At the same time she felt like kicking him in the shin.
No, “Hello.” No, “How are you?” No, “I’m so sorry I broke your heart and devastated your life, all in one night, how will you ever forgive me?”
Just, “You’ll eat.”
Belle didn’t know what to say so she looked away and said nothing at all.
Luckily Joy knew exactly what to do in intensely uncomfortable situations and she guided Belle into the house and to the sitting room, a room Belle especially liked, decorated in warm greens and bright yellows. She chatted the whole time making them all at ease (or as at ease as they could be under the circumstances) and then rushed out to order the refreshments.
Belle, Mom and Gram all had taken seats.
James stood leaning against the mantel of the fireplace, arms still crossed on his chest.
Belle wished he would sit. He was tall and he seemed even taller (for obvious reasons) when she was seated.
She, however, didn’t tell him this.
In fact, except for a quick glance, she didn’t look at him at all.
“What an, erm, lovely room,” Mom commented nervously.
James didn’t reply.
They waited.
James still didn’t reply.
“Can we get on with this?” Gram asked impatiently.
James spoke but Belle still didn’t look at him. “We’ll wait until Mum returns.”
“Whyever would we do that?” Gram snapped.
“Do you expect the have the right to speak about the future of your unborn great-grandchild during these discussions?” James asked.
“Of course I do,” Gram returned, unusually not quick enough to catch his meaning.
“Then we’ll wait until Mum returns,” James stated firmly and Gram clamped her mouth shut and glared at Belle.
She did this as if it was all Belle’s fault when it wasn’t Belle who’d shot off to London and forced herself into James Bennett’s office and announced he’d gotten someone pregnant.
Belle returned her grandmother’s glare.
Gram’s eyes grew narrow, something which, when Belle was a child, would frighten the dickens out of her. Something which, when Belle was a pregnant thirty-five year old woman sorting through the mess Gram had made for her (well, kind of), Belle didn’t react to at all.
Gram let out an annoyed sigh and looked away just as Joy re-entered the room.
“Tea, cakes, sandwiches, everything, coming right up,” Joy announced and at the very thought of food, Belle felt bile slide up her throat.
She put her hand to her chest and swallowed. She felt her mother’s eyes move to her in question and Belle spared her a glance and gave her a short shake of the head.
When she looked away from Rachel, her eyes slid past James then came jerking back when she saw his gaze was narrowed on her hand at her chest.
She dropped it and looked away.
“All right,” Joy clapped happily as she sat down. “Let’s talk baby. Belle, darling, are you taking vitamins?”
She was, however most of them ended up in the toilet.