My insides shift uneasily at the thought of the difficult conversation ahead. How will I even bring up the subject? It’s not like me to have something on my mind for so long without talking about it, but every time I try to psyche myself up to confront Mum about who my real dad is, I chicken out. I’m obviously not famed for my tact and diplomacy, but even I know that on this tricky subject, I can’t just plunge in regardless. For a start, I’ve no idea how Mum will react. How will she feel, knowing I’ve discovered her secret…a secret she’s obviously worked hard to keep from me all these years?
‘I really like your dad,’ says Katja. ‘He loves you to bits, I’m certain. He probably just worries about you, like all dads do.’
I nod, knowing she’s just trying to make me feel better.
‘Hey, how come you’ve all managed to take a lunch break at the same time?’ asks Jaz suddenly.
There’s a loaded silence, and we glance furtively at each other. Then Ellie says nonchalantly, ‘Oh, I just thought it would be nice for us to spend some time together.’
Jaz looks puzzled. ‘So who’s in the café, holding the fort?’
‘Sylvia and Gran,’ says Katja.
Primrose grins. ‘Olga and Sylvia. The famous double-act. They’ll be keeping the customers amused, that’s for sure.’
‘Zak says he’ll help out as well,’ puts in Ellie.
‘Zak?’ Jaz stares at Ellie. ‘Since when has Zak done a shift in the café? He’s got books to write!’
‘He says being around people helps when he’s writing dialogue.’ Ellie glances at her watch, just as I spy a black stretch limousine approaching slowly along the road by the green.
Ellie sees it, too, and starts packing away the spare ice-cream cones. ‘I’ll take this lot back to the café before we go. And can someone find out where Fen’s got to?’
Katja jumps to her feet and holds out her hand to a bemused Jaz, while Primrose fishes out her phone to call Fen.
‘What’s going on?’ Jaz stares at the limo, as Katja and I haul her to her feet.
Pushing thoughts of Dad and my birth certificate away, I fold the blanket we were sitting on and toss it over to Ellie, and she heads off, calling back, ‘Don’t leave without me!’
Primrose ends the call to Fen. ‘The van’s broken down and they’re waiting for a tow to the garage. But she says she’ll try and join us at the spa later.’
Jaz frowns at me. ‘Spa?’
‘Yes, indeed. An afternoon at a spa with lots of pampering for the mum-to-be. Travelling in style, of course.’ Indicating the stretch limo, from which the driver, in peaky cap and shades, is now emerging, I grin at her. ‘Welcome to your surprise baby shower!’
CHAPTER TWO
‘Baby shower? Really? But how…when did you organise this?’
Katja smiles. ‘Behind your back, obviously.’
We walk over the grass to where the limo is parked outside the café. The driver, who looks in his forties, raises his cap with a grin, revealing lots of dark, curly hair, and says, ‘Good afternoon, ladies. My name’s Marcus and your transport awaits.’ He open the door with a flourish, and as Ellie rejoins us, we all pile excitedly into the limo, helping Jaz in first.
The interior is amazing, done out in baby pink with a luxurious lilac leather sofa that stretches almost the entire length of the vehicle – and onto which we all collapse with glee, as a ‘baby song’ (no doubt the first of many) plays on the music surround system. My eye lingers on the refreshments area opposite, with its glasses and drinks in little cans, and even a small fridge.
Ellie wastes no time in pouring us all mocktails and adding dummy-shaped ice-cubes from the freezer drawer. We toast Jaz, signal to Marcus, the chauffeur, that we’re ready, and then we’re off.
Jaz, looking overwhelmed at the surprise, keeps smiling and shaking her head and wondering aloud how she knew nothing about it. Despite her moaning, I know she’s really excited about the baby. She’s stopped dying her hair red during pregnancy because of the chemicals and gone back to her natural colour, a darkish brown. It suits her, and the pregnancy hormones have made it lush and glossy, although she keeps insisting ‘cow dung’ would never be her shade of choice.
At the spa, Jaz is treated as guest of honour with another mocktail on arrival. And of course we just have to join her – so it’s ice-cool mango & lemon margaritas all round as we wind down in the relaxation room with its soft recliners and dim lighting.
‘Who needs tequila when a margarita can taste this good?’ says Ellie, as we all raise our glasses to the mum-to-be.
Jaz, lying sideways on a lounger, grins. ‘Tequila makes your clothes fall off. Cheers, girls.’
I grin at her bump. ‘I expect you’d rather avoid that in your current state.’
As we’re chortling at this, a therapist arrives and whisks Jaz away for her special pregnancy massage, followed by the manicure and pedicure we’ve booked for her, which we’re hoping will make her feel less whale-like and maybe even a little glamorous.
We’ve all paid to use the spa facilities, but as it’s so hot (with thunderstorms and cooler temperatures expected in the next day or two), we decide we ought to make the most of the good weather, so we change into swimwear and head outdoors to a group of luxurious rattan loungers arranged around the small but perfectly formed outdoor swimming pool.
‘Ahh! This is the life!’ Katja sighs, stretching out on a lounger. ‘How’s it going, Maddy, being in charge at the Brambleberry Manor Café?’
‘Good. We’re a bit short-staffed, what with both Hope and Krystle off work right now, but I really like working with Carrie, Bertha and Molly.’
‘Fen says you’re doing a brilliant job,’ says Ellie. ‘They were really struggling before you arrived. I hope you don’t think I chucked you in at the deep end, suggesting you for acting manager?’
I shake my head. ‘No, it’s fine. I like a challenge.’
It was a bit daunting for the first few days, but I’ve just finished my second week there and I really feel I’ve found my feet, with the help of my new colleagues.
When Jaz finally joins us, we all go for a cooling dip in the pool, and Jaz starts talking about the new trend for ‘lotus births’.
‘It’s fascinating, actually. Instead of cutting the umbilical cord when the baby’s born, it stays attached to the placenta until it breaks naturally.’
‘Really? But why?’ asks Primrose.
Jaz shrugs. ‘Apparently, it eases the baby’s transition to life outside the womb.’
‘So what the hell do you do with the placenta while you’re waiting for the cord to “break naturally”?’ I ask, my mind boggling. ‘Drag it around with you in a Sainsbury’s carrier bag?’
‘Well, obviously not,’ snaps Jaz, as we all supress smiles.
‘Well, how, then?’ I persist.
She glares at me. ‘I don’t know, Maddy. I just think whatever benefits baby has to be a good thing.’ And she swims off to the steps and hauls herself out of the pool.
‘What did I say?’ I ask in dismay.