CHAPTER 39

(EVA)

The rest of the week flies past in a blur, I have my evening class, and get more praise heaped upon me for my outstanding level of work and how quickly I am devouring the lessons. It has been decided that I now will have a tutor assigned just to me as they don't want to hold me back while the other students catch up to where I am now at, and they have been talking about entering me for my exams as early as September this year, when many people will be doing their retakes. After hearing all that I think I have some idea how Maisie probably feels now. I have had another driving lesson and accompanied Gideon on the site visit to Luton which like Bristol was a pleasure to do. The two southern depots were head and shoulders above what we found at Burnley, and seem to have always been running like we are now doing at Stoke. So, everything should be absolutely perfect...Except it's not, because I am worried!

As the week progresses I can't shake the tired feeling that has almost overcome me, I have been feeling like this for a couple of weeks now but I have not said anything nor have I mentioned the queasy feeling I have had every morning which has steadily increased in intensity since the beginning of this week, and that is because although part of me is worried sick the other half of me is dealing with that worry by trying to be in total denial about what I think it could and probably does signify. I am getting my life together now, I am not just existing and numbly sleepwalking through each day, I am now living and looking forward to the future and I have a vision for that future, a goal and dreams, which had always been there but stifled and then stamped on by my bad choices and decisions when I was younger. Part of that vision and dream which has been re-awakened was not to become a mum again, not yet anyway. I do intend to have a baby with Gideon but I was hoping to leave it for a while, but the fact is I am recognising the signs and symptoms I have been feeling for the past couple of weeks only too well, along with the confirming fact my period is late and my boobs have been feeling so tender and painful for a while, but I am trying to pretend that it just isn't happening.

Try as I might to stay in denial, I can't help but think about it and when I do I start to panic and then obsess over it. I have worked out my dates and realise that if I am correct, which I am more than certain I am then the baby will be born around November time, which means if I carry on with my studies as I am doing there is a chance I could sit my exams before the baby comes. Then an evil little voice in my head says, what exactly is the point of doing my exams? I'm going to be stuck back where I was before caring for a baby and not using my qualifications. But then again on the other hand there is no doubt in my mind that this time round it would be totally different. I am fairly certain that I would have Gideon's full support and help, and I would also be certain that this baby was made with our love, but there is still the doubts in my head not to mention the fact that this wasn't on my immediate to do list, so instead of doing the mature and responsible thing and talking everything over with Gideon I am alternating between total denial and blind panic and just sticking my head in the sand.

I know I need to find out for sure and I also know I need to talk to Gideon about it. He has been watching me and I know he knows something is going on and I also know he is worried about me, as he thinks I am ill. Which makes me feel more guilty than I already do as the last thing I want to do is worry him.

"Evie, come on watch what you are doing" I look up and see I have nearly driven my trolley into George.

"Sorry George, I was away with the fairies then!" I say with a forced grin.

He laughs, "No harm done" he says. He looks closely at me, "Is everything ok, you don't look very good?" he asks.

I nod, "Yeah I'm just a bit tired that's all I didn't really want to do those site visits and it stressed me out a bit beforehand so I think it's just that catching up with me" I lie.

George nods, "Yeah, I have to admit I wasn't keen either and I know Hayley was worried about them too after what we found up at Burnley, but it all turned out ok and it's done now and now everything is set up with this new computerised system it makes it easier to see if there are any issues anywhere" he says.

I nod and turn down another aisle of electrical parts and a wave of nausea rolls over me. I take another deep breath but I start to feel a bit dizzy and lightheaded. I pause gripping my trolley. I remember I fainted a couple of times when I was pregnant with Maisie and I really don't want to do that now and make a show of myself. I decide I just need to get through today and then I will have to bite the bullet, get a test done to find out for sure and tell Gideon and…

"Evie!"

"Come on Evie open your eyes".

"Has someone called upstairs yet and told Gideon?"

"It's ok, look she's coming around, pass us that tea".

I open my eyes and the first thing I realise is I'm not in the aisle with my trolley, I am sitting in George's little make shift office and a plastic cup of tea is being thrust into my hand, and a number of the guys are crowded around all with concerned expressions on their faces.

