“It’s my friend Rachel. You know – I told you about her on the base. She asked me to be her birthing partner. The baby’s not due for another fortnight, but she’s gone into labour.”
“You’ve got to go; of course you have!”
“Oh, Justin, I’m so sorry.”
He started to laugh. “No, no, don’t be silly. This’ll keep, won’t it? We’ve waited so long, we can wait a bit longer.”
She had never liked him more than she did at that moment. “Of course,” she said. She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips.
“OK,” he said. “You let Rachel know you’re on your way. I’ll pay the bill.” He got up from the table and headed for the bar.
When she tried Rachel’s phone, it went to voicemail, and the same happened when she tried Daniel’s number. She sent a text instead and looked round for Justin. He was returning to their table, putting his wallet away as he came.
“OK?” he asked.
“No! I’m getting her voicemail – and Daniel’s too.”
“No time to lose then. Let’s get you a taxi.”
“But Justin, she’s in Cambridge!”
He didn’t miss a beat. “Yeah, fine, like I said, I’ll get you a taxi.”
Was that the best way? What about the train? She reckoned it up in her head – the tube to King’s Cross, the train, a taxi at the other end.
Justin had already got there. “It’ll be quicker than public transport. Could be as little as an hour and a half at this time in the evening. I’ll get the doorman to rustle up a taxi. You go on trying to get hold of your friend. Do you need the loo before you head off?”
Katie did and she was on her way back when the phone rang and she thought, Rachel!
“Katie? It’s Lyle. Something’s happened.”
For a moment she thought he was talking about Rachel. But he went on, “I need you to get down to Debussy Point straightaway.”
“What?” Her voice came out in a squeak. “But we said early February. The woman who’s there now – she’s working out her notice, isn’t she?”
“Not any more.” Lyle’s voice was grim. “There’s been an almighty bust-up and she’s walked out. Apparently her parting shot was, ‘I’d rather roll naked on broken glass than spend another day in this place.’ There’s something very wrong there and I need you to saddle up and get down there – right away!”
“OK, OK, just let me think,” Katie said, trying to get her brain into gear. The alcohol wasn’t helping. “I’m just on my way to Cambridge to be Rachel’s birthing partner. So –”
“You mean the kid’s on the way? Great news! Well, lucky that today’s Thursday. That’ll give you time to do your stuff and still get to Debussy Point for Sunday evening.”
“But Lyle, what about my work experience in a Cat 3 lab?”
“Oh yeah. We’ll have to squeeze in a few hours somewhere. I’ll get back to you about that.”
“And what about the interview?”
“We can dispense with that. Every day without a technician is a day that the research is held up. They’ll be only too glad that I’ve found someone who can parachute in at such short notice. No one’ll be inclined to ask too many questions.”
And what about the briefing sessions with Julia? she wanted to say. And what about...
But he was still talking. “OK, that’s settled. I’ll let Caspar know that you’ll be arriving Sunday evening to start work on Monday morning. I’ll be in touch again in the morning. Give my love to Rachel. Bye now!”
“Lyle!” But it was no good. He’d gone.
Immediately, the phone rang again and this time it was Rachel. They were in Daniel’s car on the way to the Rosie Maternity Hospital.
“Where exactly are you?” Katie asked.
“We’ve just left Ely.”
“What about Chloe?”
“We’ve had to fall back on Plan B. We’ve dropped her off at her friend’s house.”
“How fast are the contractions coming?”
“About twenty minutes apart. So I’m still at a pretty early stage. But because of what happened last time, they want to monitor me.”
“Rachel, I’ll be there as fast as I can, but I’m in London.”
“How long do you think?”
“Maybe a couple of hours?”
“Should be fine – hopefully. Oww, oww, having another contraction. Better go.”
“Keep in touch.”
“I will.”
Katie hurried to the entrance. A black cab was waiting and Justin was conferring with the driver. He turned as Katie came up. “He’ll take you for £120. I’ve explained the situation. And he’s checked – there are no major hold-ups en route.”
“Fine. What are you going to do?”
He hesitated. “I rather thought I’d come with you. I mean, I’ve got to get back to Cambridge somehow.”
“I’d love that.”
Justin opened the door for her. She climbed into the back and Justin got in after her. She noticed that he had a carrier bag. She hadn’t seen it earlier and she wondered what was in it.
“I’m sorry to have wrecked the evening,” she said.
“You absolutely haven’t. This is the most exciting date I’ve had in a very long time.” Justin settled back in his seat.
The taxi set off and the lights of the West End slid past them. It was only eight o’clock and the pavements were crowded with people doing late night shopping and coming out of offices.
Katie thought of poor Daniel and how he would be feeling. As for Rachel, she was probably worrying more about him than about herself. She wished she could just be magically transported to the Rosie.
“I hope to goodness I arrive before the baby,” she said.
“Sitting on the edge of your seat and sighing every time we stop at a red light won’t get you there any faster,” Justin pointed out.
“Oh, was I? I hadn’t realized.”
“There’s nothing you can do. Try to relax.”
He was right, of course. She leaned back in her seat and he put his arm around her.
The taxi headed east through the city. She would always remember this, she thought; the dash to Cambridge and being borne along through the night in the warmth of the cab with Justin’s arm around her. She put her head on his shoulder.
Then her stomach rumbled and a less romantic thought impinged.
“I’m absolutely starving,” she said. “What a pity we never got to eat those smoked salmon sandwiches.”
