Part Ten
"No, I'm not carrying you!" Lucy almost snapped. She hadn't wanted to come out to the mall, but there were items of clothing that the boys needed and various other things to be purchased which couldn't be put off any longer. Despite the snowy February weather, the mall was busy. Lucy had always thought that it was strange the way snow and hot weather each seemed to turn people into morons. She had just spent the past two hours being jostled about and stood in long queues. Not an ounce of courtesy seemed to exist towards her, despite having several bags of shopping, a pushchair and a two-year old who was also beginning to get bad tempered. She was also pregnant for a fourth time. Jeff had treated her to a surprise long weekend away in Rome. Free from the pressures of work and looking after three inquisitive boys, they ended up with more than just photographs as a lasting reminder of their trip. When first told that he'd be getting another sibling, and perhaps it could be a sister, Scott had balked at the suggestion of a girl joining the family. At nearly eight years old, he was at an age where girls were something to avoid.
"I don't want a sister. Girls are silly," he had insisted.
"So you think I'm silly too?" Lucy had asked him, pretending to be hurt.
"But you're not a girl, you're Momma," he replied, as if daring her to defy his logic.
"And what do you think moms used to be? When you're grown up, you might have a girlfriend and want to have babies of your own."
"Eurgh, no." That had been the end of that particular conversation. In the present, Lucy looked down at the little blond-haired boy clinging to her leg. In naming him John, they not only continued Jeff's thing for the Mercury Seven, but also honoured Lucy's father. John had looked more like a china doll than a baby when he was born, so fine were his features. Unlike his parents and elder brothers, John had fair hair, taking after Lucy's mother, Caroline, though his large sky-blue eyes were reminiscent of his other grandmother, Josie. John had turned out to be a somewhat clingy child, who as a baby would begin wailing as soon as his mother so much as left the room. They had cured him of that with help from a neighbour, but he remained almost painfully shy and would rarely leave his parent's side if he could help it. She unwrapped John from her leg and took hold of his hand.
"Do you want to go in the buggy?" she asked him. He shook his head and tried to get his mother to pick him up again.
"Mommy…" he whined.
"I can't carry you, Jo-Jo. You can go in the buggy, else you'll have to walk," Lucy told him, firmly. John's lip began to tremble in that way that indicated a flood of tears was on the way. Knowing exactly what was going to happen next, Lucy kept a firm hold on John's hand and began to walk towards the exit of the mall. At least John would still walk with her, unlike Scott, who used to just sit on the floor and refuse to move. Where they didn't differ as toddlers was at wailing their heads off at being made to do something they didn't like. Ignoring the hard looks from judgemental passers-by, Lucy finally made it out into the crisp air outside, breathing a sigh of relief. It was over. She was looking forward to getting home and having lunch and a hot drink. On the way along the precinct that led to the car park, John decided that he was going to get into the buggy after all, making Lucy stop. She took the opportunity to rearrange the bags of shopping. Suddenly, she felt a tug as someone pulled on her handbag. What happened next was quick, yet it seemed to be in slow motion. Instinctively, Lucy pulled back on the bag, her eyes connecting with those of the man who was trying to take it from her. He pushed her against a rail, and she realised too late that she had lost her footing on the slippery paving and was falling down some steps…
"…get her off the ground, onto that bench." Lucy came back into consciousness to find herself being lifted off the ground by two men. A second later, an excruciating pain pulsated from her left wrist up her arm as all her senses connected back together.
"She's come round," a woman's voice said. Lucy looked to her left to see a dark-haired lady peering at her, concerned.
"My wrist," Lucy murmured, and tried to sit up. The woman made her stay still.
"It's okay, honey. There's an ambulance on the way. You just stay there. That was a nasty fall," she said, soothingly.
"Where's John?" Lucy asked, panicking.
"He's right here," the woman said. Lucy turned her head, and saw John crying his eyes out. He ran over to her. She managed to reach her good arm over her front so that she could hold out her hand. He grabbed onto it, tightly.
"It's okay, Jo-Jo. Mummy's here," Lucy said to him, trying to give him some assurance, although she felt detached from reality at the moment. Another man joined them.
"Bastard got away," he said, still out of breath. He looked at Lucy. "Is she okay?" he asked the dark-haired lady.
"She's just come round," she replied. She turned back to Lucy. "I'm Kirsten. What's your name?" she asked.
"Lucy."
"Lucy. What's your little boy's name?" Kirsten asked.
"John," Lucy replied. "He's nearly two and a half."
"My little girl's about the same age. Is he your first?"
"No, I have two older boys," Lucy said, relaxing a little as Kirsten continued to talk to her.
"Three boys! I bet they keep you busy."
