Missing Pieces (Sebastian Vettel)

5. New Life

November 2007

"Your bump is really starting to show now," Ella told Grace as they sank down onto the sofa after helping their nan prepare the Sunday roast.

"I know. It's all feeling so real now."

Grace was now fifteen weeks pregnant. She'd been for her first ultrasound a few weeks earlier. Ella had gone with her and had been amazed to see the grainy images of her tiny niece or nephew.

"When are you going to the stables?" Grace asked.

"About four," Ella replied. "Sarah's taking Mulan out for a hack this afternoon so I'll just pop over to see her later."

Mulan had been moved to a stable just half a mile away from where Ella and Grace now lived with their grandparents, Dolly and Albert Lovell.

Truth be told, Ella thought it was a much nicer stable than the one Mulan had been kept in before. Ella worked there on Saturdays and Tuesday evenings to help pay for part of Mulan's board, and her grandparents had kindly offered to pay the rest.

"Ella, I've been thinking," Grace began.  "If anything ever happens to me would you make sure my baby's looked after?"

"Of course I will, but nothing's going to happen you daft cow," Ella replied, nudging her sister with her elbow.

Despite their past differences Ella and Grace had grown closer since leaving their parents' house. 

Of course they had their grandparents, but they were both nearly eighty years old, so in a lot of ways it was just Grace and Ella against the world. 

"I can't wait to find out what you're having!" Ella told her sister. "I bet it's a boy!"

"I don't know Ella, I think it might be a girl.  I hope it is.  You can get much cuter clothes for girls."

"The main thing is it's healthy"

"That's very true.  If it's a girl I want to call her Lacey Isabella."

Ella felt her eyes filling with tears. She felt so touched that Grace wanted to give her name to the baby as its middle name.  "What about a boys name?"

"I was thinking Dylan, and even though he'll never know his dad I'd like him to have a piece of him always with him so Sebastian for his middle name."

"That's lovely Grace."

They heard the front door open and slam shut.   Their grandparents' old black Labrador, Dora, ran in and flopped down on the fake sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace.   Seconds later their Grampy walked in, his flat cap on his head as usual. 

He had a carrier bag full of carrots in his hand, the bushy green leaves sticking out of the top. Under his other arm was a bundle of magazines. 

"Hey Grampy," Ella greeted him. "How was your walk? How's Sid?"

Every Sunday, rain or shine, their Grampy and Dora would make the mile long walk to visit his friend Sid who lived in a small cottage just outside the village of Barton Colville where they lived.

"He's having a few problems with his hands.  The doctor thinks he could be getting a bit of arthritis," he told them.  He put the bag of carrots down on the coffee table, followed by the pile of magazines. "His grandson Caleb pulled these carrots up yesterday afternoon. Sid said there were far too many for him so he gave us these."

"Did he give you the magazines too?" Grace asked. Their Grampy nodded.

"Yeah, he's having a bit of a clear out so he gave me a handful.  There's some horsey ones there if you're interested Ella.  I think the rest are all racing car ones."