"What happened?" I ask.

"I don't know, it looked like you fainted" George says.

"Yeah you went down like a sack of spuds" Boz says bluntly.

"One moment you were pushing your trolley next you were on the floor" Rav says.

I take a sip of the tea and grimace slightly. I take tea without sugar and someone has made this sweet.

"Are you hurt, you went down with a bit of a bang?" George says to me, and the concern on his face is heart-warming.

I shake my head and try and stand up and once again the room spins. I grab the table and sit back down again.

"Sit still Evie!" I look up into the equally concerned face of Martin Daniels, bloody hell everyone is here.

"Gideon is on his way down now" someone calls and I close my eyes.

"Shit" I mutter, that is the last thing I and he needs he is so busy at the moment, he really doesn't need to be worried about me. I am now embarrassed more than anything at the fuss I have caused.

I try once more to say I am ok and I try to get up again but Martin grabs my arm and pushes me back into the seat.

"I said sit still Evie" he says.

I look up to respond but I see Gideon running towards us, worry etched on his face and the group of men part as he pushes his way through.

"Eva what happened? Are you ok?" he asks crouching in front of me and reaching for my hand.

I shake my head, "I don't know I just got a bit light headed and I must have fainted," I say vaguely, as I don't want to have to explain why I think I fainted right here, right now. "But I'm ok now" I add decisively.

Gideon frowns, and I know he doesn't believe me, "You look like death warmed up. Come on, I'm taking you home," he says resolutely. "Can you stand?" he asks as he reaches for me.

I want to argue with him but don't as I really do feel pretty shit. As I stand again the nausea I am feeling erupts into full blown vomiting and I slap my hand over my mouth as I heave and with my other hand I reach over and grab the waste paper bin and vomit into it before unceremoniously sitting back down again. There is a chorus of groans at this and I look around apologetically.

"Sorry" I mutter.

George shakes his head, "Don't be, you've obviously got a tummy bug or something. Get yourself off home" he says kindly as he takes the bin from my hands and does his best not to look too horrified by it.

Gideon grasps my hand as I try and stand yet again but my legs feel like jelly and I feel them give way, he doesn't hesitate and he grabs me around the waist and then lifts me into his arms.

I struggle and protest as I try to get him to put me down but he doesn't listen and marches out of the picking area and then the depot, while I nearly die of embarrassment as everyone watches us leaving.

Once we are alone, and he climbs into the car beside me I reach for his hand as he goes to start the car. I know I have no choice but to come clean now about what I believe is wrong.

"Gideon" I say and a pang of fear streaks through me. I feel the panic setting in and I start to breathe heavily.

He turns and grabs my hand, "What is it, what on earth is the matter?"

I shake my head helplessly and the tears start to fall. Gideon doesn't hesitate as he leans towards me and pulls me into his arms. It's slightly awkward and uncomfortable with the gearstick and handbrake between us but it is comforting as he holds me.

"It's ok, don't cry, there is no need to get embarrassed you are obviously ill," he says gently.

"I'm not ill" I mutter.

"Well fainting and vomiting isn't normally considered the actions of someone who is 100% healthy!" he says wryly.

I shake my head, "You don't understand, it's not what you think," I say.

"Then talk to me Eva, what's wrong?" he asks.

I pull away and grip his hand tightly, "Promise me you won't get mad?" I ask warily.

He stares at me his mouth open "Why on earth would you say something like that? Of course I won't get mad, you can't help being ill Eva!" he says in confusion. I look and see the complete bewildered surprise on his face as he is clearly trying to work out what the hell is going on.

I bite my lip, and shake my head the tears flowing freely now. This is it, time for the denial to end and come clean, "I've already said I'm not ill, I don't think I am ill… I think I'm pregnant" I say and I wait. I'm not sure what I'm waiting for, part of me is waiting for the shouting and anger, but I know Gideon won't hit me but I close my eyes and I wait. Memories of the last time I was pregnant push their way into my head and I remember the pain as Nathan punched me and pushed me down the stairs. I know Gideon won't do anything like that but I can't stop the memories bombarding my mind.