“Ah, yes, the sandwiches. I thought you might feel that way.” Justin disengaged himself and delved into the carrier bag at his feet. He brought out a neat cardboard box. “Once I explained it all – first date, your best friend giving birth, emergency dash to Cambridge – the waiters were charmed and couldn’t do enough for us. And they gave me this too,” he added, bringing a bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses out of the bag. “I’ve promised to let them know whether it’s a boy or a girl.”
“I could fall for a man who has the brass neck to ask for a doggie bag at the Ritz.”
“I’m delighted to hear it.”
She hadn’t realized she’d said that out loud. She was tipsier than she thought. “But Justin, I’d better not roll up the worse for drink at the delivery room.”
“Have a sandwich. That’ll soak up the alcohol. We can save the champagne for later.”
A text came in. “Have arrived at Rosie.”
Good. At least Rachel wasn’t going to give birth in the car, attended only by a panicking husband.
Katie texted back: “Hang on! On my way!”
By the time they had finished the sandwiches, they had reached the suburbs of London. The lights of houses grew fewer. Flecks of rain appeared on the taxi windows.
Another text came through. “Waters broken. Ten minutes between contractions!”
“Ten minutes!” Katie exclaimed. Weren’t things moving rather fast? She looked at her watch. Only an hour ago it had been twenty minutes between contractions.
“Is that bad?” Justin asked, reading the text over her shoulder.
Was it? Katie tried to think back to her time on the obstetrics ward. Then the phone actually rang and she heard Rachel’s voice. “Katie? Katie?”
“Are you OK?” she asked. She could hear a murmur of voices in the background.
“Yep. We’re playing cards.”
“You’re what?” Katie couldn’t believe her ears.
“The midwife says it might be a while yet. This is taking my mind off the contractions.”
“What are you playing?”
“Gin rummy.”
“Who’s winning?”
“I am. And I’ve got money on it. So far Dan owes me a fiver. His playing’s rubbish tonight.”
Outside, the turn-off to Harlow flashed past.
“Oh, hang on, ooh.” Rachel spoke through gritted teeth. “Here it comes again. I’ll pass you over to Dan. He wants to speak to you.” There was a pause while she handed the phone to him.
“How far away are you?” he asked. Katie could hear the tension in his voice.
“Hang on,” she said. “How far?” she asked Justin.
He was already on his phone. “Google says an hour to go. I’ll check with the driver.” He leaned forward and tapped on the panel.
“Can you keep the line open?” Katie asked Daniel. “Could we do this on the phone until I get there?”
“I’ll ask the midwife.”
There was a pause and she could hear voices in the background. Meanwhile Justin was conferring with the taxi driver.
Daniel came back. “She says it’s fine. It’ll be a first at the Rosie and I can put you on loudspeaker.”
Justin reported back. “He says yes, an hour or maybe less.”
With every mile, Rachel’s contractions grew longer, stronger and more frequent, and Katie wondered if she was going to get to the hospital before Rachel reached the last stage of labour.
It was almost time to leave the motorway when two things happened at once. The traffic began to slow down and Rachel began to groan.
Daniel said, “Rachel, what’s the matter?” Katie could tell from his voice that he was on the verge of panic.
The robust voice of the midwife came through. “Nothing’s the matter,” she said. “It’s speeding up; that’s all. It might not be very long now.”
Katie’s eye was caught by something flashing up ahead. It was a warning on the overhead gantry: “Accident.”
“Oh no,” she exclaimed, holding her hand over the phone speaker.
The taxi came to a standstill. Ahead stretched a queue of traffic as far as they could see.
The taxi driver turned and opened the glass panel. “How’s your friend doing?” he asked.
“I don’t think I’m going to be there in time.”
He thought for a few moments. “What the heck,” he said. “It’s an emergency, right?” He swung the wheel hard left and the next moment they were racing along the hard shoulder. They reached the slip road and in a few minutes were on the outskirts of Cambridge.
Rachel was yelling.
“Oh my – oh, Rachel!” There was barely controlled panic in Daniel’s voice.
“What’s happening?” Katie asked. “Rachel, are you remembering your breathing?”
“Yes, yes, OK. I’m alright, it’s alright,” Rachel panted.
The taxi sped through the rain-slicked streets. It seemed to take for ever and then lights from the Rosie Maternity Hospital came into view. The taxi drove up to the entrance and screeched to a halt. Katie fumbled for her purse.
“Just go,” Justin told her. “I’ll pay.”
She had her hand on the door handle when he said, “Wait. I don’t know when I’ll get another chance.” His arm tightened around her and she turned to face him. Their lips met. They clung together for a few moments. Then she pulled away and he said, “Go, go, go! I’ll wait for you in reception.”
She jumped out of the cab. “Text me,” he shouted after her.
Inside, the receptionist knew all about her and pointed to the stairs. Katie took them two at a time. She found herself in an empty corridor and looked wildly around. A nurse appeared.
“You must be Katie?” she said. It was the voice of the midwife.
“Am I in time?” Katie gasped.
“You most certainly are. In here.” She pushed open a door behind her and Katie went in.
Daniel jumped to his feet. “Thank heavens you’re here.”
But Rachel was staring at her in astonishment, seemingly speechless. “What’s happened to you?” she asked.
Katie had no idea what she meant and then she understood: this was the first time Rachel had seen her with full make-up and bleach blonde hair.