Alphabet Weekends - Elizabeth Noble [24]
Out in the lobby, Tom asked, ‘What is it?’
‘Bridge. She must be at the hospital. Karl says he needs me.’
‘Come on, then.’ Tom took her hand and pulled her out of the door. He had found them a taxi before she had thought of raising her arm for one and piled her in. ‘Hospital, mate, please. Quick as you can.’ The driver nodded, and glanced at them in the rear-view mirror.
Natalie was gripped by fear, now that she was sitting still. She sank into Tom’s shoulder. ‘What if something’s wrong?’
‘Don’t jump to any conclusions, Nat. We’ll be there in a minute. Just wait.’
‘Please don’t let anything be wrong with my sister. Please,’ Natalie murmured inwardly. ‘Please don’t let anything happen to her baby.’
It was Tom who directed the cab driver to Obstetrics and Gynaecology, paid him and held her hand as they walked to the desk.
Before she had had a chance to ask for Bridget, they saw Karl. He came towards them, white and wild-eyed. Natalie opened her arms to him. He came into them and rested his head on her shoulder. ‘What’s happened, Karl?’
‘She was doing so well, Nat. It started this afternoon, and she didn’t want me to tell anyone – she wanted it to be a surprise. My mum came to look after Christina, and we drove in, and she was doing so well. I thought we’d be free and clear by now.’ He looked around suddenly, scanning the wall for a clock as though he had no idea of when ‘now’ was.
‘And then?’ Tom prompted him.
‘Then the baby got… I don’t know – stuck or something. She couldn’t push it out. They tried all kinds of things to turn it round – you know, so that they could pull it out. Poor old Bridge. She’s really been through it. That was when she asked me to try and get you. She wanted you there. But they couldn’t do it. And then the baby got distressed – they had this monitor thing on her and the baby’s in all sorts of trouble… And they’ve taken her down for an emergency Caesarean. Honestly, Nat, I’ve never seen people move so fast.’
Tom patted Karl’s back. ‘All right, mate. They’re moving fast because they know what’s got to be done.’
‘Why aren’t you with her, Karl?’ Natalie asked.
‘She said I was to stay outside. She said I’d hate it. There’s this screen, apparently, but even so… That’s your wife they’re slicing up, isn’t it? She said I should wait out here for you.’
Typical Bridget. She was right, of course. Natalie loved Karl, and no doubt he loved Bridget, but he would have been useless. He was shaking now, out here in the corridor. ‘How long ago did they take her down?’ she asked.
‘About ten minutes.’
‘Let’s go and wait.’
Natalie took his hand, and they walked slowly through to the bank of seats outside the operating theatre. Tom followed them.
‘She’ll be okay, won’t she?’ Karl asked her.
Natalie didn’t know how to answer. She was pretty sure Bridget would be okay: she was healthy and she was in the right place. But the baby? She didn’t know about the baby.
Tom answered: ‘Course she will, mate.’
Natalie just squeezed Karl’s hand.
Hospital time passes slowly. It felt like hours, but it was probably only a few minutes, before a nurse in scrubs pushed through the double doors. ‘Mr Murray?’ She had an almost impenetrable Irish accent.
Karl sprang to his feet. ‘Yes.’
She smiled. ‘Your wife is fine, Mr Murray. She did brilliantly. You have a little boy. He’s doing great, too. They’ve whizzed him up to Special Care, just to make sure – he’s had a bit of a go of it, but he’s going to be grand, just grand.’
Natalie felt all the breath and tension go out of Karl. He slumped beside her. ‘Thank God.’ Then he started to cry, his face in his hands. Noisy sobs emanated from him for a few seconds. She put her hand on his shoulder.
Behind her, Tom ruffled her hair. She turned and smiled at him, her own tears dangerously close. ‘It’s okay,’ Tom mouthed at her, and she nodded fervently.
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