Chapter 11
'This was a brilliant idea wasn't it?' asked Connie as she relaxed into the massage table.
'Oh god yes,' said Zosia with a slight moan. 'Remind me to never get angry at dad again.'
'Sending us away for a spa day in Hampshire, pure heaven,' replied Connie.
'Don't want to think about how much it cost,' groaned Zosia. 'Pregnancy related spa stuff is always more expensive and by the sounds of it, we have a lot of treatments booked in.'
'No complaints here,' replied Connie. 'It's not like we're hard up for money. This is just….mmmm I can't even put it into words.'
'I feel ready to pop and I'm only 28 weeks,' complained Zosia.
'I'm just nervous,' thought Connie aloud. 'Grace was born at 33 weeks and I'm at 30 now. I'm just worried something will go wrong.'
'I reckon William will attempt to overstay his welcome,' replied Zosia. 'Marie definitely plans on it, she seems far too comfy in there. Although she keeps getting the hiccups which makes my entire bump jump.'
'How odd,' mused Connie. 'To think, after this we have a yoga session, a facial, reflexology and a manicure and pedicure.'
'What's the betting Dad had to do a lot of research before booking it?' asked Zosia. 'Not that I'm complaining, he has done well.'
'Probably spoke to Jac,' replied Connie. 'She would know what treatments would be desirable. I'm particularly looking forward to the facial, will be nice to get a bit of radiance back into my skin.'
'Amen to that,' replied Zosia as the massage ended. Standing up and putting on their swimming costumes and dressing gowns, they headed to the swimming pool for a brief swim before their facial.
'You seem different recently,' observed Zosia to Connie. 'Since Jac and Joseph's you haven't seemed too happy.'
'It's a long story,' said Connie, looking into the water where her feet swayed.
'Well we've got all day,' replied Zosia. 'You've been there for me through my issues, let me do the same for you.'
'On the way back from Jac and Joseph's, said Connie slowly. 'I got a bit upset, hearing about Jac and Joseph's engagement. Don't get me wrong, I was happy for them, but your father doesn't seem to think it's a problem we're the only couple out of the two of us not engaged. I thought we were so madly in love and marriage would be inevitable, and he said he has a ring and just wants to wait for the right moment. But I don't know if he actually intends to ever propose. It just made me feel bad to see you and Arthur engaged as well as Jac and Joseph. And I was having some body image issues that your father couldn't seem to understand.'
'Oh god,' replied Zosia, rolling her eyes. 'Arthur's the same, he thinks I shouldn't worry about how I look when I'm fulfilling an important function of carrying our baby.'
'He said that?' asked Connie in astonishment. 'Men, so clueless.'
'You're telling me,' replied Zosia. 'I mean I love him so much but he doesn't know much about social conventions and basic common sense.'
'At least he's young,' replied Connie. 'You can mould him into the man you want him to be, to a degree. I think your father is very set in his ways.'
'I think he will propose you know,' observed Zosia. 'I think he doesn't want you to think the only reason he is proposing is because of the baby. I mean, Arthur proposed rather quickly after finding out I was pregnant, but that's the sort of man he is. Dad is, I don't know, different I guess. I think he wants to prove to you that you are more than just the mother of his child to whom its his duty to propose. He really loves you, I think he just wants everything to be perfect.'
'You're right,' replied Connie with a sigh. 'I know a lot of it was irrational but it still plays on my mind, and I think it will until there's a ring on my finger.'
'That's understandable,' said Zosia. 'I know I am really hard on him, but he is a great guy. Have a little bit of faith in him, he'll make it special.'
'I think pregnancy has calmed you down a lot,' replied Connie with a smile. 'Your father was worried that you wouldn't cope, but you've really come into your own these last few months, hormonal outbursts aside.'
'Speak for yourself,' scoffed Zosia. 'Your outbursts in the ED are legendary. I think Cal is permanently scarred from the amount of bedpans you had him clearing.'
'Well he shouldn't have started a sweepstake,' replied Connie with a smirk. 'Right, let's do some swimming before this facial of ours.'
Back at the hospital….
'Dr Digby,' said Guy down the corridor. 'Janetta procedure in half an hour, you in?'
'Definitely,' replied Arthur. 'Have you heard from Connie and Zosia?'
'Nope,' replied Guy. 'And I doubt I will do, they're too busy soaking up the spa treatments. We might get a picture message from them looking like they're enjoying themselves while we're stuck here.'
As they walked down the corridor together, Arthur said, 'Probably. I think Zosia definitely needed this. She's been talking about how disgusting she feels. I keep telling her that she's carrying Marie, what does it matter what she looks like? She's always beautiful to me.'
'I keep saying the same to Connie,' said Guy in astonishment. 'Must be a general pregnancy thing. Although I worry I've been in the dog house since Jac and Joseph's.'
'How comes?' asked Arthur in concern for his future father in law's relationship. They had become increasingly close these past few months, which he was grateful for, as it was always good to have your father in law on side with a particularly unpredictable fiancée.
'Jac and Joseph's announcement of their engagement made her feel a little bit sensitive that I haven't proposed,' said Guy tentatively. 'It's not like I don't want to marry her, far from it. I just don't want to propose out of duty, no offense to you proposing to Zosia soon after she found out she was pregnant.'
'None taken,' said Arthur with a wave of his hand. 'We're young, and the pregnancy just accelerated what I already wanted. If we hadn't have had Marie, I would have maybe waited a year, but I don't regret it. You and Connie are somewhat older, you've both been married before and have children, there's not as much pressure on you.'
'I guess,' replied Guy. 'I don't think she would have normally been so concerned and upset, but her hormones have been going haywire recently. That's why I booked the spa day for the two of them, I figured they could both use some down time. Cost me an arm and a leg but it will be worth it if they come back relaxed.'
'Oh definitely,' replied Arthur. 'Will hopefully save us some headaches.'
'Amen to that,' replied Guy as they headed to theatre to scrub in.
