Tess
It was Holly who came with her to the hospital. She’d almost, almost asked Donna to take her instead. Felt a moment of shyness, a flicker of fear at risking the fragile new closeness between them. If a shadow of disappointment had briefly crossed Donna’s face when she’d left, she’d disguised it quickly, given her a brief hug, said she’d wait to hear. Then pulled her back into her arms and kissed her cheek.
‘Talk to me about you. It’s all about me just now. I’m the worst friend. What’s going on with you?’ Tess asked.
‘You’re not. Don’t be daft.’
‘Still. Distract me. I’m starving hungry and nervous as all hell.’
The procedure was going to be done under a local, spinal anaesthetic. She’d been told not to eat after midnight, and it was 10.30 a.m. now. She was in a ward, in a backless gown, hooked up to an IV. They’d performed an ultrasound, so she’d heard the baby’s heartbeat, strong and steady, but her own felt fluttery and too fast. Nerves. Holly’s eyes had filled with tears when she’d heard the baby. She’d grasped Tess’s hand tightly and kissed her forehead. ‘That’s amazing. That’s your baby.’ Tess realized how much she’d missed having her there for the last scan.
The obstetrician had stopped by to explain the process again and to ask if Tess had any questions.
But now they’d all gone away, except Holly, and she was waiting to be wheeled down for the stitch itself. They’d put the spinal in there, but she still had to go on a gurney, they had told her. Just as well, with her arse hanging out, Holly had said. God, how Tess loved her.
‘So distract me with your life. How’s Dulcie? I haven’t seen her in ages.’
Holly grimaced. ‘Ask me about anyone but Dulcie.’
‘Why?’
‘Because you’re having a girl, and I don’t want to scare you.’
‘You already are. A bit. What’s going on with Dulcie?’
‘Oh, Christ, Tess – girls are horrid.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘I almost can’t bear to talk about it. It’s so stupid –’
‘So tell me.’
‘You don’t want to hear about this now.’
‘Now is exactly when I want to hear about this. Please …’
‘Okay. So there’s this boy who really likes her. Jake. She liked him back, I knew she did. But this friend – this frenemy, more like – of hers, some queen bee, you know the kind, she liked him too. Nothing has ever happened between the two of them, by the way. She warned Dulcie off. So for weeks and weeks – months even, Dulcie’s been giving this boy the brush off so she doesn’t upset this girl, and he doesn’t get it, right, because he knows, really, that she likes him too.’
‘Okay …’
‘So eventually the guy confronts her about it, wanting to know why she won’t give him a chance, you know, and she tells him this other girl likes him, and that’s why she won’t go out with him. And because he’s a boy and boys aren’t so … so bloody ridiculous, he goes to this other girl and tells her he isn’t interested in her, that he’s interested in Dulcie.’
‘Good for him. I like the sound of him.’
‘Except now this other girl is waging a total war on Dulcie. She’s telling everyone Dulcie’s gone behind her back and got with this guy even though she knows she really likes him – you know, like it’s some major betrayal or breaking the girl code, or whatever. Making out they’ve been friends for years, and that Dulcie has no loyalty.’
‘What a witch.’
‘I know. She’s totally out to get her. She’s made all the other girls choose a side. Like it’s bloody teams. They’ve all chosen hers, of course. Probably terrified of incurring her wrath. God. It’s fucking foul. It makes me so mad, just talking to you about it.’
‘I see that.’ Holly’s face was red and her neck blotchy.
‘Sorry. I told you not to ask about Dulcie.’
‘Don’t be daft. I want to know. What are you doing about it?’
‘What can I do? Dulcie would die if I went into school. Besides, what would I say to them, if I did? They’re not babies. They’re fifteen, most of them.’
‘Will it pass, do you think?’
Holly shook her head. ‘I suppose so. They’ve got exams … Someone else will transgress, eventually – draw the fire.’
‘Is Dulcie upset?’
‘Of course she’s bloody upset. She’s being ostracized. Not invited to stuff. Left out. They’ve got these stupid groups – you know – Snapchat. Stuff like that. She’s been told there’s been a vote, and she’s not allowed to join the chat, so she misses all the gossip.’
‘Oh, Tess, you’ve no idea. They can be so cruel. So casually, horribly cruel. And I have to go to coffee mornings and parents’ evenings with their mothers, who think butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths …’
‘You should tell ’em what their little darlings are up to.’
‘Which would make me feel better for exactly two minutes. And would only make it worse for Dulcie.’
‘I know. I’m not serious.’
Holly laughed. ‘Nope. We have to swallow it. I fantasize about telling these girls which way is up. Seriously. But I keep telling her revenge is a dish best served cold.’
‘Please, please tell me she’s going out with the boy … Jake, did you say it was?’
Holly rolled her eyes. ‘Hell to the yes she’s going out with Jake. She’s my daughter!’
‘Good for her.’
‘Oh, it’ll pass. I can’t even believe I’m talking about it … Though it helps.’
‘And I was asking for it.’
‘Yes. You were. And this little darling’ – Holly reached out and stroked Tess’s tummy – ‘she’ll have to deal with it too.’
‘Forewarned is forearmed, I suppose.’
Holly smiled. ‘You’ve got a few years to go yet.’
‘Something to look forward to.’
‘You know, you think the first bit is the hardest. Getting them to sleep through the night, teaching them to latch on. The first time they run a fever of a hundred and one in the middle of the night and you have to decide what to do about it. The endless puking and poo …’
‘Wow. Really talking it up now, Hols.’
‘I’m serious.’ But she was laughing. ‘You think all that crap is the hard stuff … But it’s the easiest. Teenagers … that’s when it gets almost impossible.’
‘Nurse …’ Tess raised a hand.
‘Mostly, when they’re little, you can fix things for them. When they got older, you can’t fix it any more …’ Holly’s voice trailed off. Tess patted her friend’s hand where it lay on the edge of the bed.
‘I’ll tell you one thing – you are so the godmother of this baby. I clearly need all the expertise I can call on.’
‘Seriously?’
‘Who else would I ask?’
‘Oh, Tess. I’d love it.’
‘Good. Will you shut up now? Because you are frankly scaring the bejesus out of me.’
Holly nodded and made the zip gesture across her lips.
She reached into her tote bag and pulled out OK magazine.
‘Let’s do celebs instead … That Kate Middleton … she really is too thin …’