HER MIRACLE TWINS (13 page)

* * *

‘So, have you had any profound thoughts about your future, Chantal?’ Julia asked as they sat together by the window on the day before she was due to leave the farm.

Chantal could feel the warm afternoon sun shining through the wide open French window. She’d been dreading telling her cousin what she’d decided but the decision she’d made after much deliberation seemed the most rational.

‘Yes, I’ve made my decision.’ She hesitated. ‘I’ve seen a distinct change in Michel’s attitude towards me ever since he saw the scan of the babies. I can’t rule out the idea that he’s fallen in love with the concept of being a father.’

‘Well, of course he has. That’s normal. But he also loves you. That’s obvious.’

‘I’m still very sceptical.’ She took a deep breath. ‘So I’m not going to renew my contract, which comes up for discussion next week.’

Julia sat still, silently fuming. She knew her cousin better than anyone. She could be so stubborn when she was convinced she was right. This time she was definitely wrong but how could she persuade her otherwise when she could see her mind was made up?

‘I’m going to go back to my apartment in Paris and make preparations for the birth of my babies. Maybe I’ll arrange to go back to work part time in my old job at the hospital until the babies are born.’

‘Chantal, you may change your mind about being on your own.’

‘Mum will be next door and...please, Julia, I’m trying to be rational, not emotional, in not committing my fate to someone else.’

‘I don’t want to upset you, Chantal,’ Julia said in a quiet, resigned tone. ‘If that’s your decision I’ll help you all I can.’ She hesitated. ‘Did you tell Michel your plans when he was here this morning?’

‘No, I thought I would tell him tomorrow. He’s planning to collect me in the afternoon and take me up to his house. I thought it would be better if we were by ourselves when I tell him.’

‘Oh, it’s a good idea that you should be alone when you drop your bombshell.’

‘Julia, I’m having his babies. That’s what we agreed on at the beginning, nothing more, nothing less. We’ll draw up a legal contract together and I’ll keep to it.’

* * *

Julia didn’t trust herself to speak. She eased herself out of the chair and walked back to her room. Her cousin could be so difficult when she wanted to be. She had always been stubborn but never as bad as this before that dreadful Jacques had caused her so much pain. He had a lot to answer for.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

J
ULIA
HAD
LAIN
awake for a long time during the night, worrying about what Chantal had told her. She’d known exactly what the poor girl was going through in her confusing dilemma to sort out her emotional feelings for Michel. She’d been in the same situation before she’d married Bernard. She should have given her cousin some sound advice from her own experience, not just walked away, leaving her to struggle by herself.

But Chantal wasn’t listening to any of her advice now so her words of advice would have fallen on deaf ears. She could see yesterday that her cousin’s mind was made up. It was like that time when they’d gone for an adventure together and hadn’t told any of the grown-ups. Chantal had said she knew the path round the cliff edge was safe and it wouldn’t take long.

It had been hours before the sea rescue men had searched the area in their boat and found the two little girls shivering with cold as they’d watched the tide climbing higher up the cliff. They’d had to face the music when their rescuers had taken them home.

Well, Chantal would have to find her own way home this time, wherever that might be, because she’d declared she was definitely returning to Paris, to her own apartment where she would take responsibility for her own future and follow the terms of the legal agreement that she and Michel would draw up. It sounded completely devoid of emotion and intensely hard work. Julia could see it was completely the wrong course of action.

She’d have another try at making Chantal see sense that morning. Glancing at her sleeping husband beside her, she gave a sigh of pure happiness. How could she sell the wonderful idea of marriage and children in a loving marriage to her stubborn cousin? How could she make her realise that anything else would be second best and fraught with problems? Well, that was how she saw it anyway.

Remembering her own doubts and fears before she’d made her lifelong commitment to Bernard she decided she shouldn’t be too hard on her cousin. She’d make a start this morning while they were having breakfast together, as they usually did.

As she heard Bernard’s mobile buzzing beside the bed she pretended to be asleep, not wanting him to think she’d wasted precious sleeping time on worrying about someone else. She needed all her energy to be devoted to her own welfare and that of the baby, he’d so often told her.

He was speaking in his quiet professional voice now. It sounded urgent. He leaned across. She rubbed her eyes as if coming out of a deep sleep.

‘Sorry to wake you, darling, but I’ve got to go into hospital. Didn’t want you to worry where I was. I’ll call you later.’

She murmured something vague and turned to face him for his kiss.

As she turned she felt a distinct pain in her lower back. She didn’t say anything. Bernard would only start worrying. She was two weeks to her due date now but wouldn’t admit to backache until she was sure it was the real thing. It would be much stronger than this, wouldn’t it? And there would be other signs before she was convinced. She’d assisted at childbirth on several occasions professionally and had studied numerous textbooks on the subject. But she’d never experienced it herself, had she?

