I turn and look behind me. A woman stands in the doorway, she’s petite, blonde and very well put together. Her dress fits her body perfectly, stopping just above her knees. She screams money. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she’s someone who snuck in here to be close to Jimmy. She doesn’t look like a mom, but she does look like Jimmy. Or rather he looks like her, except with dark hair.
“Hi,” I say, meekly. This is not how I wanted to meet my mother-in-law. She’s supposed to be here a week before Little One arrives and Jimmy is supposed to introduce us. I wipe my hands on my pants and stand on shaky legs. I walk closer to her, blocking her line of sight to Jimmy. I extend my hand. “I’m Jenna.”
She looks at me with an unreadable expression. I feel like a moron standing here like this. She probably hates me. I would, it’s my ex that did this to her son. She drops the oversized bag she is holding and wraps her arms around me, catching me off guard. Her embrace is tight and welcoming. I close my arms around her and hug her back as if we haven’t seen each other in years.
“I’m Brigette,” she says, pulling away. She sets her hands on my shoulders and appraises me. “Well Jimmy said you were beautiful, but he obviously forgot to add that you’re also stunning.” I blush and shake my head.
“I’m gross,” I say. “I think he’d say something else if he saw me right now.”
She shakes her head. “He’d say, ‘hey mum, look at my wife, isn’t she gorgeous?’ And you are. You staying by his bed holding his hand and saying those words to him, makes you the most beautiful woman in the world, in my book.”
“I’m really happy you’re here.”
“So am I, I just wish we were meeting each other in happier circumstances like the birth of my first granddaughter. Can I?” She looks down at my stomach and back at me. Just as quickly as I give my okay, her hands are on my stomach.
“Hi there, baby, I’m your grandma.” And as if she knows, Little One kicks nice and hard. Brigette’s mouth drops open in surprise as I choke back a half laugh, half cry. Jimmy’s missing this and that breaks my heart.
“You’ll have to forgive my daughter-in-law, she’s tired and uncomfortable. I know it has nothing to do with that tiny little bed you’ve given her and the lack of sleep she gets because the night nurse is still checking on my son every few minutes.”
I try not to smile, but in this moment I love Brigette. She takes shots at the doctor and night nurse every chance she gets, but she does it with a smile and British words that make them think she’s being nice to them.
“We can send in another bed.”
“That would be lovely,” she says without missing a beat. “Also, send in an obstetrician. I can’t see her flying home any time soon to attend an appointment when her husband is like this.”
“I’ll send in the necessary forms –“
Brigette stops rubbing my shoulders. I turn and watch as she faces off with the doctor. “You should call her doctor in Beaumont to make things easier for her. She’s under a lot of stress and is very close to her due date. Please respect the fact that she doesn’t want to leave her husband’s side and send your colleague down here.”
I can see the doctor sigh and try not to laugh. “I’ll have someone come down to see Mrs. Davis.” The doctor takes his leave, shutting Jimmy’s door behind him.
“You’re brilliant.”
Brigette shrugs, walking over to Jimmy. She threads her fingers through his hair and smiles. “I was going to be a solicitor when I met Jimmy’s dad. I was young and stupid and thought I could tame him, and maybe I did at first, but it didn’t last very long.”
“Jimmy doesn’t talk about his dad.”
She shakes her head. “No, I don’t imagine he does. James treats Jimmy as a friend or drinking partner, but never as a son. I sent Jimmy to live with his father because he wanted to be a musician. I had hoped Jimmy would grow out of it, but he didn’t. Not that I don’t appreciate what he does, but this is how I saw him, with a wife and a baby on the way. I didn’t want him to end up like his father, but the music is in his veins.
“When Jimmy rang me and told me he was married, I prayed it wasn’t some drunken Vegas wedding conducted by one of those Elvis impersonators. The minute he started telling me about you, I knew he had found someone to love him the way he deserves to be loved.”
“We’re the cliché one-night stand who ends up pregnant.”
Brigette smiles. “And that night changed his life. I can remember all the phones calls after that. I didn’t know what happened, but I knew something had changed. He started talking about hanging around in Beaumont more and for the life of me I had no idea why until he told me about you. One night stand or not, you changed his life.”
“WHAT the bloody hell are you doing here?” I jump at the sound of Brigette’s voice and her book slamming. I look groggily around the room before another body comes into focus. Standing in the doorway is Jimmy’s dad. Even though I’ve never met him, I know who he is, everyone does and there’s no mistaking him now.
“It’s good to see you too, Brigette. I see my money is treating you well.” Brigette stands, setting her afghan and book in her chair.
“James, what are you doing here?”
“Is that not my son lying there?”
Brigette looks at me to Jimmy and back to me. Her eyes tell me everything, she’s sorry. “You don’t get to pick and choose when you’re going to be a father, James.”
James stares her down as he walks by her, taking the empty seat next to Jimmy’s bed. “Who are you? You let some groupie in here, Brigette? That’s unlike you.”
“I’m his wife,” I say, proudly.