Felbaby: B said no to the show.
Fliss stopped herself adding: And I hate him for it. It was hard to accept the thing that should be bringing them together seemed to be pulling them apart.
Mummyto3boys: Apply anyway!
Fliss raised her eyebrows at Ange’s response. It wasn’t something she’d even considered; after all, they were looking for couples, so was there any point?
Felbaby: They want couples. They won’t take just me.
Fliss didn’t want to be negative, but they would laugh if she applied solo, but then she remembered it was Ben keeping her on hold and surely this was a question about her own health. If there was a problem that might have occurred as a result of having Hollie, didn’t she want to know about it?
Mummyto3boys: Try all the same. You have nothing to lose.
The combination of Ange’s gentle encouragement and her own festering annoyance at Ben made Fliss decide to throw caution to the wind and, for once, be a little bit selfish. With courage taking over her fingertips, she tapped out an email with the details Bright Idea Productions had requested and crossed everything in the hope it would find her some answers.
***
It was an hour’s drive to Fliss’s childhood home in the idyllic town of Sandwich. The four-bedroom thatched house was far too big for her mum, but since her dad, Bill, had passed away a few years ago, Joan was adamant she wasn’t downsizing. She wanted room for her family to stay whenever they needed to and she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to their happy home. As she wandered towards the house from the car park, Fliss was secretly glad she was still able to come here. With its narrow streets and limited parking, Sandwich was a town steeped in history, her own childhood amongst these very streets.
As soon as Fliss arrived, she was almost toppled over by Hollie’s enthusiastic welcome. Hollie gave the best hugs when they’d been apart for any length of time. ‘Come and see what I made with Grandma and Suzie.’
Fliss’s younger sister, Suzie, and her husband were visiting from Norwich for the weekend, so Joan was using it as the perfect excuse to get all the family over for lunch, with their elder sister joining them later.
Hollie tugged at Fliss’s arm, wanting her to follow like she used to when she was a toddler.
‘Where’s a hug for your dad?’ Ben said, having finally joined them after fussing about where to park.
Hollie looked ready to dismiss him she was so wrapped up in her mission to share something with her mum. His absence on weekdays was starting to fracture his relationship with his daughter.
For a moment, Fliss thought she might have to prompt Hollie to greet her own father.
‘Hi, Dad.’ Hollie gave him a quick hug before returning to her intended target and regaining her grip on Fliss’s hand.
Fliss gave Ben a brief smile, mostly in apology for their daughter deciding to choose a favourite parent in the same way she might select a best friend.
As Fliss was dragged into the kitchen, she was allowed a brief hand release to give her mum and sister a hug before Hollie caught a hold of her again.
‘Here it is,’ Hollie said, when they arrived at the large oak table. It was the piece of furniture Fliss missed the most. She would have loved a similar one in their own home, but they had no room for such a family-focused centrepiece.
On the table was one of Suzie’s famous chocolate cakes. Having an artisan baker for a sister really did have its perks, although it was pretty clear from the rough piping work that Hollie had obviously had a go. ‘I helped with all of it,’ Hollie said, in case Fliss needed confirmation of the fact.
‘It’s magnificent,’ Fliss said, which it really was if Hollie had only received guidance. She turned to get Ben’s agreement only to find he hadn’t even bothered to follow them in. Fliss ignored her disappointment and turned her attention again to her daughter who talked her through the entire cake-making process. If only Ben could summon the same kind of focus on what his daughter enjoyed, their relationship might not be suffering.
***
Once Caroline arrived with her husband and four children, there was barely room to move in the kitchen, but somehow they all managed to squeeze round the table. Fliss was seated between Hollie and her older sister, Caroline.
‘Everything all right?’ Caroline asked in her usual breezy manner. Despite having four children, she had a constant stress-free air about her. Like nothing would phase her ever. Caroline was who Fliss had been striving to be all her life.
Fliss answered with small talk. News of her latest work projects, the possibility of working on some interiors at a chain of small boutique hotels, how Hollie’s schoolwork was going, how Ben was fine. She skipped over the real nitty-gritty. The fact she wasn’t pregnant yet, the reality that she missed coming to these family gatherings more often. She didn’t want to get all serious when delicious roast beef and mammoth Yorkshire puddings were waiting to be enjoyed. So instead she listened as Caroline relayed their news, including the fact they’d acquired another pet – a hamster called Cheesecake – and drank in the busy atmosphere with the three sisters, all their husbands, Joan and her five grandchildren all nestled round enjoying their food.
Chink. Chink. Chink. From the other end of the table, Joan tapped the side of her glass to get everyone’s attention.
‘Here we go, I’ve been waiting for this.’ Caroline nudged a secret whisper into Fliss’s ear.
It wasn’t like Joan to go about making announcements so Fliss inwardly panicked. Was she ill? Was there something Fliss had missed?
‘Over to you, Suzie,’ Joan said once everyone was paying attention.
Fliss’s younger sister stood up and, for the first time that day, Fliss truly took in her appearance. Her cheeks were rosier than usual, her white tunic top covered by a scarf that she was still wearing despite it being dinner-time. Before her sister even began to move her lips, the penny dropped. How had she not noticed before whereas Caroline clearly had? They’d been married for two years. Of course this would happen.
‘Oli and I are delighted to tell you all we’re expecting.’
Fliss smiled as Suzie shared a hug with Joan and within moments there was much congratulating, back-slapping, and cheers.
‘Settle down for a moment everyone,’ Joan instructed. ‘I would like to raise a toast. To my latest grandchild.’
Everyone raised a glass to Suzie and Oli and automatically Fliss joined in. She was delighted for them. Delighted.
Glancing across the table, she looked to Ben for some reassurance. Just a moment to say, ‘It’s okay, it’ll be us next,’ but he was too busy slapping Oli on the back.
Going with the wave of celebration, Fliss squeezed round the table with Caroline in tow to hug their sister and start asking the zillion and one questions that every mother wanted to know: how many weeks are you? When is your due date? Have you had your scan yet?
It was during this interrogation that Ben’s phone decided to ring. He was too far out of Fliss’s reach for her to give him a sharp nudge telling him to ignore it. Instead she went for a steely stare in his direction that he didn’t register.
‘Sorry, guys. I just need to take this. Back in a minute. Congrats again.’ Ben was halfway out of his seat before anyone acknowledged he was going.
‘Hello, just hold on a minute,’ Ben said down the phone as he exited to the front of the house.
Fliss didn’t want to think about what was so important that Ben had to run out on this celebratory moment. She pasted on a cheery smile and raised her glass. ‘Congratulations to Suzie and Oli, whose adventure is only just beginning.’