* * *

Chantal was sitting by the window in her bedroom, wondering why Julia hadn’t arrived this morning. She’d heard Bernard’s car leaving earlier as she’d waited for the dawn to break. She’d slept badly because of a real feeling of unhappiness that hung over her. She had to tell Michel the truth today. She had to put on a brave face about it. Make him think she believed this was her only course of action if she was to keep her own integrity.

But if she was truly honest with herself, whenever he was with her she was tempted to take the easy path. Go along with Michel’s ideas. Let him make the decisions, as he clearly would like to do. But if she did that she would lose her own identity. She would lay herself wide open to being vulnerable, as she had done with Jacques. She must have been mad to put up with Jacques’s whims and fancies! She’d agreed to everything he’d suggested, never queried where he’d been or who he’d been with, welcomed him into her flat with open arms.

Never again, she’d told herself firmly.

It was way past the time that Julia usually arrived. Chantal opened the windows wide to let in the warm sunshine. The sun was high above the top of the hill now. Perhaps Julia was having a lie-in today. Philippe was off on another school trip and had spent the night in a tent and Bernard had left early so who could blame her?

Only two weeks to go now and her cousin was carrying all that extra weight around with her all day. She smiled to herself as she wondered what it would be like towards the end of her own pregnancy with twins.

She would soon know. Time was flying by and she still had so much to organise.

The delicious aroma of hot croissants assailed her nostrils. No need to stay in her room any more. She would spend her last day here checking that she really was getting stronger and was ready to face the outside world and all her problems.

* * *

‘Come and sit down here, Chantal,’ Marianne said, holding back a chair at the long kitchen table. ‘I just went in to see Julia but she said she’s going to go back to sleep because she had a bad night.’

‘Oh, dear! Is she OK?’

‘Nothing to worry about, or so she said. I’m going to keep an eye on her all the same. Not long to go now, is it?’

* * *

Breakfast over, Chantal had a short stroll in the garden, taking care to walk slowly so as not to tire herself. Yes, she was OK. She increased her speed slightly then paused to smell the scent of the roses, which were beginning to lose their petals. She looked at her watch. There were still a few hours before Michel was due here. She suppressed her feeling of excitement and apprehension. She must stay calm. Stick to her plan. Staying responsible meant no emotion. Completely rational and calm. Easier said than done.

* * *

It was now or never! Michel turned the car up the road that led to the farm. Today was the day he was going to take Chantal home. He couldn’t wait to have his babies and their mother under his own roof so he could take care of them. He needed to supervise Chantal’s prenatal care and make sure she didn’t tire herself as she was prone to do.

He’d accepted that he was very fond of Chantal. At times when he was with her it seemed more than just fondness and affection. He found himself listening more to his emotional self and less to his rational self. Chantal had made it clear they should stick to their original plan. She needed her independence. They had to stick to their original plan.

Today he would be totally businesslike—like when he’d tried to persuade her to move into his house. He would say he wanted to show her the new nursery. As soon as they’d known they were expecting twins he’d asked her how she would like the nursery to be fitted out. She’d told him she’d think about it later and let him know.

She still hadn’t got back to him so while she’d been here at the farm he’d called in a professional interior design firm. She would be thrilled when she saw the catalogues and designer plans they’d left for them to look though. Such a wide choice of nursery furniture to choose from! Nothing but the best for their twins and their mother.

* * *

Michel arrived halfway through the afternoon. Chantal saw his car coming into the farmyard and went to meet him. As long as she was moving around she felt OK. She’d kept herself busy packing her things ready to move out of the room that had been hers for the last couple of weeks.

He was surprised to see her outside. He smiled and kissed her in the French way of greeting a close friend, a kiss on both cheeks. She remained cool, rational, her mind made up. This was how it was going to be.

‘Let’s go and sit in the conservatory.’ She was leading the way round to the front of the farmhouse.

He looked surprised at her suggestion. He’d hoped she would be impatient to be off. ‘I hope you’re not tiring yourself, Chantal. Wouldn’t you like me to help you pack?’

‘Marianne helped me this morning. I haven’t seen Julia yet today. She was sleeping all morning apparently. Marianne said she’ll be down soon to say goodbye.’

As Chantal sank down into one of the squashy armchairs she felt a sudden moment of panic. Michel looked so handsome today in the well-cut grey suit she particularly liked. He looked every inch the successful consultant. He looked like a man who had everything to live for. A good career and in a few months he would be the father of two children. They would be model parents, always putting the needs of their children first.

She took a deep breath. Would that be enough for her? Was she simply running away from having to face her confused emotions every day?