"Yes, they do," Lucy replied. "It'll be four boys soon."
"My goodness!" Kirsten smiled at her, then looked to her side. A second later, two paramedics appeared. The people around Lucy proceeded to tell them what had happened, although most of it went over her head. She was still dazed, besides being in pain. Like a dream, Kirsten and the other people drifted away as Lucy was put into the ambulance. Thankfully, the paramedic with her had managed to calm John down. Once at the hospital, John was taken away to be looked after by a nurse, whilst Lucy was taken first to X-ray, to check the extent of the damage to her wrist. Then she was taken to have a doctor check on the baby. Lucy lay looking up at the ceiling, listening to the doctor's ums and ahs as he scanned her tummy and listened to the baby's heartbeat.
"Hmm," he said. "I'll just be a moment." Lucy's heart began racing.
"What's the matter?" she asked the nurse with her.
"Don't worry," the nurse said. "They quite often do this." The doctor came back in with another doctor, who also looked at the scan and listened. He looked at the first doctor.
"Yes, we need to do an emergency caesarean," he said quietly, although Lucy still picked it up.
"Why?" she asked, her eyes widening. "What's wrong?" The nurse tried to calm her.
"I'm sorry, but the baby is in distress. We need to operate straight away," the doctor said.
"But he's not due for another two months!" Lucy exclaimed, almost shrieking in her panic.
"I'm afraid we have no other option," the doctor replied. He nodded at the nurse. Almost immediately, Lucy was being rushed along more endless corridors. She had never been more terrified in her life and fought to control the shaking that seemed to have taken over her body. After three pregnancies that had been reasonably straightforward, this was a horrible, shocking thing to have to go through. She watched the fluorescent lights whip by, only to be replaced by the sterile environment of an operating theatre. Lucy blinked back some tears. How could such a straightforward day turn into such a nightmare?
A while later, Lucy was resting after her ordeal. Her wrist had been confirmed as being broken, but it was feeling more comfortable now that it had been plastered and she had been given painkillers. She hadn't seen her reflection, but she gathered from the fact that a nurse had been busy cleaning her face that she was a bit of a mess. The sound of the door to her room opening made her open her eyes.
"I didn't wake you, did I?"
"No, not at all." Lucy said. Jeff came over and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead before sitting down next to her and taking hold of her hand.
"Did you come here straight from New York?" Lucy asked. Jeff brushed some stray strands of her hair away from her face.
"Of course I did," he said, sounding surprised. She shook her head, tiredly.
"I'm sorry, my brain's fried. Have you spoken to the police?"
"Yes, they told me what happened," Jeff said, pushing his anger aside for the moment.
"I don't remember much of it to be honest."
"It doesn't matter."
"If I hadn't held onto my bag…" Lucy began, but Jeff hushed her.
"It's not your fault, Sweetie."
"But…"
"Lucy." Despite his eyes being full of concern, Jeff's voice was stern enough to make Lucy quieten. She let out a small sigh. She didn't have the energy to argue anyway.
"Have you seen the baby?" Jeff asked.
"No, they put me under. All I know is that he's in the NICU." Her face took on an anxious look. "The doctor said that if everything is okay later, I can go and see him."
"I'm sure it will be," Jeff said. "Premature babies have a good chance these days."
"I know… I'll feel happier when I've seen him."
"So will I."
"Who's going to look after the boys?" Lucy asked.
"Don't worry about that. I'll sort it all out," Jeff replied. He gave her another kiss. She sighed again and looked down at her broken wrist.
"I went out for some socks and came back with a broken wrist and a baby," she said. "Tell me how that's supposed to work." Jeff smiled at her, glad that she hadn't lost her sense of humour.
"Well, I'm hard pressed to think of a stranger Valentine's present," he said.
"What? Oh, yeah. It's the fourteenth today." She yawned and Jeff looked sympathetically at her, wishing he could wrap her in a hug and make the day's events go away. Maybe if he hadn't been in New York on business, it wouldn't have happened – he may have been with her, taking a break from working. One thing that Jeff had come to wish for was that people were more receptive to the idea of working from home. When his own business was a little bigger, he planned to implement just that sort of system, enabling people to organise their lives into a more comfortable mix of work and family. Just because he owned an engineering business didn't mean that he couldn't be innovative in other ways. He was enjoying watching his business grow, surprised and pleased to see it developing better than he had expected it to. Of course, it wasn't just down to him – he might own Tracy Industries, and make the big decisions, but he couldn't have done it without the help and support of various people, the most prominent of which was his wife. If it wasn't for her almost endless optimism and the ability to make a bad day seem not quite so bad, he doubted that he could have progressed as well as he had done. Sometimes he looked at her fussing around the children and wished that she hadn't felt compelled to give up her career. But he reminded himself that it was Lucy's choice, and if she'd been determined to keep up a full-time job then she'd have made that clear and he would have helped to make it work.
