ‘Go to your room and don’t make a sound, please.’

She punched in the number, hugging her bump in anticipation while it connected.

‘Phillip, darling! How are things?’

His voice sounded far away, and she strained to hear him.

‘Oh Jennifer honey, I was about to call you. Gran’s gone, she just drifted away. It’s so – you know – a relief after the long wait, but it’s been so hard. I’m having her cremated tomorrow and I’ll bring the ashes home with me. We’ll find a beautiful place and scatter them together. That’s what she wanted.’

Jennifer closed her eyes and felt warmth flood through her. It was over. Phillip was coming home.

‘Oh Phillip, I’m so glad she’s at rest. I wish I was there with you. Is there much to do before you come home?

‘No. I’ll get a lawyer to see to everything here. I should be home by the beginning of the week. Oh darling, I can’t wait to see you.’

Jennifer said goodbye and smiled. The sun was shining brilliantly and so was the whole room, in fact she could feel warm sunshine fizzing away inside her.

In just a few days’ time, her husband was going to get the biggest surprise of his life.

Whistling, Katie set out a circle of chairs in the play area, then looked round in satisfaction. Just a couple of months had made an amazing difference to the place. Her classroom now reflected the personalities of the children who came here each day. The walls were covered with seascapes, and gaudily decorated cardboard fish hung in the windows. Four orange and two black goldfish were swimming in a tank near the door, and the ‘show’ table, where the children could lay out interesting finds from outside, was full to overflowing. It was a happy, lively room.