‘Yeah,’ said Carmen. ‘Federico will come straightaway, won’t he?’
‘Well, if he has a quick trip to a gym and spa I’m going to be very … ach … ’
She bent over and squeezed Carmen’s hand again.
‘You’re right,’ said Carmen. ‘Thisispainful.’
‘Just. Don’t. Wake. The. Children.’
They would have got away with it too, if the cabbie hadn’t turned up and immediately honked four times, loud enough to wake the street. Carmen had Sofia’s immaculately packed hospital bag and was about to help her sister out to the cab, when there came the familiar banging feet from upstairs.
‘Oh no,’ said Sofia.
‘Oh no,’ said the cabbie as they opened the door and he saw what he was picking up.
‘Come on,’ said Carmen. ‘It’s a booking for the hospital in the middle of the night – what did you think it was going to be?’
He scratched his head.
‘Is she going to have it in the cab?’
‘No,’ said Carmen, then, quieter to her sister: ‘Are you?’
‘No!’ said Sofia.
‘But if she does, we’ll pay for the cleaning and you’ll be in the papers.’
‘Mummy, where are you going?’ It was Phoebe’s voice.
‘Just nipping out,’ said Sofia.
‘Just nipping out?’ Carmen said.
‘The thing is,’ said the cabbie, ‘I just got it cleaned and … ’
‘Can we come?’
‘Mummy’s just going to hospital,’ said Carmen.
‘HOSPITAL?’ said Jack.
‘Jack!’ said Pippa crossly. ‘You never listen! It’s for the baby.’
‘I forgot about the baby,’ said Jack. ‘Oh. Bye then.’
‘I WANT TO COME TOO,’ said Phoebe.
‘I won’t be long. And Carmen will stay.’
‘Can we watch a 12 film?’
‘You can watchThe Driller Killer,’ said Carmen. ‘Let’s just get your mum to the … ’
But the cab had already taken off down the icy road without them.
‘It was two hours ago,’ said Carmen firmly. ‘And it was one glass of wine and I didn’t finish it.’
‘Drinking and driving is very dangerous,’ said Pippa disapprovingly.
