Revive (The Revival Series Book 1) (15 page)

Finally they were called in and a nice male doctor smiled at Carrie.

“Nice to meet you Mrs Summers, I’m Dr Lovitt, I understand you’re new to the area”

“Yes I am, I just moved here from London”

“Wow, that’s a big step. So what can I do for you today?” He asked smiling at her, and Carrie immediately felt at ease.

“Well I recently found out that I’m pregnant, and I’ve been suffering with terrible sickness and I’m finding it hard to hold any food down” Carrie felt herself shaking as the doctor listened to her concerns, and scanned her notes on the computer.

“Ok well let me reassure you first of all, that morning sickness is perfectly normal, in fact it’s a sign of a healthy baby, so you don’t need to worry there. I’m afraid there isn’t much I can say to be much help instead of the usual advice; eat ginger, eat little and often, maybe try and eat a dry cracker to line your stomach before you get out of bed, and drink plenty of fluids. It should clear around the 12 week mark as you go into the second trimester, but please try not to worry.”

Carrie nodded and suddenly felt very silly bothering the doctor with what was just a case of morning sickness.

After thanking the doctor Daniel drove Carrie home and she spent the afternoon on the sofa watching TV, scared of moving to far just in case the movement caused her stomach to lurch.

Chapter 20

7 Months later

Lying in the hospital bed, Carrie cradled her newborn son. Looking down at him she was amazed at the rush of love she had for such a tiny little bundle. He had Daniels facial features, with her mouth and was the most beautiful newborn baby she had ever laid eyes on.

“Hey sis” Jason said appearing at her bedside, and taking in the sight of his new nephew,

“Want a cuddle?” Carrie asked as he took a seat next to the bed

“As if I would say no” he replied, taking the tiny bundle from Carrie and leaning back in the chair, taking in everything he could about the newborn.

“Where’s Daniel?” Jason asked, noticing he wasn’t at the hospital.

“He’s just popped back to check on the farm and to grab me some more clothes, as Tyler was sick on the ones I bought to travel home in. He will be back later and then hopefully they will let us go home later on today”

Carrie couldn’t wait to go home and to get out of the hospital. As much as she knew it was best for her and Tyler as they were getting the best care, she still hated what hospitals represented for her and knew she would feel better at home in her own bed, in her own surroundings.

“Did you not go to the farm first?” She questioned

“Nope, I wanted to come straight here and see my new nephew. There is always time to unpack” Jason smiled at his sister, and couldn’t believe the change in her in the past year. She was so much happier and he was so grateful to his mum for dragging Carrie and him to Devon. Without that holiday Carrie would never have met Daniel and wouldn’t have the beautiful baby she had given birth to 2 days earlier. As soon as Daniel had called, he had arranged the time off work and drove straight down to see them.

“Mum would be so proud of you Carrie” he said staring at Tyler and rocking him gently as he starting whimpering. “And she would adore this little fella”

Carrie loved seeing her brother holding her son and it brought back memories of when Mia was a newborn. Right now Carrie couldn’t contemplate spending time away from Tyler and wondered how Jason coped not seeing Mia every day. She knew it was hard on him and he missed her terribly.

Later that day, Carrie and Tyler were finally discharged and Daniel picked them up; carefully carrying Tyler out in his car seat and walking slowly, for Carrie’s benefit, as she felt a little fragile having just given birth.

He drove gently home, avoiding all the bumps that he could and sneaking glances at Carrie. He was so proud of her and loved her with every breath. She was a dream come true and he couldn’t believe how his life had changed in such a short space of time, but he knew he had never been happier. Carrie and Tyler were his whole world and as long as they were ok he knew he would be ok.

Carrie felt so much more relaxed in her own home and loved having Jason staying in the barn so close to them. After having a lovely Chinese takeaway they all settled down on the sofa to watch some mind numbing TV shows, before Carrie felt her eyes beginning to drop.

“I think you need your bed” Daniel said kissing her on the head.

“Steady on Daniel, she’s only just had a baby, give her a break before the next” Jason chuckled. They all giggled and Carrie tried to hold back a yawn.

“I must admit I’m exhausted. Our little man didn’t like letting me rest in hospital” Daniel checked on the baby fast asleep in the moses basket next to the sofa, before taking Carrie’s hand and pulling her to her feet.

“Come on, get some sleep. I will take the night shift tonight, you need to rest”

Carrie wanted to argue but was so tired the words wouldn’t form to come out of her mouth. She never even realised it was possible to feel this tired. Letting Daniel lead her into the bedroom, she changed into her pyjamas and sank into the comfy double bed. Daniel tucked her in like a child and sat and stroked her head.

“I love you, please get some rest” he said before kissing her gently and leaving the room.

Lying in bed Carrie felt like she could sleep for a week, the nights in hospital had been tough as Tyler had his body clock the wrong way round and seemed to think night times were for feeding and playing. She didn’t mind one minute of it but the broken sleep was taking its toll, and Daniel offering to do the night feeds so she could get some rest was a dream come true.

Waking up the next morning Carrie immediately jumped up needing to see her son, a guilty feeling washing over her that she had slept so long and she felt as if she had neglected him, and wondered why his cries hadn’t woken her. Sitting next to her in bed Daniel laid with his son sleeping on his chest peacefully, his little fingers gripping onto Daniels t shirt. Daniel smiled at her, and kissed the little bundle on the head.

