A Kiss in the Snow - Rosie Green Page 0,52

be good idea to take some over for Reenie. She must have been living on mostly tinned food all this time, which can’t have been very nourishing or appetising.

Digging a flask out of the cupboard, I wash it out and fill it with hot lentil and bacon soup. Then I cling-film a buttered roll and two chocolate brownies, pop them in a bag along with the flask and Becca’s magazine and toffees, and I take them round to Moon Cottage.

Opening the letter-box, I shout through. ‘Reenie? It’s Carrie from next-door. I know you’re probably not in the mood to speak and that’s absolutely fine. There’s no rush at all. I have times myself when I want to just shut the whole world out,’ I add, thinking of Adam. ‘But I made some soup and I thought you might like some. I’ll just leave it on the step for you, okay?’

I’m walking away when I stop and return to the letterbox.

‘Becca loves you to bits, by the way, and she really, really misses her grandma,’ I call through. ‘The magazine and the toffees are from her. Enjoy the soup!’

*****

Later, I head off to the store, hoping that in the absence of a delivery of fresh milk, Anita will have some tins of coffee whitener left.

We haven’t had any snow so far today, but the thick blanket covering everything is showing no signs of disappearing in the below-zero temperatures.

It’s so Christmas-card-perfect, I just have to get my phone out and take some photos. I lean over the side of the bridge - which itself looks like something from a winter fairy tale - taking pictures of the white-laden branches of the trees, and the icicles hanging from the bank into the partly-frozen stream below.

The little cottage with its view over the stream catches my eye, and I find myself thinking about Nora. The baby is due any day now. Maybe I should call in on her? See if she needs anything at the store? I could drop any shopping in to her on my way back…

I cross the bridge then slither along the little path to the left that leads down to the cottage, a few yards from the road. The snow has settled much more thickly here. It’s almost to the tops of my wellies, I guess because the cottage lies in a dip. Even before I get there, I can see Nora’s anxious face at the window.

Quickening my pace, picking up clumsy feet that feel as though they belong to a clown, I finally arrive at the little white gate, only to find I can’t push it open because of the snow banked up against it in the garden beyond. Climbing over the fence solves that problem and at last I’m at Nora’s front door.

When she opens it, snow piled up against the door falls in, over her slippers. Not that she notices. She peers out at me, looking scared and white-faced, and not in the least like the proudly defiant girl I met that first time, who didn’t mind telling Maud what she thought of her interfering…

‘Hi. Isn’t this snow amazing?’ I smile at her. ‘I just wondered if you needed anything from the store?’

A look of pain suddenly creases her face and she bends over with an anguished cry.

‘Hey, are you okay?’ I step quickly inside, and Nora shakes her head.

‘I think the baby’s coming.’ She gazes at me, looking terrified. ‘Today of all days.’ She glances out of the open door. ‘I’ve phoned the hospital and they said they’d get an ambulance out to me as soon as they can, but there’s no way they’re going to get to me through all this snow.’

My heart sinks. She’s right. How will they manage it?

‘They won’t get through, will they?’ she demands, staring at me wildly, clearly desperate for me to contradict her. Visions of having to deliver Nora’s baby myself surge into my head, but I push them away. No, that won’t happen. Help will arrive.

I draw in a breath. ‘Don’t worry, Nora. The hospital knows. So we just have to keep you as comfortable as possible until the professionals get here.’ I sound much calmer than I feel.

My head is reeling.

What if the ambulance can’t get through to Nora? What if there are complications with the birth? What if I’m unable to help her?

I lead her into the living room. ‘Right, Nora.’ I beam at her, doing my best to remain cheerful, while my heart beats out