It was time to go and see the baby for the first time. Lucy was wrapped up cosily in her robe, slippers on her feet, being wheeled along in a wheelchair. She felt like someone's grandmother. Her appearance was currently the least of her concerns though. They entered the area where the premature babies were treated, the doctor guiding them over to where their son was. Lucy realised that she had been holding her breath and exhaled slowly. She and Jeff peered into the incubator at the tiny form. Impossibly tiny, especially after three full-term older brothers who were each over eight pounds. Lucy reached out and carefully touched the baby. They had been told that they wouldn't be allowed to hold him for the time being.
"He's so small," Lucy said, softly. Jeff nodded in agreement. He was amazed at how well formed the baby was despite his size. The only thing that prevented them from getting a good look at his features was the breathing tube and ungainly plaster that held it in place. He realised that Lucy was crying quietly and crouched down to comfort her. It was rare to see her in tears, and he hated to see her so upset. He looked at the little scrap of life again. He'd sacrifice his own business if it would enable the baby to live. Ultimately though, he knew that there was nothing he could do except sit and pray that his newest son would have the strength to make it through the first few days of his life.
Lucy was still in hospital two days later. The boys had all been to see her, and Jeff had taken Scott and Virgil to see their new brother. So far, the signs were good although he would remain in hospital for a few weeks yet. Lucy on the other hand, would be going home tomorrow. There was a knock on her door.
"Come in," she said. The door opened, and in stepped a familiar face.
"Tom!" Lucy exclaimed, a smile spreading across her face. Tom came over to her.
"For you." He gave her some flowers.
"Thank you," she said, sniffing them.
"How are you?" he asked, sitting down.
"A bit sore, but I'm okay. How did you know?"
"I saw it on the wires," he told her. "I would have come yesterday, but I couldn't get away."
"You didn't have to come all this way."
"I took advantage of one of the perks of the job and flew up," Tom said. "Anyway, have they caught him?"
"No, not yet. They've got some CCTV footage, but they're still trying to identify him."
"How's the baby?"
"The doctors say that if he makes it through this first week without any serious setbacks, he stands a good chance."
"If he's anything like his mother, he'll hang in there," Tom grinned. Lucy laughed.
"People keep saying that. Where did I get such a reputation from?"
"All I know is I wouldn't want you mad at me," Tom chuckled. "What have you called him?"
"Gordon. Still going with Jeff's theme. How are things at work?"
"Great. Hard work, but it's enjoyable," Tom said. He smiled at her. "Just a shame that you decided to bail out."
"I couldn't have coped with the boys and a full-time career. What I do now suits me just fine," Lucy replied.
"I know, it's just that you had a lot going for you."
"When you get round to having a family, you'll understand."
"I can't see that happening in the near future."
"Why not? You've got a big enough fan club," Lucy grinned. "I've seen some of the things ladies write about you on the internet…" She trailed off, not needing to add anything else. Tom blushed, but still smiled at Lucy.
"Well, I found the right lady, but she didn't find me. Anyway, if you ever do want back in the thick of it, just call me and I'll sort it."
"Unlikely, but thanks for the offer," answered Lucy, gently. Tom decided to change the subject.
"I bet that's a bit of a bummer, being a leftie." He indicated the plaster cast with a nod of his head.
"It is. The break isn't too bad, so it shouldn't be on for long, thank goodness. I'd ask you to sign it, but I'm afraid the boys didn't leave much room," she smiled, holding it up so Tom could see the childish scrawls that decorated the cast.
"A work of art," he smiled. Lucy was about to reply when Jeff entered the room, doing a noticeable double-take when he saw Tom.
"Hi Jeff," greeted Tom, cordially.
"Tom," Jeff nodded, accordingly. He crossed the room to give Lucy a rather deliberate kiss on the cheek and got a discreet pinch on his arm warning him to behave.
"How's your business going?" Tom asked.
"Not bad, thanks. I'm hoping to move into new offices soon."
"Glad to hear it," Tom replied and stood up. "Well, I'd best be off, I guess. I need to be back in New York in time for my stint in the studio."
"We'll have to arrange to meet for a proper catch-up at some point," suggested Lucy.
"Yes, I'd like that very much," Tom replied. He kissed Lucy on the cheek as deliberately as Jeff had done. "Hope the little guy will be okay."
"Thank you," Lucy said. "I'll let you know how he gets on."
"Sure. Bye Lucy." He turned to Jeff. "Jeff."
