The Blair Connection
As always, everything in my TOTS stories originate with Will Shakespeare, I owe a lot to Sally Wainwright too, and of course, my thanks to Rufus and Shirley for bringing life to Petruchio and Katherine. I am grateful to all four of them for the delight they have given me and the inspiration they continue to give me.
And to Mrs Cherie Blair QC, wife of the former Prime Minister, who was also a part of the inspiration.
Put this with Leonard Bernstein's music and Stephen Sondheim words: Something's Coming
It's only just out of reach
Down the block,
On a beach,
Under a tree.
I got a feeling
There's a miracle due
Gonna come true
Coming to me.
Could it be?
Yes it could
Something's coming
Something good.
If I can wait...
Something coming
I don't know
What it is
But it is
Gonna be great.
The breathless anticipation of the music and words ...WOW.
I have put an URL from you tube for this at the end of the story, if you would like to watch. It does fit!
I have given this story an M rating because of some strong language
TOTS
THE BLAIR CONNECTION.
"God Almighty Kate! Do you think they bought a job lot of tartan? "
My beloved lay in the four poster bed with his hands behind his head.
"Jesus, everywhere you look! The walls, the chairs, curtains, cushions, and the deer heads and antlers. They must have wiped them out by the hundreds."
I was standing by the dressing table taking the pins out of my hair.
"It was Victoria, she and Albert decorated it."
"She's been dead over a hundred years; surely they could have bloody well redecorated by now!"
"That's no way to talk about the beloved home of our monarch. They must like it."
"Then they've got no bloody taste. It's fucking awful."
We had been invited to Balmoral for the weekend!
"The 9 am Flight from Heathrow to Aberdeen arrives at 10 a.m. And you will be met "said the invitation from Buckingham Palace.
And we were.
We were shown our room, had lunch with the Queen and Prince Philip and the Prince of Wales, were taken for a walk, had tea, a rest in our room and then Dinner, a quite formal affair, black tie.
I was going to take my black beaded dress but after the Buckingham Palace episode I decided I wouldn't push my beloved too far. So I had bought a new dress, and new Manolos...
Then drinks in the drawing room; Piers chatting with Philip and Charles, flirting gently with Princess Anne and charming the Queen.
I was surprised how at ease he was with them. But then I suppose when your family have been Peers of the Realm for over 400 years, elevated from viscount to earl by Charles II because they hid him when he was on the run, then the Windsors must seem like Johnnies -come-lately
Come here and let me brush your hair!"
He loved to brush my hair; I sat on the edge of the bed while he did.
"Your dress looked nice "he said. "Very sexy, very alluring"
It was a turtle necked, short sleeved, red coppery bronze slip of tiny pleats which hung straight from shoulder to ankles clinging here and there.
"What would a weirdo like you know? You think minis, fishnets and boots are alluring. "
I mocked him as I always did when I wasn't sure of myself. I am never sure of myself when receiving compliments, even from my love.
Then I thought, with a secret smile, he knows, he knows very well it turns me on when he wears them. I would never admit it but he knows.
"Believe me Kate, a dress like that is very alluring. You have no idea how alluring. The Princes found it alluring" he said, kissing the back of my neck.
I turned and looked at him astonished.
He raised his eyebrows knowingly and nodded.
"Shut your mouth Kate, unless it is an invitation. Why have you got a nightie on?
"So you can have the pleasure of taking it off. And it's bloody cold in here." He put his arms around me.
"I'll warm you." he murmured.
"Um, do you think we should?" I said, "I mean it doesn't seem right ..."
"Don't be bloody daft, woman. We are married! I don't see why we shouldn't shag, just because we're at the Queen's holiday home. Tony and Cherie did it here, twice, and Cherie wrote about it after wards. If it's good enough for the Blair's, it's good enough for us."
There was a sudden little niggle at the back of my mind.
Over the last few weeks we had been so busy rushing around, in and out of the country several times but I had had these prickles.
Something I hadn't done or had forgotten.
Not all the time, now and then, anywhere, Chelsea, my office, Hazlington and now here, at Balmoral.
What was it?
What the hell could the Blairs have to do with it?
"What're you thinking?"
"You know ... I feel that I've forgotten something. I told you."
"It can't be important ..."
"I know, I just wish ..."
"Do you think it's do with the wedding?"
My sister was getting married later in the week.
"No ... At least I don't think so."
"Let me make you forget." He put the hairbrush down, pulled me into bed, into his arms and I forgot everything else except him. His hands, his mouth, his body.
In the morning, we were served breakfast in our room, then Morning Service in Crathie Church.
He read the Lesson. He didn't want to but when the Queen requests, you don't say no!
Not even my beloved!
He did it very well; he has a lovely voice, like warm honey trickling down your back.
After lunch, I had a tour around the gardens, just the Queen and me, while she gently probed and assessed me and my views.
Make no mistake about it, Katherine, I thought, this is nobody's sweet old granny.
She is the crowned head of a world power. Power, wisdom and a complete and shrewd grasp of world affairs blaze out of her. The famous sapphire eyes examined me. She had me weighed up in minutes. I wonder what she thought. I don't suppose I will ever know.
Then a rest in our room, if you want to call it that, before high tea with the Family, then home.
On the flight back, I puzzled over the connection with the Blairs. No use. Nothing seemed to fit. We got home about 10 and went straight to bed, I was shattered.
In the morning, I had another little flicker in the bathroom and stood staring at the open bathroom cabinet.
"If you didn't try so hard, perhaps it would just come to you" my love said.
Later, in my office, I asked Suzanne to get hold of a copy of Cherie's auto biography and flipped through to her account of their visits to Balmoral. She didn't take her cap ...no, nothing.
