Chapter 2 – SOS
I gulped as the Vicar said, "I now pronounce you man and wife! You may kiss the bride!"
I put my hands gently on Louisa's arms as she stood on tip-toe to reach my face. Louisa gave me a kiss that blew off the top of my head, and returned the favour. She laughed as our guests cheered and applauded and the look she gave me was so happy and I felt the same!
Isobel handed her back the bridal bouquet and we started down the aisle hand-in-hand but for some reason I heard a siren and heavy pounding on a door.
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Martin and I had plenty of practice snogging after Philip was born so he wasn't as nervous as usual near me in public. He actually smiled after breaking our steamy lip lock.
I took my flowers and we turned to go back down the aisle, as the Vicar announced that we were now Dr. and Mrs. Martin Ellingham, to cheering with a few caps tossed in the air. But as we proudly took our first step as a married couple, I head a police siren start and there came banging on the door.
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Louisa was holding my right hand and blankets were pulled up to my neck as my eyes opened. I lay there in shock to see Louisa curled in bed with me. Her lovely brown hair was disheveled after the cranky night Phillips had given us and I groaned at the thought of sleep-walking through another day; all part of being new parents.
I'd been dreaming of a wedding! Our wedding! I looked sharply at my left hand were there was no ring in evidence. A wedding – the wedding we've not had.
The siren continued to blare and pounding went on at the front door – the door of Louisa's cramped cottage. Louisa's blue eyes popped open at the noise.
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As I held Martin's warm thick-fingered hand I felt my wedding dress strangely shift and become a fuzzy thing by my neck! What the hell!
I pried my bleary eyes apart to see Martin looking at his left hand. I slid my hand out of his grip and rubbed my face. After a long night of ups-and-downs with the baby I was too groggy to do much else. Then I turned my left hand and saw no ring on it. I'd been dreaming of our wedding! Our wedding hadn't happened, yet. Martin gave me a strange look as I stared at my hand, while there was certainly a ruckus at my door!
"Guess we'd better answer that," said Martin as he crawled from bed. He's been sleeping in the spare room down the hall, but as cranky as Philip was overnight, he'd laid down here after we got him settled. Martin didn't have a place to live, other than here. It wasn't sorted yet what our arrangement was. The village was quite surprised, even joyous, that Martin has stayed and so was I. But as for our future, I didn't know either and how will Martin get a job?
"Right," I said and pulled a dressing gown over my PJs after looking into the cot at Phillip. Now our sweet horror was sleeping. I ran a hand over my drowsy face as the pounding continued downstairs.
"Who the bloody hell is that?" Martin pulled on gown and slippers. "He's alright?"
"Yeah," I yawned. "I had an odd dream. You sleep ok?"
"Sure," he said sarcastically. "Sleep periods of forty-five minute segments are absolutely perfect for maintenance of mental and physical health!"
"Martin! I was up too!" Up and down all night and being six weeks post-partum with sore baps besides.
"Yes, you were. Sorry," he added. Martin stretched and gave me a hug.
I winced as he pulled me against his broad chest, my milk-swollen breasts squashed. "Martin! Not so hard!"
"Sorry." His arms dropped. "We'd uhm… better see what they want, whoever they are."
We clattered downstairs and I saw two forms through the frosted glass. I opened it and found PC Joe Penhale and an old lady there.
"Louisa! Is the Doc…? Ah! Here he is - the other half of the Dynamic Duo! Hiya Doc!" Joe said happily.
Martin glared. "Joe? What's the matter? And can you shut off that bloody siren?"
Joe ducked his head. "Right." He jogged off leaving us to stare at the woman.
She was about seventy; thin, mousy, with tinted brown hair and pale blue eyes and her lined face looked like it had seen its share of sorrow. She had on a nice diamond watch and a large glittery sapphire on her right hand, though.
"So, how can we help you?" I asked.
She looked at his unfavorably and said, "I was trying to get in touch with Ruth Norton…"
Joe ran back just then and interrupted. "This lady went out to Haven Hurst Farm, your Aunt Joan's place, Doc. Says she knocked and called and got no answer."
She glared at Joe. "Yes! I was just going to say that! Officious fool!"
"Joan's probably just out delivering vegetables," I suggested.
"Well, then I drove into your village and went to the police station. This Officer suggested we talk to you as you are her nephew."
"Yes, I am," Martin said. "Did you see a pickup truck there?"
"There was a black truck parked by the barn. I left several messages on her answer phone too, but got no response," She said. "Joan knew I was coming. Told me to come early."
Martin looked puzzled. "Unusual. Auntie Joan is always up before dawn."
"And I heard a dog inside the house barking madly! It didn't sound happy at all!" The woman began to wring her hands.
"Something's wrong then." Martin looked alarmed. "We'd better… uhm, let me get my…" he said then shot into the house.
"We'll be ready in a few minutes." I turned to go. "I'm sure it's nothing."
"Thank you Mrs. Ellingham," replied the woman.
"Oh… we're not married."
"Ah, I see," she said disapprovingly.
I could tell her eyes bored holes in my back as I ran upstairs. Martin was stuffing himself into a suit when I got there. He gave me an odd look as I stripped off my PJs and threw on sweatpants and a top. Then I rushed into the bathroom, used the toilet and brushed teeth. A quick lick with a hairbrush and I was ready.
"Where are you going?" Martin asked as I came into my bedroom.
"Martin, Joan Norton is the closest thing to a mother-in-law I've got! And I'm going, I mean, we're going too."
"You're bringing the baby?"
I rolled my eyes. "No, Martin! I thought he'd change his own nappy and rustle up a bottle!"
"Right." He bent to lace his shoes. "Louisa, uhm… I'm sorry."
"Sure." I put Phillip into his Moses basket and he didn't stir. Good boy! I put a spare bottle of breast milk from the fridge into the baby bag before we left.
