Days Like These by Miranda Barnes Page A

Fiona came to see her that first evening in the hospital. They were suitably impressed.
    'Isn't he long!' Fiona said. 'What a size he'll be.'
    'Far too big,' Meg said. 'I could have done with a smaller baby, I can tell you!'
    'He's perfect,' Carol said with longing. 'Nice blond hair, blue eyes, tall… He's got everything.'
    'Do you know how long you'll be here in the hospital?' Fiona asked.
    'Not long, apparently. I might be leaving tomorrow. That's what the nurses say anyway.'
    'Oh? Robert will be disappointed.'
    Meg blinked. 'Robert?'
    'It's just that he wanted us to ask you if he could visit. His children want to see the baby, apparently.'
    'Of course they can visit!'
    'But if you're not here …?'
    'He can come to Mum's. I'll be staying there, and he knows where it is.'
    'Does he?' Carol said, looking interested.
    'He's been before.'
    'Has he now?' Carol and Fiona said in unison, with sideways glances and giggles at one another.
    'Honestly, you two!'
    *
    Later that evening, Jenny and Mike arrived.
    'How wonderful!' Jenny cried, seeing Baby James for the first time. 'I've always wanted one of them.'
    'Congratulations, love!' Mike said, stooping to kiss Meg. 'Haven't you done well?'
    'Thank you, Mike. You're too kind. All I did was double in size and carry a large weight around for the best part of nine months.'
    Mike patted his ample stomach and said, 'I know how it feels.'
    'Take no notice of him,' Jenny advised. 'He has no idea what we women have to put up with.'
    Meg laughed. It was good to have company.
    Then more arrived.
    'Kirsty? Is it really you?' Meg cried with delight. 'What are you doing here?'
    'Come to see you, of course!'
    It was indeed Kirsty. She climbed up on to the bed and gave Meg a kiss. Then she spotted James and rushed to peer into his cot.
    'Kirsty?' Jenny murmured.
    'Robert's little girl. Robert from the office. Oh, here they are! Sean and Robert.'
    Suddenly there was a swarm of people around her, and a terrible shortage of chairs.
    Robert kissed her cheek. 'It's good to see you, Meg. You're looking well, too. And this is …?' he added, peering at the new arrival.
    'James!' Kirsty cried.
    Laughter all round.
    *
    Back at Bracken Cottage, fatigue caught up with Meg. Fatigue and James's needs. It was lovely to have him to herself, but it was so tiring. She had never been so tired. She was physically and mentally exhausted, drained.
    'But so happy!' she told Mum, who smiled and left her to feed James.
    Jenny came on her own to visit after a couple of days. 'How's it going?' she wanted to know.
    Meg rolled her eyes and smiled. 'It's topsy-turvy, but I'm getting used to it.'
    'You're both looking very well, anyway. And I swear James is bigger already.'
    'He should be. What an appetite!'
    They chatted for a minute or two. Then Jenny said, 'I hope your other visitors got home all right the other night. Have you heard from them?'
    'Robert, you mean? No. I haven't. Why, was there a problem?'
    'Something not right with his car, apparently. It was probably all right, though. What a dishy man, by the way. You've never mentioned him, have you?'
    Meg shrugged awkwardly. 'I can't remember. He's just someone I work with. That's all.'
    'Oh?'
    'And sometimes I baby-sit for him.'
    'Oh?'
    'I like the children. They're so nice.'
    'I could see that.'
    'What?' Meg said, suddenly defensive against Jenny's sustained and open interest.
    'Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. He seemed very fond of you, though.'
    'We're just friends, Jenny. That's all.'
    'Oh?'
    'Stop it!' Meg laughed. 'Good friends, though,' she amended. 'Robert's been very kind to me, even though he has his own problems.'
    'And what might they be? A wife that doesn't understand him, perhaps?'
    'Stop it, Jenny! Right now. He's a widow.'
    'Really? Oh!'
    'You're terrible!' Meg accused, but she couldn't help smiling.
    'Incorrigible,' Jenny agreed.
    'Just for the record, and to put an end to what you're imagining, Robert is a widow who still loves his wife, as well as his