Love Letter

Echoes

"They're not coming Tom.  They'd be here by now. They said 3pm, its twenty past now."  She let the curtain go and looked at her watch for the hundredth time. If time couldn't go backwards, it certainly stretched credulity.

"Calm down, love, they said they would be here. I'm sure they will." Tom stood and put his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. "It's going to be ok. If you get upset, Jamie will feel it, too."  He gently caressed her now very obviously pregnant stomach. 

"I know, I'm sorry." She leaned her forehead on his shoulder.  "I'm sorry, both of you." She sighed, and he held her close, rubbing her back gently.

The soft, warm feeling helped her settle. His arms, his love, surrounding her, protecting her.

"It's ok, Ali, it's ok. Don't apologise.  You're doing so well.  Come and sit down."  He guided her to the sofa, and they sat, arms around each other, just waiting.

Emmy was with Tom's mum in her room upstairs.  She'd stay there until the initial awkward reunion was over, then , when things were calm, Diana would bring her in to meet her other grandparents.

The time ticked on.....

It had taken almost a month for the reply.  By that time, Ali and Tom had returned to Mallorca with Emmy and were happily enjoying family life.

Emmy thrived in the sunshine, and Ali even felt moderately well, give or take the morning sickness. It wasn't too bad, just quite literally a pain.   The retching tired her out and made her breathless. It reminded her that, beyond the baby, there was something lurking. Something terrible and frightening.

But nothing she couldn't beat. For Tom, for Emmy and now? For Jamie.

They'd decided that one night, early on in their stay as they sat beside the small firepit in the back garden of their villa. Emmy having long since falled asleep. Tom had let Ali lie back against him, the fire glowing in front of them, illuminating their faces and warming their souls.  Dressed only in light tshirts and shorts, it had been a warm evening, and they'd wanted to lie outside watching the stars.

Now she was almost five months on, and the baby had been wriggling about much more. As Tom lay, his hands on her bump, he felt the strong kick.  Exchanging an amused glance, they'd decided that it was a boy, and his name should be Jamie. If it was a girl? Well, she'd just have to be Jaimie with an extra 'i'.  They really didn't want to know in advance. They loved the thrill of the unknown.

Tom had laughed at the time, but really? He'd been overwhelmed.  Naming their child after his Dad had been Ali's idea. A tribute to a father who understood the assignment, as the saying went. Unlike, it seemed, her own.

Luke had called them one Thursday a couple of weeks later. It was late evening, after a long day sitting around a film set, doing not very much. Who knew that a scene in a restaurant could take so long to get exactly right?

Eventually, after what felt like several hundred courses, the director had what was needed, and they broke for the day.

They'd been sharing some late night pasta, when the phone had rung.  There was just something about  it's insistent tone that gave them a premonition. They weren't wrong.

Yes, Luke said, they wanted to see her - them - but could it be in London? Not to be difficult, but just because they couldn't come out before Tom and Ali were due back.

So it was set. Three weeks from then. At Tom and Ali's house. Tea and a chat. That's all, just to break the ice.

Now, as time ticked on past 5pm, they realised the ice remained inches thick.

Diana appeared at the door, Emmy in her arms, grouchy. "I'm so sorry, lovlies, but little Miss Grouchy here needs some food. I... I assume they're held up?" She tried to be nice. She tried to be positive, but inside? She wanted to give those horrible, horrible people a piece of her mind.

As she saw Ali sitting white faced and tear stained, she wanted to spit in the faces of those so-called patents. How could they do this? How could they be cruel to their own child?

Tom shook his head. He was on the phone to Luke. He signalled Diana to stay and sit down. Automatically, she placed Emmy in the little nested seat they sometimes let her snooze in and did up the straps.

"GanGan will get you a bottle, Emmy." She said softly and went to the kitchen, leaving Emmy with her mum as a distraction. 

When she returned minutes later, Ali was crying into her husbands shoulder as he soothed her and Emmy at the same time.

With a grateful look over his wife's head, he waited till Emmy settled to feed, and Diana was comfortable.

"They're not coming.  They changed their minds. They called Luke about two minutes before I did." His voice was tense, and he sounded like he was either about to cry or scream in frustration.  "Now I see why they only ever contacted him. Cowards. The pair of them. " his face and hus voice hardened.

"No matter what happens next, I will NEVER let them hurt Ali EVER again. This truly is unforgiveable, Mum. How COULD they?" He let out a sob as Ali continued to bury her face in his soft cashmere-clad chest. "How could they hurt my girl?"

Diana shook her head. "Son, the fact none of us can understand speaks more to our compassionate, loving hearts than any lack of comprehension."

Now, tummy full, Emmy wanted a sleep. "I'll settle her son, you stay here with Ali." She stood and lifted the droopy eyed little girl. Her little pink lips were slightly parted, a soft snuffle coming from her. Her beautiful eyes, now closed, the long dark eyelashes brushing her cheeks.  Diana looked at the worn and devastated parents.

They could do this. In years to come, they'd look back and realise just how strong they were.

Years to come. Dear God, she prayed as she took Emmy up to bed, let them have exactly that.

Years.