On Wednesday, I went in to my office very early. Bianca was getting married the next day and I had a lot to do if I was going to get away. I got a notebook out of the bottom drawer of my desk, shut it. Then something clicked. I opened it again slowly and sat staring into it; I rummaged at the back, and saw it.
The room swung around me.
My Tampax.
Head in hands, I tried to think.
When had I needed them last? I had no idea. No use looking in my diary; I have never made a note of my dates, never bothered, never needed to, just waited for it to turn up.
Think!
God! I had no idea at all.
Logic! Think logically Katherine! When was the last time?
Absolutely no idea.
Think!
My mind skittered around.
Shying away when I tried to bring it to focus.
It could be the change, I was almost 39, and women younger than me have had it.
Or
I could be pregnant!
Think about it!
Symptoms:
Morning sickness ...no
Tender swollen breasts ...no
Weight gain ...no... no?...my waistband's a bit tight...
Wanting to wee ...no...not that I have noticed
Periods... Seemingly ...no periods!
Possibility... extremely likely.
Pregnancy test kit. If I sent Suzanne out to get one, it would be all over Westminster.
If I went to a chemist myself, it would be in tomorrow's papers.
Piers. I rang home, no reply. He was going down to Hazlington. Rang his mobile, it was switched off. Rang Hazlington, he wouldn't be there yet but I left a message on the answer phone to ring me.
I couldn't rest. I rang Mike my doctor before he left for surgery.
"Can you see me? It's urgent." I said
In his surgery, he said "When was your last period?"
"I don't know." feeling rather foolish.
"Have you reason to think you might be?" I looked blankly at him.
"Have you had unprotected sex?" Scarlet, I nodded.
"Well, let's see, shall we?" He gave me a kit and explained what to do. "If it's positive, I'll give you an internal exam to see how far along you are."
It was and he did.
"Well, I think you are nearly 3months." He paused." Are you alright about this?"
He waited for a reaction from me.
Another blank look from me.
"I mean your new position... Being pregnant... bit Inconvenient? ... I can arrange ..."
I shook my head.
"No... NO!
"Right then. What I want you to do are to go along to St Mary's Paddington, and have a scan. Can you go now? I'll phone and make an appointment."
Why did I need a scan? I didn't know much about pregnancy: did I need one so soon?
I was feeling a bit shaky.
I tried again to get hold of Piers on his mobile but it was still turned off.
By the time I got to St. Mary's, I was pretty screwed up.
Oh love.
I have never had a scan of any sort, so when the radiographer called in her head of department, I felt uneasy.
When he said he wanted someone from Obs. to see me, I was decidedly apprehensive, no, frightened.
Oh love, where are you?
'Someone from Obs 'turned out to be the consultant head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
God! Big Guns!
"I'm Professor Andrews" she said. "And you're Katherine Minola, aren't you? We have to look after you. "
If that was supposed to reassure me, it didn't.
"I am just going to rerun the scan."
Oh my love, why aren't you here when I need you?
She made no comment when she had finished.
Piers, Piers...
If there is something wrong...
"Is there something wrong?" I asked.
"No reason to think so "she said pulling on a pair of latex gloves."I am going to give you an internal exam. It may be uncomfortable but I will try not to hurt you."
She was right: it was uncomfortable and more extensive than Mike's.
My love, my love, I need you.
She said nothing as she peeled off the gloves.
If there is something wrong with our baby, I can't bear it without you...
"Right." she said sitting on the bed and turning the monitor screen so I could see it.
"Have you had a scan before? Do you understand it?
No? I expect it looks like absolutely nothing to you" she smiled.
"Well" Pointing to the screen, she said" These lines tell us how far along you are and the size of the baby. Dates and so on... Your doctor was right, you are 10 weeks and he was wise to send you along to us right away. Now," pointing to the screen. "This is the baby's head, and this is its spine, legs and arms, and do you see this pulsing spot ...that is its heart. Now, if I do this... "And she tapped my stomach gently with her finger and on the screen, my baby moved and there was ...another pulsing spot. "And this" she tapped again I gasped. Another one.
"Three?"
"Three!"
I sat outside later waiting for a cab. I pushed my hands deep in my pockets, closed my eyes and let the elation well up ; I would never have thought I would feel like this .
Unmaternal me.
I got the print they had given me out of my pocket and looked at it.
Wait till my love sees it!
I wanted to sing and shout and dance with joy. I thought about my love, and smiled to myself.
How he would react...and laughed to myself at the thought of him.
Like a dog with two tails. No, three tails.
I would have to make it clear where we stood on my career...
I smiled to myself again. No...Everything would be O.K. He would be O.K...
But I would say it anyway.
There would be no holding him. He would shout it from the rooftops.
Oh sod ! The reception at the French embassy tonight. No, I couldn't tell him tonight...not tonight.
Tomorrow.
Then another thought occurred to me.
Oh God! Not tomorrow!
Bianca's wedding tomorrow.
If he knew, he would tell everyone. He wouldn't be able to keep it to himself!
The family! Everybody would be so excited.
Bianca!
Tomorrow was hers!
No, I couldn't rain on her parade.
No! One more day wouldn't matter.
No, I would tell him after the wedding.
Let Bianca have her day.
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NOTE
For those who mightn't know the Blair connection...in her auto biography , Cherie Blair tells how the first time the Blairs went to Balmoral, she was embarrassed to find that when the staff unpacked her bags , they also laid out her contraceptive cap.( Diaphragm.). When they went for the second time, to save her further embarrassment, she didn't take it,
She also tells how cold it was and Tony needed to keep her warm!
Which is how she became pregnant for the fourth time at the age of 45?
(Silly woman! Didn't she think of saying no! But there, they are a very in love couple ...even after all these years)
This is the Something's Coming url
.com/watch?v=00QJLpA7MHs