A Good Catch Part 21

Greer pulled away from him. 'I'm just not ready to be on my own with Freddie. I haven't got the confidence yet.'

'You never will have if you let your mum do everything for you.'

Greer bit her bottom lip and Jesse could see tears forming. 'What's the matter?' he asked gently. 'Don't you want to come home?'

'It's not that.'

'Well, what is it?'

'I'll be lonely when you're working.'

'Loveday's just down the road. She can't wait to see you.'

Greer brightened a little. 'How is she? How's Hal?'

'Mickey says they're both doing really well.'

'Have you seen them? Loveday and Hal? I hear he's huge!'

'I haven't actually seen her or the baby since they left hospital, but I've seen pictures.'

Jesse hadn't risked seeing Hal or Loveday. He felt blessed that Freddie had survived and swore to himself that he would never be on his own with Loveday again. Mickey was like a dog with two tails with his new family, and Jesse wasn't going to jeopardise that happiness.

Greer shifted her weight and stood up, stretching. Jesse admired the slenderness of her figure through her dressing gown and felt the stirrings of desire.

'You look good, Greer. You don't look as if you've just had a baby.'

She pulled her gown closer. 'Thanks.'

'I really miss you.'

'I miss you too.'

'I mean I miss making love to you. We haven't done it for months.'

Greer took the sleeping Freddie from Jesse's arms. 'Well, we had this little one to think of, didn't we?'

Jesse got up and stood by Greer. They both looked at the sleeping Freddie. Jesse put his hand on Greer's bottom and caressed her b.u.t.tock. 'I want to take you home now and have you in our bed.'

She pulled away. 'Don't. Mum might hear us.'

'To h.e.l.l with her. We're married, aren't we?' He leant in and nuzzled her neck, dropping light kisses on her until he reached her mouth and tried to kiss her deeply. Greer kept her mouth shut tight.

'What's the matter, Greer?' he whispered.

'We mustn't have any more babies.' He could feel the tension in her.

'I know, darling. That's what the doctors say now, but medical advances are happening every day. We're only young. It's terrible for us both but we can still have s.e.x and be careful.'

'It's not that.'

'What is it then?'

'I just don't feel like it.'

'Well, you will. When I've warmed you up.' He opened the front of her dressing gown and lifted her small breast out. He bent to lick her nipple.

'Don't. Please don't.' He stopped and she pulled her robe closed.

'What's the matter? We need to talk about this properly. I'm in bits. Trying to be strong and all that, but it's breaking my heart. I want to fill you and the house up with children but, like my mum says, we have got Freddie and we can give him the very best love a boy could ever have.'

Greer looked at Jesse intently and said, 'It's not that. I'm glad Freddie will be our only one. I hated being pregnant and I hate what it's done to my body. I'm fat. I have stretch marks. My b.r.e.a.s.t.s aren't the same. I don't think I ever want to have s.e.x again.'

Jesse had been told by his mum that women needed a bit of love and patience after they'd had a baby, so he wasn't surprised or worried by this little speech.

'You look b.l.o.o.d.y gorgeous to me. I fancy you like mad. A few days at home and we'll get back to normal. Don't worry.'

Greer looked so frail and vulnerable, with her baggy Snoopy gown hanging off her tiny frame, that Jesse was overcome with compa.s.sion and pa.s.sion. 'You need to come home. I need to have you home. You and Freddie. You're coming home tomorrow. I'll pick you up after work. Tell your mother.'

The next day Jesse was down on the harbour checking the gear on the boat. Greer's father, Bryn, was walking, with some purpose, towards him.

'All right, Jesse,' he called.

Jesse saw him and knew Bryn was on a mission from Elizabeth.

'Can I have a word?' Bryn asked.

'Sure. You can have a bucketful if you want, but I'll not be dissuaded from having my wife and son home tonight.'

Bryn stepped onto The Lobster Pot and held his hands up in surrender. 'Am I that transparent?'

'You and Elizabeth have been wonderful, looking after Greer and Freddie. But it's six weeks now and time they came home,' said Jesse firmly.

'Well, of course you want your family home. Who wouldn't?' Bryn patted Jesse's shoulder. 'But it's a little too soon.'

'Who says?'

'We all do,' said Bryn smoothly. 'Maybe I should give you some time off. Paid leave. That way you could spend more time at our place.'

Jesse stuck his hands in the pockets of his overall and stood his ground. 'You've given me enough. Pencil Cottage, a say in the new business-'

'Yes, and you've given me a terrific grandson to carry the Clovelly name on in the business.'

'He's not a Clovelly. He's a Behenna.' Jesse was using a dangerously quiet voice.

'You know what I mean, son.' Bryn was smiling at Jesse as if he was the village idiot who needed appeasing. 'Greer is my first consideration. She needs looking after.'

Jesse had had enough. 'Bryn, with due respect, you've given Greer everything she's ever wanted. You even made sure you gave her me.'

Bryn sneered. 'Yes, and G.o.d knows why. You were happy to take the money that she came with, weren't you? The house, the pay rise, the promotion?'

Jesse felt anger burning in his gut. 'Greer is my wife. Freddie is my son, and they'm coming home tonight. I'll play the perfect son-in-law and I'll make this company a success, but you can't stop me bringing my family home. Oh, and by the way, your friendship with Monica at the golf club is common knowledge. Wouldn't take long for that to reach Elizabeth's ears.' This was a long shot. A piece of gossip that had been circulating for as long as Jesse could remember. He hadn't been sure it was true until this very moment.

Bryn went scarlet. 'What the h.e.l.l are you talking about?'

