on her face. ‘No,’ he says, finally. ‘You know what? I can’t. I’m just not going to leave you here. Fuck it. Fuck the whole thing. I just can’t do this.’
‘But you have to go!’
‘No, I don’t. You’re more important. I can’t leave you on your own when you’re feeling like this.’ His face is set. ‘I’m not going.’
She takes his hand. ‘This is ridiculous, Greg; there is no way I’m letting you stay. There are hundreds of people expecting you, it’s a massive deal, and I’m fine. I just felt the baby move again, just now. I’ve got a stupid virus, that’s all. You’ll be away less than twenty-four hours. You’ll be back before we know it.’
He is shaking his head.
‘Greg,’ she says. ‘Really, honestly, this is silly. I’m not letting you stay.’
‘But—’
‘No. Go and do your talk, get your prize. Then come back as soon as you can.’
There is another long pause. Then he gives a slow nod. ‘I will turn around and come right back if . . . if anything . . . anything at all.’
‘I know you will.’
‘I’ll have my phone switched on the whole time.’ He leans closer, kissing her on the forehead.
‘I’m going to be OK.’
‘OK.’ He sighs and glances at his watch. ‘Shit, Tess.’
‘Go.’
‘I have to change my clothes, then I’ll sort Joe out. I don’t want you walking down to the school today.’
‘I’ll do it—’
‘No. No. I’m doing it. You’re going to rest.’
‘All I have to do is call Sandra; she’s home on Fridays. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind picking him up; she’s very nice.’
‘Really?’
‘Really.’
‘I’m going to organize a babysitter for him tomorrow, then you can stay in bed.’
‘No, it’s OK. David’s coming tomorrow, remember?’
‘Oh – right, sure, I’d forgotten he was finally showing up.’ He leans over and kisses her on the lips. ‘Good timing, for once. OK, now, you go upstairs and you lie down. You rest. An’s office will call soon – she’ll probably be able to give you a quick scan later today if you can make it in.’ He holds her chin. ‘I love you. Everything’s going to be just fine. OK? I promise.’
He can’t promise, and they both know it, but she nods anyway. He thunders upstairs and she hears him opening and closing their chest of drawers.
*
When he has gone she picks up her phone and calls Nell.
‘Oh, Tess, you poor thing, that’s horrid – you must be really worried. Are you resting? Are your feet up? I wish I was there to look after you and make you some soup.’
‘Soup?’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘I wish you were here, too.’
‘Is Greg there?’
‘He was, he came home, but then he had to go again. He’s being awarded a big prize tomorrow morning, in Chicago; it’s a big honour. He had to leave this afternoon.’
‘No way! He’s flying to Chicago? He’s leaving you alone there?’
‘It’s not like that at all. He wanted to stay, but I actually made him go in the end. The prize is important and there are hundreds of surgeons coming just to see him get it – he has to give a speech, the media will be there, everything. He can’t not show up just because I threw up.’
‘And had a bleed.’
‘It really was just spotting and it’s stopped now. I just felt the baby wriggle again.’
‘OK, I know – the baby’s going to be fine, you’ll be fine. I just wish you weren’t on your own right now.’
‘I’m not, I’ll have Joe here in half an hour. And anyway, it’s me – I like being alone.’
‘Actually I remember I had some blood spotting early on with the twins – I’m googling it now. I think it’s quite common. There you go: blood spotting in the second trimester . . .’
‘Don’t google!’
There is a pause. ‘OK, yes, you’re right – bad idea. I’m shutting it down now.’
‘I’m a bit worried about caffeine. Caffeine causes miscarriage, doesn’t it?’
‘What?’
‘Greg made me this really strong latte this
‘But you have to go!’
‘No, I don’t. You’re more important. I can’t leave you on your own when you’re feeling like this.’ His face is set. ‘I’m not going.’
She takes his hand. ‘This is ridiculous, Greg; there is no way I’m letting you stay. There are hundreds of people expecting you, it’s a massive deal, and I’m fine. I just felt the baby move again, just now. I’ve got a stupid virus, that’s all. You’ll be away less than twenty-four hours. You’ll be back before we know it.’
He is shaking his head.
‘Greg,’ she says. ‘Really, honestly, this is silly. I’m not letting you stay.’
‘But—’
‘No. Go and do your talk, get your prize. Then come back as soon as you can.’
There is another long pause. Then he gives a slow nod. ‘I will turn around and come right back if . . . if anything . . . anything at all.’
‘I know you will.’
‘I’ll have my phone switched on the whole time.’ He leans closer, kissing her on the forehead.
‘I’m going to be OK.’
‘OK.’ He sighs and glances at his watch. ‘Shit, Tess.’
‘Go.’
‘I have to change my clothes, then I’ll sort Joe out. I don’t want you walking down to the school today.’
‘I’ll do it—’
‘No. No. I’m doing it. You’re going to rest.’
‘All I have to do is call Sandra; she’s home on Fridays. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind picking him up; she’s very nice.’
‘Really?’
‘Really.’
‘I’m going to organize a babysitter for him tomorrow, then you can stay in bed.’
‘No, it’s OK. David’s coming tomorrow, remember?’
‘Oh – right, sure, I’d forgotten he was finally showing up.’ He leans over and kisses her on the lips. ‘Good timing, for once. OK, now, you go upstairs and you lie down. You rest. An’s office will call soon – she’ll probably be able to give you a quick scan later today if you can make it in.’ He holds her chin. ‘I love you. Everything’s going to be just fine. OK? I promise.’
He can’t promise, and they both know it, but she nods anyway. He thunders upstairs and she hears him opening and closing their chest of drawers.
*
When he has gone she picks up her phone and calls Nell.
‘Oh, Tess, you poor thing, that’s horrid – you must be really worried. Are you resting? Are your feet up? I wish I was there to look after you and make you some soup.’
‘Soup?’
‘You know what I mean.’
‘I wish you were here, too.’
‘Is Greg there?’
‘He was, he came home, but then he had to go again. He’s being awarded a big prize tomorrow morning, in Chicago; it’s a big honour. He had to leave this afternoon.’
‘No way! He’s flying to Chicago? He’s leaving you alone there?’
‘It’s not like that at all. He wanted to stay, but I actually made him go in the end. The prize is important and there are hundreds of surgeons coming just to see him get it – he has to give a speech, the media will be there, everything. He can’t not show up just because I threw up.’
‘And had a bleed.’
‘It really was just spotting and it’s stopped now. I just felt the baby wriggle again.’
‘OK, I know – the baby’s going to be fine, you’ll be fine. I just wish you weren’t on your own right now.’
‘I’m not, I’ll have Joe here in half an hour. And anyway, it’s me – I like being alone.’
‘Actually I remember I had some blood spotting early on with the twins – I’m googling it now. I think it’s quite common. There you go: blood spotting in the second trimester . . .’
‘Don’t google!’
There is a pause. ‘OK, yes, you’re right – bad idea. I’m shutting it down now.’
‘I’m a bit worried about caffeine. Caffeine causes miscarriage, doesn’t it?’
‘What?’
‘Greg made me this really strong latte this
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