“It’s hopeless, Nana. The contract is unbreakable. He’s made certain of that. It’s what he does. Who he is.” Holly pulled away and stood apart, her shoulders slumped, her head low. She could hardly bear the truth herself—the bitter and cruel irony—that she should want this baby now more than anything she’d wanted before. “There’s nothing we can do.”
“You’re wrong, Holly. You can’t give up. I won’t let you. You haven’t waited all this time to be a quitter now. Why don’t you go out and enjoy that sunshine and take a walk along the beach before the rain comes. I have some phone calls to make.”
“I’ll wait for you.” Holly didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts. Not now.
“No, dear, you go on. Once I’ve made those calls I’m going to look out some old photos of Giselle you might like to keep.”
“I can stay and help you.”
“No, no, dear. This is something I have to do for myself. Now hurry on before the rain, my old bones never lie.”
Understanding dawned. In meeting her, her Nana finally had some of the answers she’d sought, and while neither of them would ever know the full story, it was time for her to make her peace with her daughter. And time for Holly to try and make peace with her own choices, she realised with hollow truth sounding a knell deep inside.
The tide was full out on the beach, and Holly was amazed at the width of firm damp sand. Her feet felt invigorated as the ground shells crunched beneath her feet and, in the damper spots, squelched up in between her toes. She wished her back felt as good. The nagging ache from yesterday had escalated into a dragging dull pain. Maybe her bones were becoming a weather forecaster like her grandmother’s. She smiled softly to herself at the thought of having a familial link for the first time.
In the distance Holly saw a flock of birds scatter off the point. She laughed aloud as they wheeled in the air, their angry cries at being disturbed carried down the beach. Then, suddenly, her laughter died on her lips. A familiar sound beat at the air, drowning out the birds and sending deepening dread from her heart all the way to the soles of her feet.
The dark shape of a helicopter swooped over the hills at the end of the beach.
“No!” she shouted. “Not yet. It’s too soon.”
She turned and struggled through the sand, desperate to get back to her grandmother’s. Desperate to find sanctuary.
She flung a look over her shoulder. A short distance away the Agusta set down on the hard-packed sand and an all-too-recognizable figure stepped down.
“Holly! Stop!”
“No-o-o!” she cried. “Go away. I don’t want you here. Leave me alone.”
Connor was at her side quickly. She felt his presence before he stepped around her, halting her in her frantic flight.
Strong. Powerful. Angry.
“What the hell did you think you were doing?” he demanded.
“How can you even ask me that? Like you were going to tell me and bring me on a family visit? I don’t think so. How could you keep something that important from me? I had a right to know! Oh!” She heard a soft pop and a warm gush of fluid rushed between her legs.
“Your waters?” Connor scooped her into his arms. “Don’t worry. I’ll get you to the chopper. I’ll have you back in Auckland in no time.”
“No! Put me down.” Holly struggled against him, forcing him to let her feet back down to touch the sand. “Ahhhh.” Holly clutched at his forearms and groaned as the dragging pain in the small of her back intensified and spread around the front of her belly, tightening and tightening, then slowly easing off. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Holly, you have to.” For the first time in her life, Holly saw Connor at a disadvantage. Her groan of pain sent fear rushing into his eyes.
“I’ve waited a lifetime to be here. I’m not leaving now.”
“You can bring my granddaughter back to my house, young man.” Queenie strode down the beach towards them, a fiercely protective expression on her face.
“Nana! It’s too early. What if there’s something wrong?”
“My point exactly.” Connor interjected. “Look, I can have you at Auckland hospital in close to half an hour.” Connor rested his hands on Holly’s hips, looking her straight in the eye. “Please, Holly. Let me take you back.”
“You don’t need to be frightened, my darling,” Nana interrupted. “We’ve birthed many a baby here.” She turned and fixed a stern look at Connor. “Bring her to the house and then make yourself useful. You can call the local doctor for me.”