What Was Rescued by Bailey Jane

Author:Bailey, Jane [Bailey, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781477823156
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Published: 2017-08-01T04:00:00+00:00

29

ARTHUR

‘Heavens to Betsy! There it goes again! Look at it!’

‘What is it?’

‘Look!’

Pippa grabbed my hand at the breakfast table and placed it firmly on her belly. ‘Can you feel it?’

I felt my child wriggle and kick for the first time. Until that moment, none of it had seemed real. Now I had a child; I was a father. A rush of pride went through me, and I noticed something extraordinary: Pippa was smiling. In fact, she had seemed a great deal happier since we had come back from London. She sang around the house. She had a meal ready for me when I came home, and there was less often a pile of dishes in the sink. Sometimes, now, she even smiled at me, and I mean the sort of smile that wasn’t prompted by sarcasm. I couldn’t imagine what had come over her, of course, but I was pleased.

Our little trip to London seemed to have proved a success all round. She had returned in better spirits and I had had a chance to make up to my parents. I say ‘make up to’ because I had done them a terrible wrong, I think, getting married to Pippa when they were expecting me to marry Dora, and cutting them out of the picture.

I had sat beside my mother on the sofa when I visited, while my father was shaving one morning. I recalled Philip entwined in her arms here many years ago. Philip the baby, the beloved. How I hated myself for my sibling jealousy, even now. The room seemed filled with pictures of him, prominently displayed, although actually, I think there were only three, and I was in two of them. My mother listened to my sad story and placed a hand on mine.

‘We thought Dora was lovely. We were sad when we heard you weren’t marrying her, but only because we thought she’d make you such a loving wife. You seemed so right together. But if you’re happy with Pippa, then we’re happy too. We only want you to be happy, Arthur. That’s all that matters to us.’ She squeezed my hand and I tried not to blink because my eyes were welling unexpectedly. ‘You are happy, aren’t you?’ I didn’t answer. I swallowed and nodded. The pressure on my hand again. No words, but an understanding. I wanted to entwine myself like Philip. Instead I gave her a hug. ‘She has beautiful eyes,’ she said reassuringly. ‘You’re going to have a beautiful child.’

Now Pippa waltzed around the house, a new woman. If my mother could have seen her, all sadness would have lifted. I began to feel hopeful myself. She even let me hold her in bed and stroke her back – although that was all. But I was hopeful.

‘Did you ask Daphne about whether Dora was coming to the wedding?’ she asked breezily one morning at breakfast.

‘I’m afraid I haven’t got around to it yet.’

‘Well, don’t bother; there’s no need.’

I looked at her, quizzically. ‘Why not?’

‘Because .

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