503

“That was

hospital over there,” he says, his face

ashen, drawn. “Holly’s been in an accident.”

My head snaps up.

“What?!” Megan gasps. “What happened—is she

okay?”

“She’s fine.” He nods absently, still staring at the

phone. “The nurse said she’s just fine …”

“Oh, thank goodness!” Megan sighs, relief flooding

her features.

Thank God!

Jack looks up, his face pale. “And so is her baby.”

504

Holly

“Everything’s okay?”

stare at the midwife

incredulously. “Are you sure the baby’s okay?”

“The baby’s fine.” She smiles, wiping the ultrasound

jelly from my stomach. “Perfect. You’re lucky girl to have

got away with just cuts and bruises—if that car had been

going any faster it would’ve been

completely different

story.”

“Thank God.”

rest my head back against the

pillows, my hand warm against my cool belly. Thank God

can’t believe it. Can’t believe I’ve been so lucky.

“You should get some rest,” she advises me. “You’ve

been through lot, young lady, and it would do the baby

good too.”

nod, suddenly exhausted. “Okay.”

“And if you’re good, I’ll see if can get you some

chocolate mousse with your lunch—we only get it on

Mondays, and there’s always bit of scrum for it, but I’m

friendly with the kitchen staff, so I’ll see what can do.”

She winks. “It’s heavenly.”

“Thank you,”

tell her, my throat swelling with

gratitude. “Thank you so much.”

505

“You’re welcome. Now rest, okay? They’ll be kicking

you out of here in the morning, so make the most of it.”

She grins at me, and smile back.

“Sarah!” another nurse calls. “Sarah, have you got

minute?”

The smile freezes on my face.

“No rest for the wicked.” She winks. “Don’t go

anywhere, I’ll be back with that mousse.”

stare at her as she walks away, the feeling of

disbelief stronger than ever.

Sarah?

506

Rosie

She’s pregnant? Holly’s pregnant?

Oh, God, all this stress, and she’s pregnant?

gaze out the window as we rumble along the

runway, the past couple of hours

blur, my head still

whirling with the news, trying to spot the signs missed—

in her moods, her actions, her words

The test

realize suddenly. She was asking me

about getting tested

close my eyes. can’t even imagine what I’d do in

her situation, what she must’ve been going through all this

time. God, it’s bad enough having to deal with

Huntington’s, but knowing you could be passing it on to

your child? And she didn’t tell anyone. glance at Jack, who’s staring blankly out of the plane window. He’s been

in state of shock ever since we got the news. At least we

managed to get stand-by seats—at least we’re on our way.

But he didn’t know. She didn’t tell him. She didn’t tell

anyone. Unless

Andy Andy gave her his phone, kept coming to visit

her, spent the day with her

He knew! Holly must’ve

confided in him. smile. only wish I’d done the same.

507

glance at my watch. Six and half hours. Six and

half more hours and we’ll be there. Jack will be with Holly

and I’ll be home. My stomach lurches.

Who knows what’ll be waiting for us.

508

Holly

step outside the hospital door, and the sun is

blinding. It’s new day, and it’s beautiful—crisp and fresh

and clean.

clean slate, think, taking deep breath, the

fresh cold air alive in my lungs. second chance. For both

of us

spot

pay phone and fish some coins from my

purse, crossing my fingers as dial Dad’s cell. Please pick

up

Hello, this is Jack’s phone …

My heart aches to hear his voice—even his voice

mail—and again can’t believe ever left.

“Dad—I—it’s me

I’m coming home.” My heart

swells. “I love you.”

smile as hang up, rushing to catch

cab that’s

just dropping family off.

“Where to, love?”

“Just

second.” reach into my bag for the hotel

address—I need to pick up my stuff before heading to the

airport. can’t wait to get home, to feel Dad’s arms around

me, have him tell me that everything will be okay—that

he’s excited about becoming granddad! To be back with

my family.

509

My eyes fall on the little pink address book nestled

in the corner of my bag, glinting in the sunlight.

My family

510

Rosie

“Welcome to London. You may now unfasten your

seat belts and turn on your mobile phones,” the flight

attendant announces as Jack and scramble into the aisle,

only to get stuck behind people slowly retrieving their

luggage from the overhead bins.

“Come on, come on!” Jack mutters as the queue

inches its way off the plane.

We hurry into the airport, only to be stuck in yet

more queues for passport control, baggage collection,

customs

watch Jack, his eyes closed in exasperation,

the strain etched in the lines on his face.

almost leave my luggage behind.

Finally we’re outside and into taxi, speeding away

from the airport, heading south. Jack stares out the

window, his face blank, his fingers tapping impatiently on

the door handle. It seems to take forever. stare out at the

green fields, the patchwork landscape, heading home.

It’s weird hurtling through the familiar countryside,

the familiar towns, with Jack by my side. It’s like we’re out

of place, like he’s been inserted here from another

world—his world—though of course this is his home

country too, he’s even been to this town

511

“Oh, my God,” he says suddenly, and look at him.

He’s as white as sheet.

“What?”

ask anxiously. “What’s wrong?” Then

realize. Outside, the enormous white walls of the hospital

loom ahead, tall and foreboding.

“Oh, God,” say quietly as the taxi pulls up outside.

“This is the hospital she’s in?” stare at him incredulously.

“Here?”

He nods, the lines on his face catching the shadows.

“I should’ve realized, I—” He shakes his head as we

pass the familiar sign and pull into the car park.

ST. ANNE’S HOSPITAL, MAYBRIDGE

Where it all began.

512

Holly

stare at the house and check the address again.

This is it.

Behind me, the cab pulls away and disappears

around the corner. No going back.

gaze down the street at the neat little cottages

crammed together like sardines, with their identical

walled-in front yards.

plastic gnome sits fishing in

frozen pond, his painted smile wide and jolly despite the

cold, and grin, thinking of Josh. Yoda

take

deep breath and walk carefully up the

driveway, my feet crunching treacherously in the gravel.

bite my lip as reach the door, raise my hand to knock.

What if this is

mistake?

hesitate, shoving my

hand back into my pocket and looking up at the door.

There is an iron horseshoe hanging above the doorframe,