‘Here we are,’ Laura arrived with the promised tea and biscuits. ‘Now I’d better go down and assure that anxious husband of yours.’
Kelly sat up to drink the tea, munching slowly on the dry biscuit. How easily she had become pregnant again, how wonderfully easily. If only she could share her happiness with Jordan, could share with him the magical wonder of their child forming inside her.
But he had never found the thought of fatherhood wonderful, he had avoided even talking about their life together after the baby was born. Well, this time he would deny her none of her joy, she would cherish it to her like a cloak, a protection against the pain of losing Jordan.
Laura came quietly back into the bedroom, going to the wardrobe to pull out a tiny suitcase she had in there. She began checking the contents.
Kelly sat up, swinging her legs to the floor, the feelings of sickness and dizziness now gone. ‘What are you doing?’ she asked curiously.
‘Just making sure I have everything,’ Laura said vaguely. ‘And it’s a good job I did, I only seem to have put in one nightgown.’ She put another two on top of the other contents of the case. ‘Maybe I should put in a spare toothbrush too.’
Kelly grinned. ‘I don’t think the baby will need one straight away.’
She received an impatient look. ‘I meant for me. I have a habit of losing them.’
‘Then by all means put in a spare one,’ Kelly encouraged, watching as Laura wandered into the bathroom to get one. ‘Couldn’t you do this some other time, Laura?’ she frowned. ‘You’ve had enough to do this evening with preparing us dinner. You should be putting your feet up.’
‘I will, when I get the chance. Right, that’s my case sorted out. Now I wonder if I have time to tidy the dining-room before I go?’ She bit her lip thoughtfully. ‘I gave Carol the evening off because I wanted to cook the meal myself, and I don’t want to leave everywhere in a mess for her tomorrow. Do you think I have time to tidy up?’
‘Time?’ Kelly repeated dazedly. ‘We can do that together, surely? I feel perfectly well now.’
Laura’s expression brightened. ‘Oh, good. If we go down and do it now it
shouldn’t take as long with the two of us.’ She suddenly stopped what she was doing to take deep gasping breaths, her hand pressed to her swollen stomach. ‘Oh dear,’ she sighed, straightening. ‘That one was quite bad.’
‘That one?’ Kelly demanded. ‘What do you mean, that one?’
‘I’ve been having contractions for the last couple of hours,’ Laura told her happily.
‘You have?’ Kelly was amazed. ‘Have you let the hospital know?’
‘Oh yes.’
‘And Ian?’
Laura giggled. ‘No. Not yet. He would only have panicked, and there’s hours to go yet.’
‘You don’t know that!’ Kelly stood up, doing some panicking of her own. ‘You have to get there as soon as possible.’
‘But you promised we could tidy up first!’
‘Jordan and I can do that when you’ve gone,’ Kelly hustled her out of the room. ‘I just hope you’re poor husband doesn’t faint with the shock of it.’
‘So do—Ooh!’ Laura gasped again, biting her lip. ‘I think you’re right, maybe I should get straight to the hospital.’
‘I don’t think it, I know it. You shouldn’t have left it this long.’
Ian and Jordan were talking together when the two women entered the room, although Jordan immediately stopped the conversation and came over to Kelly.
‘Are you all right?’ His voice was huskily soft.
Any other time she might have questioned his concern for her, but right now she had more important things on her mind. ‘It’s Laura we have to be concerned about now,’ she told him briskly. ‘Ian, get the car out. Jordan, get Laura’s case down from the bedroom.’ Amazingly both women had forgotten it!
Ian gasped, paling. ‘You mean—Laura, are you—’
‘Of course she is,’ Kelly said impatiently. ‘Now will you bring the car round?’
‘I’ll drive them,’ Jordan put in quietly. ‘I don’t think Ian is in any condition to drive anywhere.’