After a moment and he hasn't said anything, I open my eyes and gingerly look up at him; he is sitting his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide.

"Say something… please" I whisper, his silence panicking me more than anything and I'm cringing inwardly at how shaky my voice sounds.

"You think you are pregnant?" he says simply.

I nod, "I recognise the symptoms, and I fainted a couple of times in the early days with Maisie" I say with a shrug.

"You've not done a test or anything to confirm this theory?" he asks and I shake my head.

"No, I've been in denial about the whole thing if I am honest" I mutter.

Gideon pulls himself together and starts the car and pulls out of the depot car park without another word. I am surprised when, instead of heading straight home he pulls up at Tesco, and parks up. He turns off the engine and turns towards me.

"Wait here," he says and with that he disappears inside. A few moments later he comes out clutching a box and he hands it to me as he climbs back in, I see immediately it is a pregnancy test.

"Thank you" I whisper meekly as I accept it from him.

We drive home in silence and I go straight to the bathroom and do the test. I wash my hands and brush my teeth to get rid of the lingering sour taste of vomit in my mouth and then open the bathroom door and Gideon is standing outside waiting, an anxious expression on his face.

He steps towards me and holds me tightly, "How do you feel about this?" he asks nervously as I try and bury my head into his chest, and I just shrug.

"Eva, please talk to me" he says.

I look up at him, and all my conflicting thoughts pour out of my mouth in a jumbled mess, "I don't know, I wasn't planning on having another baby quite this soon, we haven't known each other long and we have only just been married a couple of months or so. I'm scared because it's all happening so fast, everything is happening at once and I wanted to get my GCSE's and learn to drive… and…" I stop everything overwhelming me and the tears once again start to fall.

"Shhh it's ok" Gideon croons as he strokes my back and rocks me gently.

I don't know how long we stand there but eventually I pull away and go to the test sitting on the toilet tank.

I pick it up and it is conclusive, the word 'Pregnant' is emblazoned across it and my heart lurches in panic. Gideon comes up to me to take a look and I take a step back from him. I have no idea why I did that. I know he won't react violently but at this moment my head is all over the place. Gideon notices my reaction and frowns then he holds out his hand for the test.

"Let me see," he says quietly.

I offer him the small white stick and he stares at it and I watch his reaction, tears appear in his eyes and a huge genuine smile fills his face.

It fades though as he looks at me, "You were afraid to tell me" he says, it's not a question it's a statement of fact but I nod as though I am answering a question.

"Because of Nathan's violent reaction when you told him you were pregnant with Maisie" Gideon states again. I feel myself going red as the heat radiates from my face and I nod again.

He shakes his head, "Never, ever be afraid to tell me anything Eva, I will never hurt you" he says. He reaches for my hand and leads me into our bedroom and we sit down on the bed.

"I'm sorry" I whisper as guilt and remorse is now filling me, "I know you wouldn't hit me, but I was panicking about it and everything got messed up in my head" I say as I try to dig myself out of the hole I have put myself in. I watch him and he acknowledges my excuse with a small nod and a reassuring smile.

I watch as he takes a photograph of the test and then he throws it into the bin, that done he turns towards me and focuses his full attention on me, he strokes my face gently.

"Ok, first of all, I need you to know I am delighted by this news, totally delighted, ok?" he pauses and I nod, then he reaches for my hand. "I know it has happened sooner than either of us expected and it wasn't planned, but that is not a problem for me… at all. I think this is wonderful, ok?" he pauses again and looks at me questioningly and I nod again, I feel him squeeze my hand "Alright, now having said all that I need to know how you feel about this" he says carefully.

I grip his hand tightly and swallow hard and then I shrug, "I'm shocked, and I'm trying to figure out how it happened" I say.

Gideon waves his hand dismissively, "How it happened is irrelevant, the fact is it has and I really need to know if you are happy about it or not because I won't force you to go through something you are not 100% happy about?" he says.

I look up into his eyes and I see fear, the fear that he thinks I am going to tell him I don't want to do this again. That I don't want this baby and yet I also know that if I were to say that, he would support me and he would stand by me. Despite the fact he really, really wants this.

