Page 32 of Christmas for the Village Midwife (The Village Midwife #2)

When Zoe got to work the following morning, Lavender was slamming a pen down on her desk, muttering under her breath.

‘Good morning,’ she said with some caution.

‘Is it?’ Lavender replied. ‘You’d think, the way some people speak to you when you come in early to microwave some potatoes for a nice lunch, that it’s the first morning of the apocalypse.’

‘Oh,’ Zoe said, guessing that the new feud that had erupted between Lavender and Emilia had spilled out from mere disagreements about Christmas decorations to new territory. She decided it was better not to ask.

‘I brought tuna with me,’ she said instead. ‘For the jackets at lunch. And some grated cheese and beans. I think that will be enough, won’t it?’

‘You’d better go and check with Her Highness that the smell won’t be bothering her before you unpack any of it.’

‘I’ll…’ Zoe paused, wondering how to respond, but then Lavender turned to her computer screen and Zoe realised none was needed. ‘I’ll go and put it all in the fridge then. Did you enjoy the gingerbread day at the weekend?’

‘It was fine.’

‘And you had a nice Sunday?’

‘Yes, thank you,’ Lavender said stiffly without looking up. ‘You?’

‘Yes. You want a coffee?’

‘Got one, thanks.’

Zoe decided to knock to see if Ottilie was in yet and to ask if she wanted a coffee. And perhaps she’d get the low-down on just what had happened that morning.

‘Come in!’ Ottilie sounded distracted.

Zoe pushed the door open and put her head round to see her poring over a diary. ‘Want a drink?’

‘I’m good; I went to get one a minute ago. Just got in?’

‘Yes. What’s going on with…?’ Zoe hooked her thumb behind her, and it seemed Ottilie didn’t need any more elaboration than that.

‘I don’t know, but I’m keeping out of her way. Both of them in fact. I’ve never seen Lavender so riled, not since I started to work here. I think’ – she lowered her voice – ‘our new GP needs to watch her step.’

‘Seems like six of one and half a dozen of the other to me.’

‘It might be, I don’t know. All I know is the other one has got here in a foul mood. She’s making Lavender look like a picnic in the park.’

Zoe’s mind went back to what she knew of the weekend, and she wondered if there was some connection between Emilia’s bad mood and what had happened at her house.

She’d been unsure at the time, but since Brett’s visit to the shop, she was certain things were not well and that Emilia was having to get involved in his problems. It was no wonder she was tetchy, though Zoe couldn’t help but reflect that she might need to get that under control if she wanted to keep her receptionist.

‘You know them,’ Ottilie said. ‘Any hints for the rest of us?’

‘Everyone keeps saying that, like we’re practically family, but apart from the last few weeks, I haven’t spoken two words to any of them since I was eleven. I don’t think that can be classified as knowing them.’

‘You know more than we do. What’s Georgia said?’

‘About Emilia? Not a lot. It’s not really what we talk about.’

‘What do you talk about then?’

Zoe paused. She had to admit, she wasn’t sure if anything they talked about was of any consequence.

They chatted about things that didn’t matter, laughed about old times, and on occasion there might be a glimpse into Georgia’s current life, but it was always somehow shrouded, like Georgia didn’t want her to see the full picture.

Why was that? Was Georgia ashamed? Worried she’d be judged or pitied?

It had been clear to Zoe that there was more than she was being told, and yet she hadn’t asked.

She wondered if she should have done because now she felt the current situation might have been made worse by her neglect.

If she’d talked to Georgia properly, found out more, could she have offered advice that might have helped?

‘This and that. Whatever people normally talk about. Nothing deep, really.’

‘I’m sorry I asked,’ Ottilie said, going back to her computer.

‘Hey, there’s no need to take it out on me! I’m not falling out with anyone!’

Ottilie looked up ruefully. ‘I know; I’m sorry. I feel as if all this bad feeling is rubbing off on me, that’s all. I was hoping you might be able to help.’

‘It’s all right. You’re bound to be a bit more susceptible to that sort of thing right now. I wish I could tell you something useful, but I can’t. Except…’

Zoe paused. Perhaps she could share with Ottilie what she knew.

Perhaps Ottilie would have more useful insights than Alex, and given that Magnus and Geoff knew some of it, it was probably only a matter of time before everyone knew anyway.

But before she could frame her next sentence, Emilia’s voice was behind her.

‘Good morning, Zoe,’ she said briskly.

Zoe spun round, trying not to show her mortification at the notion of what she might have heard had she got there only a minute later.

