"Options... I've ran out of Options..." (Book 3)

Chapter 158 - "George...?"

Chapter 158 - "George...?"

Clara's PoV

'Welcome aboard' some snobby woman said. Thank god it wasn't the same woman from the parenting class I went to the last time. That was years ago but even still.

It wouldn't surprise me.

Either way it was less of a parent class than it was just a class to meet other parents with baby's that were the same age as Harry.

'She looks like she's a little broody' someone said in a gruff chuckle as I sat down on one of the mats and stroked Harry's cheek.

'Your telling me. I couldn't work with all these babies and not be' I said looking up. 'Oh my god? George' I said with a small smile. 'It's Clara. You save me and my daughter from the wreckage of a crashed coach back in April' I explained as he looked like it clicked with him.

'How could I forget you. Your the one that was flirting with me' he smirked.

'I was not flirting - and if by accident I was then it was only because I was high on adrenaline and was worried about my daughter' I scoffed.

'Calm down Clara' he laughed. 'I see you had that baby of yours. Bloody hell if only looks days old?'

'That's because he is only days old' I said rolling my eyes.

'Ah. A he. Name?'

'Harry' I said stroking his cheek and making sure his dummy was safely lodged in his mouth. 'What are you doing here?' I mumbled confused.

'I'm here for a baby and me class' he said motioning to the pink baby seat that had a little baby girl in. She only looked days old as well.

'You have a daughter' I snorted. 'Your spouse must have been pregnant when I was then. That's cute'

'She was yeah. She was born the end of July. 20th You?'

'August 4th. Bit of a late bloomer' I hummed.

'Did you want to grab a coffee?' He suggested.

It was a bit of a bold move. Especially since we both had new borns a but on same token if another yummy mummy had asked me to go and grab a coffee then I would have said yes so why not?

'Sure. I've got time before the dreaded pick up' I laughed.

- - -

We were in separate cars so we drove up the road to the nearest coffee place and grabbed a table where I realised I had to feed Harry otherwise he would get fussy.

Thankfully it's situations like this that I express emergency milk for.

'So come on then? How come you were at that parenting class? Isn't it normally what hormonal mothers go to?' I said in confusion and realised I could have hit a dark spot.

It was only mid August so his little girl wouldn't even be a month old yet. If something had happened then it wouldn't have been that long ago.

'My wife. Launa. She died about a week after halving Epona' he explained.

'Oh shit. I'm so sorry. I've really just put my foot in it' I grumbled.

'No it's fine. We knew she wouldn't be around to see Epona grow up. She was very ill. She was a paramedic as well you know'

'Really? I probably met her at some point' I laughed. 'I've had my fair share of ambulance rides'

'How is your little girl? Poppy wasn't if? You said she was sick?'

'She's good. She's in remission. She's had the all clear and is just having a last two months of blood transfusions to keep her strength up' I explained. 'So do you still do your paramedicing thing?' I questioned.

'Yeah. I'm just on compassionate leave for 6 weeks then I've got two weeks extended paternity leave. I won't go back to work until Epona is almost three months old. But I have to find a decent nursery or creche. How do you know the good ones?'

'Where do you live?' I hummed.

'At the Mill. Well down the road anyway'

'Hmm. I know a very good creche near by. And I have a feeling I could get you a really good rate' I smirked

'How?'

'Being the boss has its perks' I smirked.

'Ah. Your a teacher. Of course you know all the best creches' he winked as Epona started to become very fussy and wriggly.

'Is she okay?' I asked. 'Have you got this?' I said getting involved with my parent hood knowledge.

'It's the lack of a woman Im sure' he sighed.

'My husband went through the exact same thing' I said with a small smile.

'What do you mean? No one should go through it' he hummed trying not to be sad but how can you not?

'Yeah. I know. It is awful. But John when he was with his wife Lucie. When they got back from their honeymoon it all went wrong. Lucie got run over by a car to protect him. She died that night after giving birth to Henry 3 years ago. He fought through it and had raised Henry into an energetic little boy'

'He had you though didn't he? He had some help along the way' George pointed out.

'Your a paramedic? You must see parents all the time who are struggling to raise their children? You'll be a wonderful Dad. I mean you went to that class for a start. I had to psych myself up to that and still didn't want to be there.

'I guess. I've got a bloody funeral to get through first' he scoffed placing a dummy in Epona's mouth as she had indeed calmed down quite some bit.

'When is it?

'Next week. Next Friday. I'm still in the planning process with her parents' he mumbled. 'I'm a paramedic - it's not death that bothers me and we knew it was coming it's just what the future holds without her' he complained.

'Did you maybe want a friend to come? Like me maybe?'

'Huh?'

'A bit of moral support? You save mine and my daughters life and possibly my baby's... you deserve a break'