BY THE TIME THEY went back into the venue, the tables had been pulled aside and the dancing was well underway. Esme and Johnny were in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by their friends and family. Frank was sitting in a chair to one side, talking to another of the older guests, and Libby and Dylan walked over to join him. He looked up as they approached and Libby saw his face light up when he saw they were holding hands.
‘Well, this is very good news indeed,’ he said.
Libby could feel her cheeks glowing with pleasure, and she was about to sit down next to Frank when Dylan suddenly leapt in the air.
‘What’s the matter?’ she said.
‘This song, it’s “White Wedding” by Billy Idol. Come on, let’s dance.’
‘I’m not sure I’m really up for dancing in my state,’ Libby said.
‘And I’m far too old,’ Frank said.
‘Don’t be soft. Come on, you two.’
Dylan reached out a hand to pull Frank up, then led them over to the dance floor. He spotted Esme and Johnny and pogoed across to them with such carefree abandon that several dancers had to move out of his way. Libby joined him, feeling self-conscious, but Dylan’s enthusiasm was contagious, and before long she too was bouncing along to the music. Besides her, Frank was dancing with a young girl, spinning her round and round. Libby smiled, watching him, and then felt her hand being grabbed as Dylan spun her round and dipped her back, kissing her again in front of everyone on the dance floor. Behind her, Libby could hear Esme cheering and whooping with delight.
They carried on dancing for several songs before Libby felt a twinge in her pelvis. She grimaced and Dylan was at her side in seconds.
‘You OK?’ he shouted, above the music.
‘I’m fine, I just need to sit down for a minute.’
Dylan took her hand and steered her towards a table.
‘There’s really no need to fuss,’ she said, as Frank came to join them. ‘You two carry on dancing.’
‘I’m done,’ Frank said, panting. ‘I can’t remember the last time I had a good dance, but I’m exhausted.’
‘Shall we head off?’ Dylan said. ‘We should probably be getting you back to Willow Court, Frank.’
‘Good point. I forget I’m under curfew now.’
‘What about you?’ Dylan said to Libby. ‘Are you catching the train back to Surrey tonight?’
‘Actually, I’ve booked a room in a hotel in Camden.’ Libby looked at Dylan as she said this and he smiled at her, a long, slow smile that made her chest tighten. For a moment neither of them spoke, their eyes locked.
‘Well, in that case, I think we should all be getting out of here,’ Frank said, and when Libby turned to him he winked at her.
They said their farewells to Esme and Johnny and then went to fetch their coats and Libby’s bag.
‘Shall I order us an Uber?’ Libby said, as they stepped outside. ‘That way we can drop Frank home on our way.’
‘Actually, would you mind if we caught the bus?’ Frank said. ‘For old times’ sake?’
‘Of course.’
They left the hotel and set off down the road, Libby in the middle. As they walked, she linked her arms with Frank’s and Dylan’s, and they strolled side by side in companionable silence, listening to the night sounds of the city.
‘Are you feeling better now?’ Dylan said, as they reached the bus stop.
‘Much better. I think I just overdid it a bit on the dance floor.’
They waited five minutes before an 88 approached, half-empty at this time of night. As the door opened, a familiar face was smiling out at them.
‘Evening, Mr Weiss.’
‘Patience, how lovely to see you again!’ Frank said, climbing on board.
‘Have you been out partying?’
‘We have indeed, a wedding. You remember Libby? And this is my friend, Dylan.’
‘Of course I remember Libby. How’s your search going? I spread the word round all the drivers I know, everyone was talking about you.’
‘Ah, well the search is over now,’ Frank said, and Patience’s head snapped to look at him.
‘Does that mean . . . ?’
‘I found her, yes,’ Frank said. ‘I found my girl on the 88.’
Patience let out a whoop, causing a dozing passenger in the front seat to jolt awake.
‘I’m so happy for you, Mr Weiss,’ she said. ‘And my parents will be too.’
They moved towards some empty seats at the back of the lower deck. Libby and Dylan sat in one pair and Frank sat across the aisle from them.
‘Wasn’t that a wonderful evening?’ he said, as the bus set off.
‘It was indeed.’ Dylan glanced at Libby as he said this.
‘I’m sorry I’m such a party pooper,’ she said. ‘But this little one has been pummelling the hell out of me this evening.’
