‘It’s happening! It’s happening.’ Ella put down her paintbrush and went to the top of the stairs. Bets stood at the bottom looking slightly wild, breathing hard. ‘Larry’s having her puppies. Devon’s just left, driven straight up to London.’
‘Come on in.’ Ella said with only a touch of sarcasm as she started down the stairs; it was impossible to be rude to Bets. ‘Want a cup of tea?’ She looked at her watch. ‘Or lunch?’
‘Yes, please. Sorry, I was just so excited. Although why today of all days! We had two spays lined up already and then that stupid dog Buster had to go and try and eat a rugby sock again. Luckily this time they caught him, but he’d got the fibres all knotted around his teeth. I mean, seriously. It can’t taste that good.’
Ella giggled. ‘Depends whether it was clean or dirty, I guess. Better than knickers.’
‘I don’t know which is more stupid, the dog or the owner for continuing to leave the family clothing out.’ Bets shook her head.
‘So what is actually happening?’ Ella had absolutely no idea what was involved, although watching Making Pets Well With Marina had become part of her new routine for the last three mornings as the date for the puppies’ arrival had grown closer.
Who’d have thought she’d ever be interested? She missed Tess desperately but watching the dogs on the programme, with their movements and distinctly doggy mannerisms, reminded her how Tess behaved and provided her with oddly masochistic comfort.
The mornings were the worst; waking up and coming down to an empty kitchen. First thing she painted for a couple of hours until the listless, lacking in energy feeling hit her. She’d taken to going for a walk, which made her miss Tess even more, but she needed the exercise and the sense of being outdoors. It definitely helped. After that she’d come back and work on her new Gurk, Burk and Turk series with the TV on in the background. The story of three aliens new to rural life had really taken root in her head and the ideas flowed thick and fast. Gurk had taken to saddling up Jonah, a male robin, to fly around exploring the village, which looked distinctly like Wilsgrave. She was able to draw and concentrate while keeping half an eye on Marina, drifting about looking glamorous and professional in her pristine white coat. Despite a vague sense of it being wrong tuning in each day to see Devon’s ex, especially when she knew Marina hadn’t played fair and so didn’t deserve the ratings, Ella couldn’t quite wean herself from the guilty curiosity of watching. Like the rest of the nation, she was hooked on the latter stages of Larry’s pregnancy. The bookies were offering shorter and shorter odds on the delivery date.
‘Larry’s gone into labour. The first puppy could be anytime,’ Bets hopped up and down, getting in Ella’s way as she tried to open the fridge door.
‘Sit down while I make us a sandwich,’ said Ella, pointing to a kitchen chair at the table.
‘I think I love you. I could murder one. It’s been mad today.’
‘Tuna or ham?’
‘Ha—’ Bets broke off with a squeal and held up her phone. ‘A puppy! Look!’
Ella came to stand over her shoulder. ‘Wow.’
The screen of Bets’ phone showed the livestream of a tiny screwed-up puppy being licked vigorously by Larry. ‘I don’t believe it. God, I just love puppies. They have that cute dog smell.’
Tears welled up in Ella’s eyes. ‘So cute. Isn’t it amazing.’ Already the tiny bundle was wriggling and Larry worked hard at chewing through the umbilical cord. ‘She knows what to do.’
‘Maternal instinct’s a powerful thing,’ said Bets. ‘Aren’t they amazing. They just know what to do. Not sure I would.’
Ella touched her stomach with a wistful smile. ‘I think you probably would. Hormones have a lot to answer for.’ She thought of what she’d lost and suddenly felt a lot more hopeful about the future. She knew exactly what she wanted and it did involve settling, being bourgeois and doing what was right for her.
They craned back over the screen and Ella laid a hand on Bets’ shoulder. Bets’ hand crept up to give her hand a squeeze.
*
It took another half hour before any signs of the next puppy and they got on with eating their lunch.
‘Here comes the next one,’ said Bets, her finger tracing the screen, where the camera was focused on Larry’s heaving flank.
‘I’m not sure I could cope with multiple births.’ Ella winced. ‘And definitely not eight.’
‘That’s good.’ Bets turned shining eyes her way. ‘I hope Devon gets there in time. He was so gutted when he had to leave Larry behind.’
Ella could relate to that. Clearing away their plates, her thoughts inevitably turned to Tess as Bets watched the live feed. Hopefully she’d settled back home and was happy, although Ella worried that she might not be getting enough exercise. She’d been so overweight when she first came.
‘I sometimes wonder if he was more miserable about leaving Larry than Marina. Anyway, he’ll get to see the puppies. He left straight after surgery, with a very determined look about him.’ She paused. ‘He hasn’t said anything but I did wonder if he might be having it out with her.’
‘I don’t care.’ Ella looked unseeing out of the kitchen window. ‘He made it perfectly clear it’s nothing to do with me.’
‘I’d love to go and see them. I love puppies. Maybe I should get one.’ Bets looked fierce for a moment. ‘Except Marina would probably charge me for the visit. She’s such a witch. Devon needs to move on. Wonder where he’ll go? I reckon he’ll go back to Bristol, you know.’
Ella rather hoped he would. That would make things much easier, especially if she was able to rent the other barn conversion. It would save tripping over him every five minutes and having to be neighbourly.