Jennifer Taylor - The Baby Issue

‘I’m almost certain there’s a notice on the board in the foyer for the local playgroup,’ Anna told her, delighted to see the woman looking so much more animated. ‘Why don’t we take a look? There might be a phone number you could call. You could have a chat with whoever runs the group and see how they would feel about you helping.’

She led the way through the waiting room, holding open the door while Janice followed her into the foyer. The notice-board was covered with posters advertising various events that were due to take place in the town but she soon spotted the one she wanted.

‘There it is. And they’ve given the name and the telephone number of the lady who runs the playgroup. I’ll just fetch a pen and some paper then you can jot down the details.’

Anna hurried back inside and went straight to the reception desk. Eileen had just finished taking a phone call and she looked up when Anna approached her. ‘Problems?’

‘Not really. I just need a pen and a scrap of paper if you’ve got one handy.’

Eileen found them for her. ‘Anything else?’

‘No, that’s fine. Thanks,’ Anna assured her. She went back to the foyer and quickly noted down the details for Janice then handed her the slip of paper. ‘Now, promise me that you’ll give them a call. There’s no point letting your talents go to waste.’

Janice laughed delightedly. ‘Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if they said I could help out? I’ll phone them as soon as I get home.’

‘You do that,’ Anna agreed, smiling to herself as she watched her leave. The difference in Janice’s demeanour was simply amazing, she thought.

‘What have you been doing to make Janice Robertson look so cheerful all of a sudden?’

She swung round when she heard Ben’s voice, feeling a little flurry run through her when she found him standing in the doorway. ‘I just suggested that she should contact the local playgroup and see if they need any volunteers to help them.’ She quickly repeated what the woman had told her. ‘I got the impression that she was lonely and thought that this might be just what she needed.’

‘I see.’ He suddenly smiled at her. ‘Maybe I should ask you for help more often.’

Anna laughed but she couldn’t deny how good it felt to have him looking at her without that awful chill in his eyes for once. It struck her how much it had hurt to have him treat her so distantly all week.

‘I’m only too happy to help any time I can,’ she assured him huskily, rather surprised by the idea.

Ben took a deep breath and even as she watched the warmth faded from his face. ‘So long as it’s within working hours and strictly inside the terms of your contract, of course.’

She shrugged, feeling deeply hurt that he should have seen fit to remind her at that precise moment about what she had said. ‘I don’t imagine I’m any different to you or Adam in that respect. We all need a life outside working hours.’

‘I’m sure you’re right.’ His tone was cool now. ‘Anyway, well done. I’ve had my suspicions that Janice was suffering from mild depression as much as anything else. Let’s hope that your idea has done the trick. Sometimes all it needs is for a person to be pointed in the right direction.’

He went back inside and she saw him go over to speak to Eileen. Anna heard the receptionist laugh at something he said as she went back into the waiting room, but she didn’t go over to find out what the joke was. She doubted if Ben would have wanted to share it with her, anyway.

That thought hurt far more than it should have done. Anna deliberately put it out of her mind as she went back to her room and packed up the samples ready for collection. The courier arrived a short time later, closely followed by her last patient, so she had no time to brood.

The rest of the day flew past with barely a minute to breathe, let alone worry about anything other than making sure that she did everything right. However, as she got ready for bed that night Anna found herself thinking about what Ben had said to her.

Maybe it was her imagination but there had seemed to be a hint of regret in Ben’s voice as he’d reminded her of her decision to keep her working life and her professional one strictly separate. If she hadn’t known better, she might even think that he was hurt rather angry about her refusal to have lunch with him the previous week.

She rolled over and closed her eyes, willing the thought from her mind. She didn’t like to think of Ben being hurt, funnily enough.

Saturday arrived and Anna got up early. She had the flat cleaned and her washing done by eleven o’clock. She decided that she would go into town and do some shopping because she’d bought only the barest necessities the previous week.

She sighed as she found her thoughts immediately returning to Ben once again—she had to stop thinking about him all the time! She had made the right decision and there was no point harping on about it. She would be polite and friendly within the limits of their working relationship, but that was all. There was no point in wishing that she had handled things differently and certainly no point in wishing that she hadn’t rebuffed him!

She slipped on a lightweight jacket over her jeans and T-shirt then left the flat. The forecast was for rain later in the day but she was planning on being back well before then. She ran down the steps but paused when she saw Adam Knight, the senior partner, crossing the car park.

‘End of another busy week,’ he commented, stopping to speak to her. ‘How have you enjoyed it, Anna? It’s not been too big a change for you?’

Anna smiled when she saw the kindly concern on his face. She had spoken to Adam several times during the week and had found him extremely helpful on each occasion. He had a quiet confidence and authority that inspired respect in everyone who came into contact with him. She found herself thinking how like Ben he was in that regard before she realised where her thoughts were wandering once more.

‘I’ve really enjoyed it,’ she said quickly, focusing firmly on the conversation. ‘It’s been a bit strange at times but the routine procedures are the same wherever you work.’

‘Well, I have to say that we’ve been very glad to have you here. I was saying to Ben yesterday that we would have been hard pressed to cope if you hadn’t taken the job.’ Adam smiled warmly at her. ‘We were extremely fortunate to get someone of your calibre for the post.’

‘I was glad to be offered it,’ she said sincerely, although she couldn’t help feeling guilty. She was very much aware of how differently Adam might feel when he found out that she was pregnant. Maybe she hadn’t been obliged to tell him before she had accepted the job, but most employers would have expected to have been told in advance. It was just that she had been so desperate to get the job that she had felt that she’d had no choice.

She took a deep breath, wondering if it would be best to tell him now and get it over with. Adam had had a week to see that she was capable of doing the work so surely that would go in her favour? Even though he might be upset about her oversight, she didn’t think from what she knew of him that he would go so far as to sack her.

Would he?

It was that last thought which made her hesitate, and before she could make up her mind what to do he glanced at his watch.

‘I’d better get a move on. I’ve had strict instructions not to be late.’ He grimaced. ‘Beth has invited my aunt and uncle to stay for the weekend and she wants me there to give her a hand, getting everything ready. You’d think we had royalty visiting from all the preparations she’s been making!’

Anna smiled at his wry tone, hating herself for feeling so relieved at having an excuse to put off her confession a little longer. ‘I expect she wants everything to be just right.’