"Eva, just tell me the truth how you feel. I promise you whatever you say I will be fine with," he says, a warm surge of love rushes through me at those words confirming what I already knew but in that moment as I really think about how I do feel about it I feel another huge surge, this time of protective maternal love of this unborn baby and I know I couldn't possibly put an end to this.

"I love you and so of course I love this baby, and of course I want to have this baby with you. I think I'm just a bit stunned because we didn't plan it and because it happened so soon, plus I have no idea how it happened. But there is no way I want to end it, I just couldn't do that" I say and I see him sag with relief, he grabs me and pulls me close, as he does so I realise that I have my hand on my stomach.

"Eva, oh my god you are having my baby. I am going to be a daddy" he says his words tumbling out of his mouth, "Thank you" he whispers and I feel him kiss me and I also feel the wetness of his tears.

We sit there for a few moments just clinging to each other and then he pushes me away slightly and holds me by my shoulders.

"Something is still bothering you, I can tell" he says.

I nod, "I feel like I am being really selfish, but… and don't get me wrong. I really want to have a baby with you… I do, but I didn't think it would be yet. I had just started to get my life back on track, you had shown me that I could do better. You have given me the confidence to want more… to expect more from life. You know, get my exams, learn to drive and make something of my life and I know this sounds really bad and really selfish but I want that so badly, now that I know I can have it I really want it, but finding out I am pregnant again I feel…" I stop and shake my head.

Gideon strokes my hair out of my face and looks lovingly at me, "You feel what Angel?" he asks, "Come on tell me, so I can tell you how everything will be fine" he says.

I take a deep breath, "I feel as though that will all be taken away from me again" I mumble.

Gideon shakes his head, "Not going to happen" he states firmly.

I give him an 'oh come on you are not that naive are you' sort of look. Surely, he understands a baby changes everything.

He seems to realise what I'm thinking, "Eva, you will not be going through this alone, you have my complete support. I will be with you every step of the way. Where are we… March, so April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November… December, December baby" he says with a smile.

I shake my head it will go from the date of my last period so we are probably looking at November rather than December, but when I have my scan that will give us a more accurate date" I say.

He nods, "So you think by the summer you will be about 5/6 months pregnant, by September you will be about 7 months pregnant?" he asks and I nod wondering where he is going with this.

He grins at me, "So, you told me that on Tuesday, your tutor told you that you could possibly take your GCSE's this September the way you are going, so if I were to engage a private tutor for you that should help you achieve that comfortably, without causing you stress?" he says, my eyes widen in shock how he so calmly said that, "Or you could take the full two years to get your GCSE's, you are well ahead of the class so the time you take out when you have the baby shouldn't affect you and as soon as you decide to resume your studies I will be on hand to take care of the baby. Plus, I'm sure the college will work with you if they are prepared to give you your own tutor at the moment, and again if you wanted to you could continue to study privately with a private tutor" he says with a shrug.

"And your driving instructor said you should be passed by the summer so that is covered as well" he says.

He grasps my hand, "You see, you don't have to give up your dreams again Eva. You can have your dreams and you can have our baby. It will take some working out and possibly a bit of juggling but I want you to have both and I will do everything within my power to help make it happen" he says.

I nod, "Ok" I say, feeling positive about this now Gideon has said all that, as I was really afraid that I was once again going to have to put aside my plans and dreams, like I did when I was 15 and this time I really didn't want to do it. I don't confess to that thought though as I know it makes me sound selfish.

Gideon smiles, "You tell me what you need and I will do my best to make it happen" he says.

I shake my head, "I just want you by my side with me, helping me and sharing it with me. I never had that with Maisie. I had gran of course and to a certain extent my mum but I never had anyone to share the moments with, I was all on my own" I say.

Gideon nods, "You will not go through this alone" he states.

"What I missed most was having someone with me when I gave birth" I say quietly, voicing a regret I had always held on to but never told anyone before.

Gideon looks shocked at this, "You gave birth alone?" he says.

