First Friends by Marcia Willett Read Free Book Online Page A

have said and dug her fingers into the sand with frustration.
    Cass went on her way smiling serenely.
    â€˜F EELING TERRIBLE ?’ T HE LARGE dark girl paused at the bottom of Kate’s bed. The accent was definitely Australian. Kate tried to smile.
    â€˜Awful backache,’ she admitted. ‘They’ve shaved me and given me an enema but they don’t really think I’m in labour.’
    â€˜What do they know about it?’ The Australian girl leaned over the foot of the bed. ‘Take my advice, sweetie, have it quick and get out. If you get it over before noon you get to go home one day early. I’ve been in here forty-eight hours already. Back home they’d give me something but not here! The Matron’s a right cow!’
    â€˜Are you on exchange?’ The nursing home was devoted almost totally to naval wives and Kate felt fairly certain that this girl was one.
    â€˜Yeah. My old man’s in
Dolphin
. Where’s yours?’
    â€˜At sea.’ Kate gasped with pain.
    â€˜ ’Course he is! Never there when you need ’em. And if they are, they’re useless. Yesterday, one poor girl had her old man in with her. Come the interesting bit, he ups and faints right on top of her. The midwife drags him off and bundles him under the delivery table. When he comes to, he sits up suddenly and knocks himself out! Nothing but trouble, men.’
    â€˜Please don’t,’ cried Kate, weakly. ‘It hurts to laugh.’
    The Australian girl looked her over judiciously. ‘Pain real bad, is it? Coming and going? You’re in labour. No doubt about it, I’d say.’
    Kate had to wait for the wave of pain to subside before she could speak. ‘But do you know anything about it?’
    â€˜Sure do, sweetie. Back home I’m a midwife. Hang on, I’ll get Sister.’
    Kate closed her eyes and tried to breathe deeply as the pain laid hold and wrestled with her.
    â€˜Bloody hell, Sister. You’re only just going to make it with this one.’
    Kate opened her eyes. Sister and the Australian were leaning over her.
    â€˜She didn’t say that she was having contractions,’ said Sister, resentfully. ‘Only backache. I’ll get the trolley.’
    As Kate was wheeled out, the Australian leaned over her.
    â€˜It’s only just on eleven. You could still make it, you lucky cow!’

Four
    The submarine was notified of the birth of the twin boys through the usual naval channels but all Kate had was a brief telegram from Mark that arrived at the same time as a huge bouquet of flowers from the Wardroom. She was terribly touched by the latter—organised, of course, by the Captain’s wife—and was aware of the feeling of camaraderie that existed in these close-knit naval circles whilst feeling hurt that Mark had made no further effort to communicate. After all, she had told herself as she watched flowers and telegrams and husbands arriving for the other wives, I suppose there’s not much he can do when he’s nearly three thousand miles away. But at the back of her mind doubts lurked. If the Wardroom could arrange to have the flowers delivered to her, then so could Mark. Or he could have made some arrangement with his mother to buy some and left a letter with her to give to Kate after the birth. In her disappointment, she hinted as much to Mrs Webster who was obviously embarrassed by her son’s casual attitude although she hastened to Mark’s defence. Fortunately, there were several wives in the same situation which made her feel less lonely. Her parents had rushed up from Cornwall to see her and had rushed back again although Mrs Webster had pressed them to stay the night at the flat.
    â€œI simply couldn’t cope with him,’ admitted Kate’s mother, having kissed Kate, admired the twins and settled down to chat. ‘She’s not too bad but he manages to make me feel completely superfluous. I’ll