From Here to Maternity by Sinéad Moriarty Read Free Book Online

‘We’ll pay you two hundred quid a week and then, if you’re a very good girl, we might throw in some free products.’
    ‘But that’s only eight hundred a month.’ said Babs, unable to hide her shock. There was no way she’d survive on that.
    ‘Take it or leave it, darling. I have younger, fitter girls than you begging me for jobs. Now, are you in or out? I’ve got a meeting to go to. Sign here.’
    Babs was going to tell him that her brother wanted to look over the contract first, but she knew that Billy would probably kick her out. She hadn’t expected him to be so blunt – or good-looking, for that matter. It was a pretty crappy job, but everyone needed to start somewhere and she’d use it as a stepping-stone to getting a proper presenting job on MTV or Channel 4. The competition in London was fierce: she needed to get her foot in the door and some experience behind her. She’d have to live with Sean for a little longer than she had expected.
    Billy pushed the contract in front of her and Babs signed.
    ‘All right, Babs, see you in January – and wear something that covers your arse next time. A lot of old people watch our channel and we don’t want to give them coronaries. It wouldn’t be good for business. Can’t buy anything if you’re dead, eh? Nice legs, though,’ he said, winking at her as he strode off down the corridor.
    Later that morning Sean rang Babs.
    ‘So how did it go?’
    ‘Fine,’ she told him.
    ‘Do you have the contract?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘It’s no big deal. It was very straightforward so I signed it.’
    ‘ You what? ’
    ‘Keep your hair on. It’s only for three months.’
    ‘I specifically told you not to sign anything. These guys could be total bandits. What are the terms?’
    ‘I dunno, just the usual – work hard and get paid weekly.’
    ‘How much?’
    ‘Um,’ said Babs, wondering if she should lie, but deciding not to as she needed to stay in Sean’s apartment. ‘Well, it’s a bit scabby – two hundred a week.’
    ‘You idiot,’ said Sean. ‘That’s daylight bloody robbery. It probably won’t even add up to the minimum wage. Why don’t you listen? Did they cut your brain off along with your nose?’
    ‘Oh, relax, will you? It’s just for a few months. I’m not planning on staying long at some stupid channel selling earrings. It’ll be fine.’
    ‘And how are you planning to pay rent and live in London on that enormous salary?’
    ‘Well, it looks like I’ll just have to stay with you guys for a bit longer.’
    ‘Oh, Christ,’ Sean groaned.

Chapter 6
    Yuri didn’t appear to like his yellow room. Every time we tried to put him down in his cot, he screamed blue murder, so we moved it into our room and he seemed much happier. We had tried several times to give him a bath, but this had caused utter pandemonium. He wriggled, squirmed, kicked his legs and freaked when we put him into the water, so we had to take him out and soothe him. It had now been a week and the only wash he had had was with a wet sponge that I rubbed over him in five seconds flat each morning. We were due to visit the paediatrician in two days’ time and I was ashamed to be bringing an unwashed child to see her. I was beginning to feel like a failure. Yuri seemed pretty miserable and I was worried that I was doing everything wrong.
    I decided to read the books Jess had left me. I opted for Secrets of the Baby Whisperer by Tracey Hogg – How to Calm, Connect and Communicate With Your Baby. I’d get to The New Contented Little Baby Book later. Right now I badly needed to calm and communicate.
    I flicked through the first part until I got to the what-type-of-baby-you-have section. Angel baby – no; textbook baby – no such luck; touchy baby… yes! My God, it was as if the author was describing him in person. Ultrasensitive… flinches at loud sounds… cries for no apparent reason (Tell me something I don’t know, Tracey!)… has difficulty falling