I nod, "Gran was meant to be there in the delivery room with me but when Maisie came she was ill and so she obviously couldn't be there, so I did it alone. Mum was at work when I went into labour, so was dad and granddad and believe me they all tried to leave and come and help me when I called them even though I wasn't too keen on the idea of dad or granddad being there. So, it ended up just me going to the hospital on the bus and when I gave birth it was just me and the midwife" I say. "I called Nathan to tell him, when I went into labour and to be fair to him he came… eventually. But I'd had Maisie by the time he finally turned up. He held her and promised the earth but I actually went through childbirth alone" I say.

"Jesus Christ Eva, you were 15 years old and you did it alone!" Gideon gasps.

I shrug, "I didn't have a lot of choice. Maisie didn't care that gran was ill, it was her time to be born. I don't think gran has ever forgiven herself for that though, because all the way through she promised me she would be there so she said she had let me down, but it obviously wasn't her fault" I say.

Gideon pulls me close and he places one of his hands on my stomach, "I will be with you every step of the way" he vows sincerely. "You will not go through any of this alone again" he adds.

"I don't want to tell anyone… not yet, it's too soon and I don't want to tell anyone in case…" I trail off and look up warily.

Gideon nods, "That sounds sensible, as awful as that sounds. It is a fact that anything can happen in early pregnancy and it would be horrible to tell everyone to then have to tell them that something has happened" he says.

"But having said that, I want to tell my gran, because…" I stop speaking as Gideon nods in understanding.

"I get it Angel, she is different and I can understand why you need to tell her, but nobody else yet" he says.

A sudden thought occurs to me and I try to dismiss it as he wouldn't do that but Gideon must see some sign on my face of what I am thinking.

"What else is bothering you?" he asks me.

I wait while I try and organise my wayward thoughts, "Will this change your plans to adopt Maisie?" I ask and inwardly cringe at how accusing and blunt that sounded.

Gideon shakes his head, "No it doesn't and if anything, it makes me want to speed things along as I want her to officially be my daughter by the time the baby comes, to make her feel more secure in case she has the same worry" he says. "Which reminds me, I got a call from Tasha, it was her who I was on the phone to when someone called up to say you had taken ill" he says.

"Oh ok?" I say warily.

"Yes, she called to say the court has asked for the official report to be completed and so she was asking to arrange a home visit so she can talk to Maisie. She is coming tomorrow evening" he says.

"Alright" I say, "Do you think we should tell her about the baby?" I ask.

I watch as he thinks about that, "I can't see any reason why we should have to do that, but on the other hand we could say that we have only just found out and so we don't want it broadcasting but we are making her aware of the fact so she can see we are in a fully committed relationship and I could say that I would like Maisie to officially become my daughter before the baby arrives" he says.

I nod, "I think we should, I mean it could only help our case really couldn't it?" I ask.

Gideon nods, "If you want to say then we will, but we had better make sure Maisie doesn't overhear as we don't want her to know yet" he says.

We go downstairs and I feel as though a huge weight as been lifted from my shoulders and I am inwardly chastising myself for not trusting myself or Gideon and telling him straight away as I could have saved myself a ton of worry. As I go to go into the kitchen Gideon grabs my hand and leads me into the living room, he points at the sofa and tells me to rest, then he goes into the kitchen and I hear him making me some lunch.

When he returns with a simple sandwich and a drink he hands them to me and he sits down beside me.

I smile at him, "Thank you, but you need to get back to work" I say, he glances at his watch and I know he is torn. He is really busy at the moment finalising the final stages of the restructuring, but he also wants to stay here.

I think about Maisie and the visit with Tasha and I remember that I was going to fetch her from school today as Gideon was too busy to and I look up at him, "Maisie, I need to fetch her from school" I say.

"No you don't, you are going to sit there and you are going to rest, I'll fetch her" he says.

I shake my head, "You have to get back to work, you are busy" I argue.

He pulls his phone from his pocket, and I see him calling someone, "Sandra it's Gideon, I need to ask a favour" he says.

"Gideon, no, I can go!" I protest, but he doesn't listen and a few moments later he has everything arranged.

