As the sun pierced through the bedroom curtains Terry rolled over and opened his eyes. The bed beside him was empty, he checked the time and made his way out of bed. Wrapping his dressing gown around him he walked down the stairs.
"Ramani?" He looked in the lounge but she wasn't in there. "Strange."
He walked into the kitchen and saw she was sitting at the kitchen table. Her baby bump now showing, she looked like the ever blossoming expectant mother.
"Hey, you ok?" He smiled at her.
"Someone was keeping me awake!" She crossed her arms over her stomach and smiled back at Terry. He lived for that smile, somedays that smile was the only thing he felt worth living for.
"Want a cuppa?" Terry asked.
"I've just had one, whats the time?"
"Half 6."
"I'll have to get Jodie up soon. I don't know what time she crawled in last night but there was a strong smell of stale smoke when she walked past our door. I tell you now if she's…"
"She won't be, it'll be her friends. She's a good girl Ramani."
"Unlike this one! All night long she was kicking."
"Oh 'she' now is it?!" Terry laughed.
"You're probably right, a girl would be better behaved!" She giggled as she stood up.
"Do you want me to do any breakfast?"
"Jodie might want some but I don't. I'm just going to get her up then I'll get ready."
"When are you starting maternity leave?"
"When I want to." She laughed as she walked up the stairs. Ramani gently opened Jodie's door, she covered her face as the strong smell of sick greeted her.
"Jodie?" There was no answer. Ramani walked over to her, avoiding the patches of vomit all over the floor. "Jodie?!" She leant over to her daughter and shook her gently. There was no response. Panic began to set in.
"TERRY!" Ramani checked Jodie's pulse and heard her breathing faintly.
Terry burst into her room.
"Bloody hell! Whats happened here?"
"She's not responding to me!"
"Go downstairs…"
"No I can't..."
"Ramani go downstairs and ring for an ambulance, I'll sort her out."
Ramani watched as Terry checked Jodie over. A sick feeling suddenly arrived in her throat as she ran downstairs to the phone. What had happened to Jodie? Had she been like that all night? If anything happened to her Ramani would blame herself. She should have checked on her.
"Ambulance please." Her whole body began to shake as there was no noise coming from upstairs. 15 minutes later the ambulance arrived.
"She's upstairs." Terry opened the door to the paramedics. Ramani held onto her girl's hand as she wiped away the sweat from Jodie's forehead. She whispered to her "They're here now, you're ok Jodie. Mum's here."