‘I know. It won’t be long.’
‘Where are you off to today?’
‘I’m heading to an antenatal class,’ Nina replied, patting her bump gently. ‘They start today.’
‘Ah, that’s exciting! How are you feeling about the baby coming?’ Colin asked.
Nina laughed. ‘A bit of everything, really. Excited and nervous, you know how it is.’
‘I bet.’
‘I can’t wait to meet the little one, though.’
‘It’s going to be wonderful,’ Colin said encouragingly.
‘I hope so.’
‘Have you got everything ready for the arrival?’
‘Getting there,’ Nina answered with a slight nod. ‘It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but we’re almost set. Just a few more things to sort out. Luckily, my friend Sophie has given me loads of stuff so I had a bit of a head start on that.’
‘Great. It’s expensive to put all the paraphernalia together. Birdie said the new room went well.’
‘Yeah, I’m so pleased with it. You never really know with things like that, but it’s turned out great.’
‘Good to hear. Where are the classes?’
‘In the lighthouse hall.’
Colin chuckled. ‘Can’t be bad, eh?’
‘I know.’
‘Wasn’t that where it all began?’ Colin winked.
‘Ha! I was just thinking that. It certainly was.’
‘A good omen, I reckon.’
Nina nodded and hoped that Colin was right.
As Nina strolled along in the direction of the lighthouse, she walked over St Lovely green, and wondered what to expect from the classes. She’d grimaced at visions of sitting around on yoga mats in a circle in a dusty old village hall and having to introduce herself.Hi, I’m Nina. I never thought I would be here and I’m not sure how I’m going to get on. Once upon a time, I lost my husband, not in M&S, it has to be said. I thought I was going to have a baby with him but then he died. These days I talk to him from wardrobes sometimes. Honestly, I’m really fine. It really isn’t a problem at all.
The closer she got, the more apprehensive she became. Right from the word go, she’d not been keen on classes and pregnancy bonding. She wasn’t sure why and Sophie had let her know in no uncertain terms that she thought that she was being silly, but she’d been like it right from the start. As she got nearer to the lighthouse, she stood for a second, peering up at its vast white tower, and suddenly it came to her why she’d been leery about attending classes. In the back of her head, classes were in the same boat as the grief group she’d attended after Andrew had passed away. She’d seen all sorts at the grief group and learnt a lot about herself and others. With hindsight, she now knew thatit had helped her navigate a very difficult time, but at the time when she’d first walked in, she’d wanted to run a mile. Even being associated with it represented a different place, a different Nina, somewhere, and someone she no longer wanted to be.
There was another reason for the hesitation in attending the class, too. Nina had been burnt by an online birthing course she’d wasted avastamount of money on. From her laptop screen, all sorts of words had been flung around: in control, fun, empowered, interactive, ability to give birth, holistic understanding of labour, interventions, natural birth, and attachment parenting. With a handful of other expectant parents, she’d watched, listened, and been anything but empowered. Scared out of her wits more like.
As she waddled along in the direction of the lighthouse, she made a pact with herself that if the Lovely Bay class made her feel in any way uncomfortable for any reason whatsoever, she’d make an excuse that she needed to go to the loo and simply not go back.
About five minutes later, she was at the bottom of the lighthouse going in the direction of one of the halls. Getting to one of the old timber doors, she poked her head around and smiled. So far so good. Not a horrid brightly-coloured birthing ball in sight, no yoga mats, no circle of uncomfortable orange plastic chairs, no model of a pelvis and a doll.
A couple of other pregnant women smiled as she walked in. She was offered a cup of tea, and before she knew it, she was sitting down chatting away. A dish with truffles from the chocolate shop went around. A midwife in a pretty flowing dress smiled and made herself known, and Nina felt herself relax. She was surprised and happy that the class seemed to be right up her street. She sent a quick message to Robby.
Nina:Here. It’s really nice and calm. Chatting with a few other mums. Really good so far.
Robby:Better than that God-awful online thing we did where I had to pretend you were screaming at me and I had to attempt to persuade you to breathe and pant.
Nina:Hahaha. I hope so.