He turns towards me, "I really do have to get back, but if you need anything you are to call me immediately" he says firmly and I smile.

"Ok" I say, I know there is no point arguing or disagreeing with him.

"While you are here resting you can organise an appointment with the doctor, and let me know when it is so I can come with you" he says.

"I can do that" I say and with that he leans down and kisses me.

"You'll be ok?" he asks worry filling his face and I smile and touch his cheek.

"I'll be fine, honestly" I say.

oooOOOooo

After lunch Gideon finally leaves me and I make a call to the doctor and arrange an appointment and then text Gideon with the details. He texts me back to tell me he has put it into his schedule. I put the telly on and mindlessly flick through the channels. I feel myself dozing off when I hear the doorbell; I come to with a jolt and go to answer the door. Standing there is Maisie and my gran and gran is looking at me carefully with concern as she pushes Maisie inside.

"You don't look well at all, what is the matter?" she asks as she steps inside.

I feel the tears building once more, and I silently curse my hormones. "Go and get changed Maisie" I hear my gran say and after greeting her I watch my daughter disappear upstairs.

I lead my gran into the living room and she sits beside me, looking concerned. "I'm not ill I'm pregnant" I blurt out.

I watch as shock fills my gran's face, and before she can answer I continue outlining the events of today.

"I passed out at work, Gideon brought me home and told me to rest. I told him my suspicions and he stopped off and got a pregnancy test from Tesco and when we got home I took it and it confirmed that I am" I say.

"Oh Evie" she sighs.

I shake my head, "No, it's not like before, this is good news gran. I was shitting myself beforehand but Gideon is really pleased about it and he has promised me I have his full support" I say.

"But you were doing your exams and learning to drive and…" my gran says.

I hold up my hand to stop her and I interrupt her, "And I still am, as far as I can work out the baby will arrive in November. I told you how well I was doing with both my driving and my evening classes, this week I had a review with my tutor and they said they are getting a tutor to just work with me as they think they are holding me back and they seem to think I will complete the two year syllabus in a year, rather than two – well it will be less than a year as they are talking about entering me for my exams later this year, in September time. But I can do that and take them before I have the baby or still take the two years to complete the course, and just take a few months out when I have him or her, as Gideon has said he will do whatever it takes for me to have both" I say. "As for my driving, Gideon takes me out as often as he can for practice, and my driving instructor says that he is confident I will have passed by the summer". I pause and let gran take all that in.

"Gideon has even suggested hiring a private tutor for me to accelerate my learning even faster, so if I want to take my exams before the baby is born it will go to plan and I will be about 7/8 months pregnant when I sit my exams and less than that when I take my driving test". I say.

Gran nods, "Is this what you want though?" she asks warily.

I pause as I think about that, "I know I want to have a baby with Gideon, that was never in any question, we are a family. But I admit that I didn't expect it to be so soon, I'm not sure how it happened if I am honest as I take my pills religiously. But the fact is, it did happen and I couldn't get rid of it. I couldn't do that to him and I couldn't do that to me or the baby either" I say.

"And you think you can do your exams and everything with a baby on the way?" Gran asks.

I nod, "It will be different this time, I know that I have Gideon's complete support. Something I didn't have before and… I can count on your support can't I?" I ask.

My gran stares at me as if I am stupid, "Of course you can" she splutters with a sense of complete indignation, "You always have my support" she adds.

"We are not saying anything yet though to anyone else as its really early days" I say and my gran nods.

"That's sensible" she says. She looks at me warily and hesitates before saying her next question.

"What about Maisie?" she asks.

"What about Maisie? She will have a little brother or sister. What's not to like about that? I'm sure she will be thrilled when we tell her," I say.

My Gran shakes her head, "I didn't mean that, I was talking about Gideon's plans to adopt her, will he even bother now because he has a child of his own on the way?"

I stare at gran her blunt question throws me and I want to be offended on Gideon's behalf yet I can't, as I had thought exactly the same thing, if only for a moment.

