Page 74 of Plot Twist

34

‘Twins! We just can’t believe it. It’s better than we’d ever hoped for. A boy and a girl. Damien and Lucy. Can you believe it?’

Bridget and Ellie came back from their adoption meeting floating on air with their news. I listened to them telling the story over and over again and shared the delight with them every single time. The one-year-old twins were coming to live with them as soon as all the paperwork was signed off.

As Ellie left to call her parents and tell them the big news, Bridget turned to me. Her face fell.

‘They’ve come from a terrible background though, Becca,’ she confided, whispering. ‘I mean, I know they’re young but they’ve been in care for months now. I wonder what that will have done to them, you know, emotionally.’

‘You’re offering them a stable home now, though. You just need to focus on the future and plan to make things better for them. I’m sure the adoption agency will give you support too?’

‘Oh yes, they gave us leaflets to read. So many leaflets.’ She gave an uncomfortable laugh.

‘It’s natural to be nervous, Bridget,’ I whispered. ‘This is a really big deal.’

‘Do you think so?’ she asked, wringing her hands together. ‘It’s all we’ve ever wanted but now it’s here. . . Well, I’m shitting myself. I can’t tell Ellie because she’ll think it’s because I’m getting cold feet. I’m not, but I am so nervous. What if we can’t handle it?’

I took her hand in mine. ‘Look, Bridget, you can do this. I promise you. Nobody knows what they’re doing at the start, I’m sure, but you’ll find your way. The first time I stepped foot in a classroom, I felt like hiding under the desk until a real teacher came in to take over. You’re going to be amazing parents. I have every faith in you.’

Bridget exhaled and gave me a quick hug just as Ellie walked back in.

‘Ellie, I’m shitting myself,’ Bridget called to her wife. ‘There, I said it. I’m so freaking nervous now.’

‘Oh Bridget, me too!’ Ellie exclaimed, running to her partner. ‘I just said the exact same thing to my sister. I didn’t want to tell you in case you thought I was backing out, but it just hit me all of a sudden and I’m totally shitting myself now.’

They both laughed and then moved towards each other for a huge bear hug. It looked so cosy, I could have jumped right in the middle.

‘Well, now everyone agrees that we’re shitting ourselves, I’ll leave you both to it,’ I said, giving them each a hug in turn. ‘But you’re both going to be amazing parents. Damien and Lucy are lucky children.’

I waved goodbye to them both and went for a walk to clear my head and give them some space to talk about their plans and future together. While I contemplated mine.

I could go back to Glasgow and beg for my job back. Apologise. Suck up to my bitch-of-a-boss. Or I could appeal or whatever it is you do when you tell your boss to fuck off and quit your job. I wasn’t sure that was covered in their policies or manuals though, which was a bit of an issue.

I wandered along the road, past Bellinder Cottage, and took myself for a coffee in a café. As I sat back in my seat, looking out at the quiet streets of Rathcliffe, I realised I could get used to this kind of laidback lifestyle. Glasgow’s streets were busier and everyone was always in a hurry. Rathcliffe folk just seemed to stroll through life. I wished I could shrug it all off and stroll too.

I sipped my coffee. Ellie and Bridget were going to have their work cut out for them in the coming weeks and months with not one but two children to look after, while Riley and Ivy had to navigate their new normal with Jackie back on the scene. I didn’t quite fit here any more. Not that I ever really had in the first place, but now it was different. I was an extra piece of an uncertain puzzle. I felt a lump forming in my throat. This had been my refuge, my escape route, my safe space. My mind wasn’t any clearer than it had been when I arrived here, and I felt panic looming at the thought of returning to ‘normal’.

‘I’ll have a cappuccino, please,’ a familiar voice echoed through the small coffee shop, snapping me out of my daydream.

Same flat stomach and perfectly tiny little bum. Eimear was practically bouncing at the till, with her yoga T-shirt and skin-tight purple leopard-print leggings, waiting for her coffee. Her little body practically disappeared to the side as she turned around and spotted me.

‘Ah, Becca!’ she exclaimed and proceeded to skip, actually skip, over to me. I sighed inwardly.

‘Hi. . .’ I gestured to the seat opposite, secretly hoping she wouldn’t take me up on the offer. But her face lit up at the prospect of a chat and she placed her perfect little bum on the seat across from me.

‘How are you? I meant to try and catch you after our yoga session the other day. Riley said you’re enjoying it a bit more?’

I actually didn’t like it at all. All the downward dog and warrior poses and breathing in the world wasn’t going to help fix my problems.

‘Yes, it was great, thanks,’ I said, instead.

She smoothed either side of her head and pulled her long hair back into a perfect ponytail. Every strand of hair in place with the flick of a wrist. I subconsciously patted my own mane and wondered when I’d last washed it.

‘Anyway, listen,’ she said, pulling her seat closer to me. I groaned. So much for my peaceful coffee. She leaned in to whisper. ‘I don’t mean to pry, but there’s a rumour flying around town and just as I saw you, I thought I should really get it straight from the horse’s mouth.’

I raised my eyebrows. Had Eimear just called me a horse? To my face? I opened my mouth but closed it again. Now wasn’t really the time to debate with her.

‘Cappuccino, Eimear. Do you want a cup if you’re sitting in?’ the barista interrupted, placing a takeaway cup in front of her.