When Cass supported Lynette through to the main bedroom, it seemed that everything was ready. She helped her sister sit down on the bed. ‘Do you want your scented candles?’
‘No!’ Lynette’s flailing hand found Jack’s sweatshirt and held on tight. ‘I want to keep a close eye on the guy with the pain relief...’
‘I’m here.’ Jack was calm and smiling. ‘I’m going to wash my hands and I’ll be right back, okay.’
‘Yeah. Whatever.’ Lynette frowned and closed her eyes.
Get the candles anyway... Jack mouthed the words to Cass and she hurried through to the other room to fetch Lynette’s hospital bag.
When she got back, Sue waved her towards the bathroom door and Cass tapped on it tentatively. Jack was standing in front of the basin, his T-shirt and sweatshirt hung over the side of the bath, soaping his hands and arms. ‘There’s a clean T-shirt and some dressings in my medical bag. Will you get them, please?’
‘Dressings? What’s the matter?’
‘Nothing. They’re for me.’ He grinned, turning round, and she saw the new bruises on his chest, the bright red gashes that ran across his sternum and upper arms.
Her siste
r was in labour. Now was a fine time to notice that his muscle definition was superb. Or to feel a tingle at the warmth of his smile. Cass swallowed hard.
‘How did you do that...?’ She pointed to the spot on her own arm to indicate the patch of red, broken skin on his. That had to hurt.
‘It’s just a friction burn. It’s bleeding a little so best I cover it up.’
She nodded and went to fetch what he’d asked for. The dressings, along with a roll of tape and some scissors, were right at the top of the bag. Jack must have been thinking ahead.
‘Okay, will you tape these on for me, please? Right around the edge so that there are no openings anywhere.’
Couldn’t Sue do it? The temptation to run away and hide from his body almost made her ask. But her sister was out there having a baby, and Cass had already decided she’d do whatever it took.
He held the gauze in place and she taped around it for him. Trying not to notice the fresh smell of soap on skin. Trying not to think about how close he was, or how perfect.
‘Thanks. That’s great.’ He nodded his approval and Cass stepped back, almost colliding with the linen basket. Then, thankfully, he pulled the T-shirt over his head.
‘Ready?’ His smile held all of the warmth that she could want for Lynette. Which happened to be a great deal more than Cass could deal with.
‘Yes. I’m ready.’ Cass had told herself that this was going to be the best night of her life. Being with Lynette all the way, seeing her nephew being born. Now, all she could feel was fear, for everything that could go wrong.
* * *
He was calm and quiet, soothing Lynette when the contractions eased and helping her concentrate and breathe when they came again. When Lynette became frightened and overwhelmed, he was there with reassurance and encouragement. When she wanted to change position, he let her lean on him. When she needed pain relief, he was there with the Entonox.
Lynette seemed almost serene when she wasn’t crying in pain, switching from one to the other with astonishing rapidity.
‘Is this right?’ Cass mouthed the words to Jack.
Jack’s gaze flipped to the portable monitors at Lynette’s side. ‘Yeah, we’re okay.’
‘It’s so fast...’ Cass had been preparing for a long haul, but it had barely been an hour since she’d woken him up and already he was telling Lynette that they were nearly there.
‘That’s a good thing. Lynette’s fine and so is the baby.’
Ten minutes later, her nephew was born. Jack cleared his mouth, rubbing his chest gently. Everyone held their breath and then the little man began to cry. Lynette squeezed Cass’s hand so tight that she thought she was going to break her fingers.
‘Say hello to your mum...’ Jack laid the baby on Lynette’s chest and covered him over with a towel. The two women lay on the bed together, cradling the baby, in a daze of happiness.
* * *
Suddenly, it was all perfect. Martin had welcomed the newest member of the village to the world, and Sue went to make tea and toast. Jack managed everything perfectly, melting into the background, clearing up and making the medical checks that were needed, without intruding into their bubble.