“Good morning mummy” he whispered trying not to wake Tyler

“Morning daddy” she giggled back at him, and wondered how long it would be till it sank in that she really was a mother, and wondering if every new mother found it strange to be called something other than there real name.

“How has he been?” she asked, wanting nothing more than to reach over and take him from Daniel, but he looked so peaceful laying there and she didn’t want to disturb him.

“He was a little unsettled. I took him in the living round for a bit of it so he didn’t disturb you”

“You should have woke me” she shouted, feeling like a bad mother for sleeping while her baby was upset. Tyler began to stir as she raised her voice and she pulled a face feeling bad for waking him.

“Don’t be silly Caz, you need your rest. I won’t be taking him every night with work but he is my son and I will help in every way I can to make sure the two of you are ok” The baby on Daniels chest began to wiggle and blink his tiny eyes looking straight at Carrie.

“I think he wants his mummy” Daniel said, seeming eager to pass the baby to Carrie, a mischievous grin on his face.

“What?” Carrie questioned, giggling at the look on Daniels face. “Has he got a dirty nappy?”

“No no, he has just missed you that’s all” Carrie reached out and took the little bundle and gasped as she took in the writing on his tiny sleep suit;

             
MUMMY

              WILL YOU

              MARRY MY

              DADDY?

Carrie stared at the words in shock, doing a goldfish impression and not knowing what to say. Daniel stood up from the bed and walked around to her side and bent down on one knee in front of her.

“Carrie, you have made me the happiest man on earth. I couldn’t ask for anything more. You have changed my world in so many ways and given me our beautiful son and I know I never want to be apart from you. I’m sorry this isn’t the most romantic way to ask you but I couldn’t keep it back any longer. Would you give me the honour of being my wife?”

Carrie wiped a stray tear from her face and nodded “Yes, yes I will” Daniel slid a perfect ring onto her slim finger, encrusted with 3 beautiful diamonds.

“I love you so much Carrie, and I promise I will love you forever” Daniel stood up and embraced his fiancé and his child.

A year ago Daniel saw himself becoming a lonely old man running a farm, all alone and throwing himself into his work. Now he was engaged to the woman of his dreams and was a father.

Carrie had gone from being a high flying career woman and widow who shut the world out, to living on a small farm and becoming a mother. She could never have expected this and would never have thought she could ever be this happy.

Fate has a strange way of bringing people in and out of ours lives Carrie thought, and although she would never forget Ian and Annie or her mother, she knew deep down this was how her life was meant to be.

Epilogue

5 years later

Taking a seat on the sand, Carrie watched as Daniel and Tyler played in the sea. She smiled and felt so grateful for her little family; a future she thought she would never have. Standing up she walked to the water’s edge and crouched down, letting the water run over her fingers.

“In a way I still feel as if I have betrayed you. I know that’s not the case it’s just what I have now, is what I imagined I would have with you. For years I dreamed of us with a little family and yet this is so different to how I could have imagined life if you were still here…Daniel is an amazing man and an amazing father and I know he loves me and I love him too, but I don’t want you to think I have forgotten you or Annie as I never will. Tyler will know all about you, and his big sister who I know are looking down on him, his own personal guardian angels”.

“Your mum and dad love Tyler to bits, they treat him like he is their own grandson, and spoil him rotten whenever we visit. He couldn’t have asked for better grandparents, and I have you to thank for bringing them into his life. I don’t know where I would be without them.

Ian I still miss you every single day, but I know you are happy for me. I finally have my life back and a future, and even though I regret the 2 years I wasted trying to be someone else, in a way that regret is unjustified as without it things would have not worked out the way they have”

Carrie stood up and brushed the sand from her legs and walked over to join Daniel and Tyler. The little boy was the spitting image of his father and he ran and threw himself at Carrie.

“Mummy, mummy, Daddy said we can get ice cream if you say yes, can we mummy pleaaaaasssssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeee” Carrie chuckled and scooped him up and gave him a wink.

“I guess one won’t hurt”

Daniel came and stood next to Carrie and bent down and kissed her on the cheek.

“Come on then, lets go as long as mummy is finished?” Carrie nodded and the trio began walking up the beach.

Carrie had really truly found a wonderful man in Daniel, and he amazed her how he understood the bond she still held to Ian. A lot of men would find it odd that their wife still wanted to visit a place to talk to their dead spouse, but yet Daniel encouraged it and she was truly grateful.

Finally Carrie had found a place in her life where she was truly happy and even though it had taken a while to get here, she was glad she had made it out the other side.

Acknowledgements

I owe thanks to so many people for finally writing this novel! Firstly to my wonderful family, my husband Del and my 3 beautiful daughters, you inspired me to fulfil my dream. To my fantastic Mum and Dad, thank you for all your support.

To the Booky Ramblings Team! Thank you Shona and Lisa for bringing me on board and pushing my love of books and reading, without you this would never have been possible.

My fantastic beta readers Lisa Smith, Carrie Broadley, Clare Louise and Kerry-Mae Doogan; thank you for all your help.

Rene and Nikki, thank you for all your help and kind words of support.

I would also like to say a big thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the book! Please would you consider leaving a review if possible.

About The Author

Claire has always had a dream to write and publish a novel, but despite stopping and starting several times, did not make her dream a reality until she made the decision to participate in NaNoWriMo 2014, where she succeeded to complete the 50k words challenge.

Claire currently lives in Rochester in Kent, with h her husband and 3 daughters.