"Tom." Jeff watched him go. He turned to Lucy as soon as the door shut. "What was he doing here?"
"He came to see me," Lucy replied. "He came all the way from New York."
"So did I," Jeff retorted, mildly. Lucy rolled her eyes and made an exasperated noise.
"You two are as bad as each other."
"I don't know what you mean."
"You would actually get on quite well if you wanted to."
"Yeah, well…" Jeff muttered. Still, he was glad to see Lucy looking happy after what had been a difficult couple of days. They were still in for a difficult few weeks, but Jeff was sure that they would come through it.
"He's coming home today, isn't he, Grandma?"
"Yes dear, he's really coming home. Be a good boy and put these snacks on the table. Don't eat any of them." Josie watched as Scott gave her a mischievous grin and did as he was told. The two elder boys were excited that their baby brother was finally being allowed home, Scott being particularly pleased since it coincided with the same week as his birthday. Josie and Grant had decided to pay a short visit that would allow them to see their newest grandson and celebrate their eldest grandson's birthday at the same time, hence Josie had brought along some homemade treats. She was busy organising the little party whilst Jeff and Lucy had gone to make the trip to the hospital for the last time. Grant was helping his grandsons to organise the nibbles on the table. John was fast asleep on the sofa. Scott put a plate of freshly made sandwiches on the table as a finishing touch. Satisfied that there was a suitable spread, Josie beckoned Scott and Virgil to her.
"Close your eyes and hold out your hands," she said. They did as they were told, and then opened their eyes to find that a large chocolate chip cookie had been given to each of them.
"Thank you, Grandma," they chorused, beginning to nibble on the cookies. The sound of the front door made the two boys run into the hallway. Josie could hear Jeff's voice telling them to calm down. She stepped out of the kitchen and called to Scott and Virgil, telling them to go and sit in the living room with John. Virgil obeyed instantly; Scott followed after a further rebuke from his father. Josie followed her son and daughter-in-law through to the living room as well. Jeff set the carrier down, and Grant and Josie came to peer at their little grandson.
"My, he's just adorable," Josie said, making both the parents smile. "And is that red hair I see?" she asked.
"Yes, it is," Lucy said.
"Well, he's got to be a tough little man," Grant said.
"Not too tough, I hope," Jeff replied. Scott and Virgil tried to push past him to see Gordon.
"He's still quite small," Josie said.
"For the moment, but they think that he'll be fine when he's older," Lucy replied. "Anyway, he's bigger than he used to be, isn't he Vee? Show Grandma how big Gordon was when you first saw him."
"He was this big," Virgil said, indicating with his hands.
"No he wasn't. He was this big," said Scott, showing a slightly different distance with his hands.
"He wasn't, Scott!"
"He was!"
"Boys! Be quiet else you'll wake the baby," Jeff said. The two boys subsided. Soon after, Gordon was put into his own crib, and the rest of his family tucked into the food Josie had rustled up. Lucy had been quite affected by Gordon's birth, because it made her realise how fortunate she had been with the first three. She had chatted to some of the other mothers when she had visited Gordon and had been touched by some of the stories. Jeff had donated some money to the hospital in gratitude for their help in looking after Gordon. Maybe she and Jeff could set up a proper fund between them to help people in difficulty. Lucy stored the idea away for a time when she didn't have four boys demanding her attention. Some people wondered if Gordon's difficult start in life meant that he had more of a place in his parent's hearts than the others, but for Lucy that that was nonsense. All of her children were special to her, for different reasons – Scott, her precocious first born. Virgil, her sweetheart old soul. John, already her little bookworm. And now Gordon. He had turned out to be a happy, giggly baby with a very enticing cheeky smile and contrary, for unlike his brothers before him, he tended to cry when taken out of the bath rather than when put in it. Something told her that this little one was going to be a bit of a scamp.
Summer came around again, bringing with it an almost familiar feeling. After shooing the elder children away and checking on Gordon napping in the bouncer, Lucy sat down with Jeff to enjoy a snack and a cool drink. She absent-mindedly rubbed at her left wrist. The fracture had healed, but she still felt the odd niggle every so often.
"It'll be fun taking them away on vacation," Jeff said, watching Scott, Virgil and John playing a ball game that was already showing signs of turning into a brawl, John now getting old enough for each of his older brothers to enlist him in ganging up on the other.
"I think we'll be taking our lives in our hands," said Lucy. Jeff chuckled.
"No more than usual," he said. Lucy smiled then took a sip of her drink. She looked at Jeff. He looked back at her with a smile.
"When we get back, we're going to have to look at getting a bigger house," she said. It took Jeff a few moments to cotton on to what she meant.
"Shit. You're kidding me."