‘I’m glad I’ve caught you both at the same time – it will save me a trip. We’re being audited in the new year. I’d be grateful if all your notes could be complete and up to date by then.’

‘They’re always complete and up to date,’ Ottilie said, slightly defensively.

‘Yes, but it doesn’t hurt to mention it,’ Emilia said crisply. ‘People sometimes get lax at this time of the year.’

‘Not me,’ Ottilie replied primly. ‘Especially now, as I’m getting closer to my maternity leave.’

‘Yes,’ Emilia said, ‘of course. Which reminds me, we’ll soon have the additional headache of your cover to deal with.’

And then she swept out again, leaving Zoe and Ottilie alone once more.

‘I’m sorry to have been such a nuisance,’ Ottilie said through gritted teeth. ‘God forbid I should have a life outside this surgery.’

Zoe gave her a pained smile, and Ottilie tried to return it. ‘It’s you I feel bad for.’

Zoe frowned. ‘Why?’

‘Because I persuaded you to come here and take this job and told you how lovely the surgery is – and now look at us. It’s not what I promised at all.’

‘No,’ Zoe said, ‘maybe not right now, but I can hardly complain about coming here. I got Alex, for a start. And you, and all the other friends I’ve made here.

I don’t think you need to feel bad about that.

Things are a bit fraught right now, but I’m sure it will all settle soon.

Maybe a bit of time off over Christmas is just what we all need.

It might be that we’re all tired and at the end of our tethers, and we need a few days to recharge. ’

‘Ever the optimist,’ Ottilie said. ‘You always were the sunnier one.’

‘I don’t know about that. I’d better get on…See you at lunch?’

‘Yes, as long as we haven’t all been fired by then. Zoe…’

Zoe turned back. ‘Yes?’

‘I think I might set my mat leave date today. I might not come back after the Christmas break. I know that’s going to piss Emilia and Simon off because it will be short notice, and I wanted to hang on until the end, really, so I could have more time with the baby after the birth, but…

with the atmosphere around here at the moment… ’

‘I don’t blame you,’ Zoe said. ‘It’s not good for anyone, especially you. It’s really short notice, though. Christmas is more or less on top of us.’

‘Do you think I ought to hang on then?’

‘If you’re finding it stressful at work, then no, I don’t. I’ll do my best to square things with them if it comes to it. I can tell them it’s under my advice. Then they can take it out on me if they’re going to get annoyed at anyone.’

‘I couldn’t ask you to do that.’

‘But it might make life easier.’

Ottilie gave a small smile. ‘I can’t deny that it would. I’ll talk to you about it when we’ve got time, if that’s all right.’

‘Let’s do that.’

Zoe left Ottilie’s room. She passed Simon’s and wondered whether to try and air her concerns before surgery began, but she didn’t even know where she’d start.

Would he think she was speaking out of turn?

Uncertain how he’d view it, she decided not to.

For now, perhaps the best thing she could do was keep her counsel and see how things went.

Then again, perhaps there was one thing she could do.

As she switched on her computer, she decided to speak to Georgia as soon as she could and, for once, to insist on a straight answer.

If there was trouble, for many reasons, not just because they were friends, Zoe needed to know.

But she’d have to do it away from the house, and as she was here now with a private room, space on her clinic list and the perfect excuse as her midwife to get Georgia in, she decided to take the bull by the horns and phone her before she did anything else.

An hour later, Georgia was in the office with her. Zoe had immediately worried about her decision, fearful of what Emilia might say once she found out, because she’d likely know there was no real reason to get Georgia in for an appointment, or demanding to be told about it if she thought there was.

‘What’s up?’ Georgia asked as she sat down. She looked more worried than Zoe had wanted her to be, and perhaps that had been a mistake too. ‘Is there a problem? I mean, I feel fine…’

‘It’s just…you’re very close to term now, and I wanted to know if you were OK. Like no headaches, bleeding…you know, that sort of thing. You’re feeling all right?’

‘Yes, I’d have told you straight away if I wasn’t. I wouldn’t mind hurrying things along now. I’ve read eating a hot curry will do that. Or is it an old wives’ tale, like eating pineapples, or the sex thing? Not that we’d be doing that at the moment…’

‘Actually, pineapples do have some effect, but I don’t think you should be trying to bring anything on just yet. Stress is another thing that might do it…You’re not too stressed?’

Georgia’s expression was hard to read. ‘As much as anyone is.’

‘And your plans after the baby is born? I only ask because it’s all a bit vague, and if I’m going to hand you over to another midwife out of the area, I probably need to know.’