Read Online Three-And-A-Half Heartbeats by Amanda Prowse - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Amanda Prowse
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‘I’m already up against it with a couple of deadlines; I need to go and chivvy things along. Plus you know what Jason’s like, the slightest whiff that I’m not coping and he’ll be all over my accounts like a hungry locust. The bastard.’ Grace winced as she realised she’d sworn while holding Chloe; she was usually very good about keeping her profanities for when her daughter was out of sight and earshot.
Tom tutted in mock disapproval. ‘Think you got away with it, just about.’
Grace smiled. ‘Do you remember when I forgot she was in the back of the car and missed the turning and said S-H-I-T and she said it for a week to everyone, as if she knew, and we kept shouting “Ship ahoy!” over her to try and stop the old ladies in the village from being traumatised?’
Tom laughed. ‘We’ve got to be so careful!’
‘We have.’
It was a little over an hour later that Chloe roused herself, stretched her arm over her head as she opened her eyes and looked at her dad. ‘Stostisisipal,’ she whispered.
‘Yes, hostipal, Chlo!’ He laughed. ‘She sounds like her mother after a few gins.’
‘Shall I change her nappy?’ Grace wondered. After her surgery they had put her in some night-time pull-ups to save any mishaps. Grace placed a hand under her bum and pulled the waistband clear, looking down. ‘Actually, no. She’s perfectly dry. So no point in disturbing her.’
Chloe slept for most of the afternoon, with her parents taking turns to hold her. It was five hours after her surgery that the surgeon came to visit.
‘Hello, Chloe’s Mum and Dad. Good news: it all went very well earlier, no complications or surprises, which is just how we like it. How’s she doing?’ Mr Portland was jovial if a little rushed. Grace noticed the shiny evening shoes and black trousers visible beneath his white coat; obviously a man with somewhere to be.
‘She’s great, but a little groggy. Been waking up, crying, then nodding back off,’ Tom explained.
‘That’s to be expected after an anaesthetic. Has she been drinking?’ He looked at the flipchart in his hand.
‘Yes, just sips,’ Grace confirmed.
‘Has she been chatting?’ Mr Portland came closer and looked at the sleepy Chloe in her dad’s arms.
Tom laughed. ‘She was trying to say hospital, but it came out wrong – she’s never been able to say it!’
Mr Portland laughed too. ‘Well, look, take her home and make sure she keeps drinking. You’ve been given a leaflet, I take it, about what to expect? What to do if there are any abnormalities? Bleeds and so on?’
‘Yes.’ Grace patted her handbag, where the printed information sat snugly in her diary.
‘Really, don’t worry. It’s a very routine procedure. Sleep is the best thing for her. She’ll be back on track tomorrow and of course you have the ward number, so any questions or worries, just give us a shout.’ Mr Portland smiled, clicked his ballpoint pen and returned it to his top pocket. ‘Bye, bye, Chloe!’ He waved as he strode from the ward.
‘Nice man,’ Tom said as he wrapped his little girl in the duvet they had brought from home.
Grace pulled the car into the driveway and killed the engine, then ran ahead to open the front door and switch on the lights.
Tom lifted Chloe from the back seat and carried her straight upstairs to her bed. She was still groggy. He laid her on the mattress. ‘She’s a bit shivery, Grace.’
‘Well it’s not surprising, it’s bloody cold, Tom. Freezing out there!’ she said as she rubbed her palms together. ‘Don’t forget, she’s been in a hot hospital all day; this is probably a shock to her system. Tell you what, it’s a bloody shock to my system!’
‘I can’t tell you how glad I am it’s all over,’ Tom said. ‘I’ve been secretly quite worried, dreading it.’
‘All done now, love, and for the best.’ She smiled.
‘Yep, definitely for the best. Mr Portland said it had all gone very well.’ Tom spoke with pride,
Tom tutted in mock disapproval. ‘Think you got away with it, just about.’
Grace smiled. ‘Do you remember when I forgot she was in the back of the car and missed the turning and said S-H-I-T and she said it for a week to everyone, as if she knew, and we kept shouting “Ship ahoy!” over her to try and stop the old ladies in the village from being traumatised?’
Tom laughed. ‘We’ve got to be so careful!’
‘We have.’
It was a little over an hour later that Chloe roused herself, stretched her arm over her head as she opened her eyes and looked at her dad. ‘Stostisisipal,’ she whispered.
‘Yes, hostipal, Chlo!’ He laughed. ‘She sounds like her mother after a few gins.’
‘Shall I change her nappy?’ Grace wondered. After her surgery they had put her in some night-time pull-ups to save any mishaps. Grace placed a hand under her bum and pulled the waistband clear, looking down. ‘Actually, no. She’s perfectly dry. So no point in disturbing her.’
Chloe slept for most of the afternoon, with her parents taking turns to hold her. It was five hours after her surgery that the surgeon came to visit.
‘Hello, Chloe’s Mum and Dad. Good news: it all went very well earlier, no complications or surprises, which is just how we like it. How’s she doing?’ Mr Portland was jovial if a little rushed. Grace noticed the shiny evening shoes and black trousers visible beneath his white coat; obviously a man with somewhere to be.
‘She’s great, but a little groggy. Been waking up, crying, then nodding back off,’ Tom explained.
‘That’s to be expected after an anaesthetic. Has she been drinking?’ He looked at the flipchart in his hand.
‘Yes, just sips,’ Grace confirmed.
‘Has she been chatting?’ Mr Portland came closer and looked at the sleepy Chloe in her dad’s arms.
Tom laughed. ‘She was trying to say hospital, but it came out wrong – she’s never been able to say it!’
Mr Portland laughed too. ‘Well, look, take her home and make sure she keeps drinking. You’ve been given a leaflet, I take it, about what to expect? What to do if there are any abnormalities? Bleeds and so on?’
‘Yes.’ Grace patted her handbag, where the printed information sat snugly in her diary.
‘Really, don’t worry. It’s a very routine procedure. Sleep is the best thing for her. She’ll be back on track tomorrow and of course you have the ward number, so any questions or worries, just give us a shout.’ Mr Portland smiled, clicked his ballpoint pen and returned it to his top pocket. ‘Bye, bye, Chloe!’ He waved as he strode from the ward.
‘Nice man,’ Tom said as he wrapped his little girl in the duvet they had brought from home.
Grace pulled the car into the driveway and killed the engine, then ran ahead to open the front door and switch on the lights.
Tom lifted Chloe from the back seat and carried her straight upstairs to her bed. She was still groggy. He laid her on the mattress. ‘She’s a bit shivery, Grace.’
‘Well it’s not surprising, it’s bloody cold, Tom. Freezing out there!’ she said as she rubbed her palms together. ‘Don’t forget, she’s been in a hot hospital all day; this is probably a shock to her system. Tell you what, it’s a bloody shock to my system!’
‘I can’t tell you how glad I am it’s all over,’ Tom said. ‘I’ve been secretly quite worried, dreading it.’
‘All done now, love, and for the best.’ She smiled.
‘Yep, definitely for the best. Mr Portland said it had all gone very well.’ Tom spoke with pride,
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