"He still wants it, in fact he said he wants the adoption to go through quicker so that Maisie will officially be his by the time the baby arrives, actually you should also know that Tasha has called him about her report that she has to make and made an appointment to come and see us all tomorrow evening as the court has started setting things in motion now.

"Why is Tasha involved? I thought you told me she had signed you off?" Gran asks, a look of confusion on her face.

I shake my head, "No, don't you remember, I also told you that the court would assign a local authority social worker to us to check us out so to speak, and to provide a report as to whether or not Gideon is fit to adopt Maisie. He had to make his intention to adopt Maisie to the local authority three months before Charles filed the official adoption paperwork" I explain, Gran nods as though she is remembering.

"Tasha was chosen and assigned to us as she knows us and our history best, and she also knows how I have now got my life together. You know going to college and everything and how all that is largely thanks to Gideon. He also thinks the baby would help our case, as he thinks it helps cement the stable long-term relationship clause that the court looks for" I say.

"How long will it take, for the adoption to go through the court?" gran asks.

I shrug, "Charles says it takes between three to six months to complete. Charles filed the official paperwork at the beginning of February and they have only just started it now, and we are nearly at the end of March, so I assume it will be three to six months from now. Although it could be from February when Charles handed in the paperwork".

I watch gran quickly work that out, "So anytime between May or June and August or September" she says.

I nod, "I was hoping it would be just three months from February when we officially set the ball rolling as that would be May and I was hoping Gideon would be officially Maisie's dad in time for her birthday in May, but even I realise that was optimistic – probably to the point of delusional!"

Gran laughs at that, "Well, you both seem to have everything worked out and I honestly can't fault that boy. He certainly hasn't held back, marriage, adoption and also now a baby of his own, but to have that much responsibility so young. I mean he is what… 24? Then there is everything he has done. I mean he runs that company now, that is a huge thing for someone so young" she says.

I nod proudly as I think of my husband's achievements, "He does and you should see what he is doing gran, he has changed Cross Industries beyond all recognition in the few months he has been at the helm, he has gone through the place like a dose of salts. He has shut the head office in Manchester and moved the staff to Stoke and made here the head office now, he has closed the Manchester factory and moved all the manufacturing and production to Birmingham, and he has changed all the procedures, so everything is digital, you know all done on the computer so that the paperwork and the faffing about that surrounded that is negligible now and it has streamlined everything a hell of a lot, it's so efficient now. Plus because all you have to do is log on to the computer to do anything, you can see at a glance everything you need to know. Also, it has increased productivity because you can see who is pulling their weight and who isn't, and Gideon doesn't tolerate laziness. All the depots are linked and everything just seems to run so smoothly now" I say as I sing Gideon's praises at the changes he has implemented.

"Very impressive" Gran says, "What about your future there?" she asks.

"What about my future?" I ask, wondering what she means.

"Will you continue to work there after the baby is born?" she clarifies.

I pause, "We haven't discussed that yet, I mean I will take maternity leave, but we have only just found out today and we haven't talked about all that yet" I say.

"Well there are a number of things you need to consider, for example your job is pretty physical, as you get bigger you won't be able to do what you do now" she says.

I nod in agreement, "I know, Gideon has previously said he would also like me to move out of the picking area at some point, he is encouraging me to carry on with my learning and get more qualifications and I said I'd like to get a business type qualification. He said if I did that he would move me out of the picking area and into a position on the office side, but I feel funny about that" I say.

"Why? Just because you are married to him? Don't let your stubborn pride hold you back Evie, if you get your qualifications and are qualified to do the job he offers you then the fact you are his wife shouldn't have any bearing. There is only an issue there if he offers you a job you are not qualified to do!" gran says.

"I know, but it still looks a bit like nepotism" I say.

Gran shakes her head, "Not if you are qualified for the role" she insists.

"Mummy!" I turn to see my daughter appear with her reading book and she clambers up on to the sofa and into my lap.

I take the book from her, "Is this another new book?" I ask and Maisie nods.

"Right then, I suppose I'd best be off then" Gran says as she stands up.

I urge Maisie to move and I stand up, "Thanks for helping us out Gran" I say gratefully.

My gran pulls me into a warm hug "You always have my support" she says.