'Oh, it's OK for me to tell Elizabeth about this stupid rumour, is it? If you're innocent, that's fine.'

Bryn's slick eyes were narrowed. 'You say one word of that filthy lie and I'll have your b.a.l.l.s for shark bait.'

Jesse laughed. 'Mum's the word, then. Make sure Greer and Freddie are all packed when I get there.'

Jesse helped Greer and Freddie into Pencil Cottage. 'Welcome home,' he said, putting the sleeping Freddie and his car seat on the front-room carpet.

Greer looked around her. 'It looks so cosy.'

'Mum came round earlier. She's left flowers on the table for you. Look.'

A big bunch of Jan's late dahlias was sitting in a vase with a little envelope propped up next to it with Greer's name scrawled on it.

'That's sweet of her.' Greer hated blowsy dahlias and made a mental note to chuck them out the next day and get some white long-stemmed lilies which would be more in keeping with the house style. Then she sniffed. 'Can I smell cooking?'

'Oh, yeah,' grinned Jesse. 'She's popped a chicken pie to warm in the oven and she's brought some of her frozen runner beans over too. Are you hungry?'

'Not very.'

On cue a hungry Freddie woke up and started squalling. 'Shall I make up a bottle?' asked Jesse.

'I'll do it.' Greer began rummaging in one of the copious baby bags that Freddie seemed to need.

'Well, I'll watch how you do it, then I can do the next one,' Jesse said gently.

'It might be the middle of the night.'

'I want to share it with you. I need to learn. I'm used to being up in the night, remember?'

Greer unclipped Freddie from his chair and handed him to Jesse. 'b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, he pongs,' he laughed, pulling a face.

'Well,' said Greer on her way to the kitchen, 'this will be a night of firsts. I'll teach you how to change a nappy too.'

21.

Being back at home felt better than she had expected, and seeing Freddie sleeping in his cot in the tiny nursery gave her deep satisfaction. Her days were full of washing and sterilising, feeding and winding, but she coped well. Some days she even managed to grab a shower and make a simple supper for Jesse when he came home.

If she'd had any worries about resuming their s.e.x life, she needn't have bothered. Jesse, who insisted on doing the night feeds, was too knackered to ask.

It was the second week after she'd returned home that Mickey rang and invited her and Jesse round for supper.

'Bring littl'un, too. Loveday and I are dying to see him. Loveday wanted to come round the other day but Jesse said you weren't up to visitors yet.'

Greer was surprised. 'Did he? I'd love to see you. I've tried to phone Loveday a couple of times but either Hal was crying or I got no answer.' Greer had wondered if Loveday was avoiding her.

Mickey laughed. 'Yeah she's never in. If she's not out with her mum, she's walking the pram. Say you can come for your tea?'

'Yes,' said Greer decisively, 'we'd love to come.'

Loveday was not happy. 'What did you do that for? I haven't got time to make supper and look after Hal. And what's Mum going to do? I can't ask her to leave her own house because there's no s.p.a.ce for her round the table.'

Mickey had already thought of that. 'I asked her if it was all right and she thought it's a great idea. She's going to her sister's for the night so that we can really let our hair down.' He slid his hands round Loveday's hips and pulled her to him. 'We 'aven't seen them in ages. We'll have fun.'

At Pencil Cottage, Jesse looked cross. 'I don't want to go round for tea.'

'Why not? Mickey's your best mate,' Greer sighed. 'And why did you tell him I wasn't up to visitors?'

''Cos you're not.'

'Yes I am. I think it's Loveday who's not coping. I want to see her but she's always making excuses. I feel all cooped up in here.' Greer swept her perfectly cut fringe across her face. 'I miss seeing people. You see Mickey every day at work.'

'Exactly.'

'Oh, you're being silly. We're going over there and that's that.'

Loveday was as nervous as kitten. She'd spent all day cleaning the house and cooking an enormous fish pie and was now laying up the small kitchen table. Hal, who had been grizzling and needy since the early hours, was strapped to her chest. 'Now then, Hal my lad,' she told him as she folded some paper napkins into triangles and popped them into the empty wine gla.s.ses, 'you'm going to meet your friend Freddie tonight, so I want you on your best behaviour. Understand?' She looked down at him, seeing his little face snuggled against her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. 'I don't want any trouble from you.' He looked up at her and gave a smile to melt her heart. 'That's my boy.' He caught her gaze and continued to hold it, his face gradually turning from sh.e.l.l pink to puce. 'Oh, no. Not now. I've only just changed you,' she beseeched, but it was too late. She felt the release as a magnificent poo hit his nappy and then the unmistakable liquid warmth as it escaped through the leg holes of his baby-grow. 'Oh, Hal.' She unclipped his harness and held him at arm's length. She looked down at her last clean shirt. 'Oh, no, you've done it all over me as well.'

She heard Mickey's key in the lock and called from the kitchen, 'Darling, Hal's just shat all over me. Do you mind helping me wi-' She stopped as she saw Mickey was not alone. Greer and Jesse were with him, and a perfectly sparkling clean, sleeping Freddie too.

Loveday wanted to cry but instead she said, 'h.e.l.lo. Don't come too near, I stink. Mickey, get everyone a drink. I'll be back in a minute.'

Upstairs, feeling fl.u.s.tered, Loveday did let a few tears flow as she undressed Hal and quickly washed him in the sink. As soon as he was clean and dry, she popped him in his cot, where he promptly fell asleep. 'I'm not surprised you're tired. A big poo like that takes it out of you, doesn't it!'