‘Michel?’

‘Chantal?’

They smiled at each other as they both began to speak at the same time.

‘You go first,’ he told her.

‘No, your turn I think.’ She looked directly into his eyes, trying to make sense of that enigmatic expression.

‘We need to talk about our immediate plans.’

His serious tone, his nervous expression alarmed her. ‘Michel, before you say any more...’

Michel shook his head as she tried to interrupt.

‘No, you asked me to speak first. This is really important. I’ve asked you on several occasions if you will move into my house. It would be safer for the welfare of our babies and much better for your prenatal care and also, if I’m honest, for my peace of mind to have you under my roof. I’m begging you now to reconsider.’

She couldn’t speak as she looked at the absolute sincerity in his expression. Tears sprang to her eyes and began to trickle down her cheek at the thought of what she had to do.

Mistaking her reaction, he drew her into his arms.

‘Chantal, please say something. Please?’

‘Michel I’m going back to my apartment in Paris.’

He looked stunned as she withdrew from his embrace.

‘That’s what I was going to tell you. I’m carrying your babies and I’m truly committed to the plan we agreed on when we embarked on our parenthood journey together but I’ve had time to think it through. Too much has happened to me in a short space of time. I can’t commit to living under your roof. I need to be totally in charge of my own destiny.’

She dabbed her eyes with a tissue. ‘I’m sticking to our original agreement as regards our parenting but that hadn’t stipulated moving in with you. I need my own space, my own—’

She broke off as she heard a scream coming from the house. They both stood up as their medical training urged them to go and check out what was happening to Julia.

Marianne was hurrying out through the French windows. ‘Julia needs you. You’re both doctors so you’ll know what to do. She’s definitely having strong labour pains now.’

‘I’ll get Bernard back from the hospital,’ Michel said, speaking into his mobile as he hurried into the house. ‘Bernard...’

* * *

Julia was half sitting, half lying on her bed, doubled up in pain and desperately trying to control her deep breathing. As the contraction passed Chantal got her to lie down so she could examine her.

‘The cervix is well dilated, Julia, but don’t start pushing until I tell you.’

Michel had spied a gas and air machine in the corner of the bedroom. Trust Bernard to be prepared at this stage of the pregnancy! He checked the apparatus out before handing Julia the mask.

‘There’s another contraction coming,’ Chantal told her cousin.

‘I know, I can feel it! Agh...’

‘Breathe into the mask, Julia,’ Michel told her as he held it in place.

Minutes later Bernard arrived.

‘Darling, hang on in there. You’re absolutely brilliant. Yes, keep panting like that. I was driving home when Michel called me. The ambulance will be here as soon as they can get out of the hospital forecourt. There’s a traffic jam causing congestion on the seafront.’

Both men had taken off their jackets and rolled up their sleeves and were assessing the dilatation of the cervix. Chantal held tightly to Julia’s hand, mopping her brow as the sweat poured from her.

‘Don’t leave me, Chantal. There’s another pain coming.’

‘You can push on this one, Julia,’ Michel told her. ‘OK, that’s good, yes, and again.’

‘Hold back, Julia,’ Michel instructed as he took the baby’s head in his hands minutes later.

Bernard was holding his wife now as the baby made his appearance.

‘A gentle push now, Julia, and baby will be with us,’ Michel told her.

The baby flopped out into his hands and the welcome sound of his first cry could be heard by everybody. So could their sighs of relief at the safe delivery of this much-wanted son.

* * *

Chantal looked across at Michel. She had no idea what he was thinking now as he busied himself cutting the cord, checking the baby’s airways. He was behaving as if they were in hospital, as if they were an obstetrics team called in to deliver a patient’s baby.

She was glad he was totally calm because she was afraid she was going to pieces. She remembered her cold response to his suggestion that she move in with him. She’d made it quite clear that this would never happen. That must have hurt him enormously. And she also remembered the plans she’d set in motion during the last couple of days. She had to stick to them.

* * *

Marianne appeared at the door and was allowed in to see the new baby. ‘Oh, he’s wonderful. So like Bernard, don’t you think, Julia?’

Marianne broke off as she remembered the important message she had to give to Chantal immediately.

‘Your car is here, Chantal. The chauffeur says he’s taking you to your clinic in Paris. There’s a nurse who came with the chauffeur, waiting to help you. Shall I bring her upstairs?’

Chantal swallowed hard. This was what she’d been going to tell Michel just before he’d asked her to move into his house. She’d been in contact with Sebastian and he’d arranged to admit her to his clinic for a check-up before she went to her Paris apartment. He wanted to give her a thorough examination and also make sure that she knew exactly how she was going to prepare for the birth of her twins.