‘You need to start taking it easy, Libby,’ Frank said.
‘I will, I promise. There won’t be any more dancing for me until the baby’s here.’
The bus pulled up at a stop and an older woman in a woollen hat stepped on board, greeting Patience. Libby watched Frank instinctively scan her face, and then he turned back to her.
‘I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to stop checking. It’s hard to break a habit of sixty years.’
‘Does it feel strange, finally knowing what happened to your woman?’ Dylan said.
‘A relief more than strange. I’m getting too old to be riding this bus every day, anyway. Like Libby, I need to put my feet up more.’
‘Have you played bingo yet?’ Dylan said.
‘No, I have not, you cheeky bugger!’ Frank said, hitting his arm in mock outrage.
Dylan laughed, and Libby leant back in her seat, enjoying the sound of the two of them chatting as the bus wound through Parliament Square. It felt wonderful to have Frank back in her life again. And Dylan . . . Libby thought of that smile earlier, the hotel bedroom waiting for the two of them, and felt a nervous flutter of excitement. It was followed by another sensation, a sharp stabbing in her lower stomach. She bent forward, inhaling.
‘What’s wrong?’ Dylan said. ‘What happened?’
‘I don’t know. I think it might be Braxton Hicks.’
‘What are they?’ Frank said.
‘Like practice contractions. I’ve had them before so it’s nothing alarming.’ But as she said it, Libby felt her pulse starting to race. She was pretty sure Braxton Hicks didn’t feel like this.
‘Let’s get you straight to the hotel,’ Frank said. ‘You probably just need some rest after a long day.’
‘OK,’ Libby said.
She sat back and found Dylan’s arm round her shoulders. She leant into him, inhaling his wonderful, familiar smell. But as they approached the Cenotaph, she felt another pang of pain and gasped.
‘We should go to the hospital, get you checked out,’ Dylan said, reaching across Libby to ring the bell. ‘Let’s get off at the next stop and jump in a taxi, it’ll be quicker.’
‘But my notes and hospital bag are in Surrey. I don’t have anything here!’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ Frank said. ‘I’m sure you won’t be needing all that tonight.’
‘I should never have come to the wedding,’ Libby said, shaking her head. ‘I should have listened to my mum, she told me it was too risky.’
‘Hey, calm down,’ Dylan said gently, and Libby felt his hand squeeze her shoulder. ‘I’m sure this will be a false alarm, but let’s get you checked out anyway.’
Libby nodded, but as she did so she remembered Peggy’s words. When the time comes, you’ll know it’s for real. When the bus approached the next stop, she stood up to get off, and as she did, she felt another sharp stab and let out a yelp.
‘Is everything all right back there?’ Patience called out.
‘Yes, everything’s fine,’ Frank called back. ‘It’s just possible that Libby’s in labour.’
A murmur went along the bus.
‘We’ll get off at the next stop and get a taxi, nothing to be alarmed about,’ Frank said.
A woman who was sitting in the front row had stood up and was moving back towards them. ‘I’m a nurse. How many weeks are you?’
‘Thirty-six,’ Libby said.
‘And when did your contractions start?’
‘I’m not sure. I’ve been uncomfortable on and off all evening, and then I had what felt like a contraction when I was dancing. Do you think it’s Braxton Hicks?’
‘How often are they coming, darling?’
‘I’m not sure. Every three minutes or so,’ Libby said, and as she spoke, she felt another wave of pain.
‘Trafalgar Square,’ the electronic bus announcement said, but Libby could barely hear it over her own groan.
‘That wasn’t three minutes.’ The nurse was shaking her head.
‘Do you want to get off here?’ Patience called back.
‘There’s no time for a taxi, we need to get her straight to hospital,’ the nurse said. ‘These contractions are coming too close together.’
‘Oh, for Christ’s sake!’ A man sitting a few rows in front of them shouted. ‘Hurry up and get off, some of us want to get home!’
The nurse turned and glared at him. ‘Sir, either we drive this young lady to the hospital now, or she’s going to give birth right here on this bus. It’s your choice.’
He started to grumble again, but Patience had stood up from her driver’s seat and turned to face the passengers. ‘All right, everybody off here. This bus is on diversion!’