Summer Evenings at the Seafront Hotel: Exclusive Short Story Read Online Free PDF

from her seat. ‘I just hope that Stuart doesn’t come by on his round.’ She picked up the key for Room 14.
    A message buzzed through on Joe’s phone, and he read it hurriedly. ‘Liliana again. She says to hurry up.’
    Cally and Joe walked up the stairs, picking up speed as they approached the first floor. Cally turned the key to Room 14 and opened the door.
    Standing in front of her, her face flushed and eyes wide with panic, was Liliana.
    ‘God, Lili,’ Cally said, taking in her expression. ‘What’s going on?’
    ‘It’s not me,’ she cried. ‘Cally, help us! Help her.’
    On the floor, lying on top of the dustsheets, was a woman wailing in pain, her dress raised up and legs spread. Her hair lay in damp strands on her face. Cally didn’t recognise her at first, then it slowly dawned on her.
    ‘Valerie,’ Cally whispered, shocked.
    She turned to Liliana. ‘Have you called an ambulance?’
    ‘She said she didn’t want anyone to know.’
    Cally caught Joe’s eye. ‘Call one,’ she said. He got his phone out and dashed out of the room.
    ‘You’ve studied this,’ Liliana said to Cally, a pleading tone in her voice. ‘You know what to do, don’t you?’
    Cally took in the scene. At college they’d talked about hospitals, water pools, gas and air, epidurals … This wasn’t quite what she’d expected a birth to be like. Valerie looked up, her brown eyes full of fear. Cally took a deep breath and got down by her side. A calm came over her. She’d never done it before, but a voice within her told her she could.
    Cally put a hand on her arm. ‘Deep breaths, Valerie. In and out, breathe with me.’
    ‘I’m so scared,’ Valerie whispered.
    ‘Don’t be,’ Cally reassured her. ‘You’re going to be fine. You can do it.’
    From the corner of her eye, Cally saw Joe come back into the room with a pile of fresh towels.
    ‘Christ. She’s really having a baby, isn’t she?’ He went pale.
    ‘Put down the towels and go and cover reception,’ Lili reprimanded him. ‘The last thing we need right now is you passing out.’
    Valerie’s breathing became more regular, and her moans deeper and louder.
    Cally washed her hands and examined her. Her breath caught as she realised she could feel the baby’s head.
    ‘Not long now, Valerie. You’re almost there.’
    ‘I can’t,’ Valerie puffed, shaking her head.
    ‘You can. You’re already doing it.’ It was really happening – any minute now. ‘You’re going to meet your baby.’
    At midday, Joe and Cally were sitting on the sofa in the hotel bar as the ambulance drove away down the Esplanade, siren blaring. Liliana had gone to the hospital with Valerie and her newborn baby girl.
    ‘Well, I wasn’t expecting that today,’ Joe said.
    ‘Neither was I.’ Up till now she’d been operating on adrenaline, but what had happened was just starting to sink in. ‘I had no idea at all. I think Liliana was the only person here she told.’
    ‘She didn’t even look pregnant, did she?’
    ‘Not at all.’ Cally thought back to when she’d seen Valerie tug at her dress where it was tight – that was the only sign there had been.
    ‘It was so lucky you were there.’
    ‘She did the hard part …’
    ‘You were great,’ Joe said. ‘So calm.’
    ‘I guess I must’ve picked up something on the course,’ she smiled. ‘But it happened a lot more quickly than I was expecting.’
    ‘You did an amazing job.’
    ‘Thank you.’
    ‘Listen, I know it’s only lunchtime, but I could really do with a drink. Can I tempt you to a G &T?’
    ‘Yes, please. Seeing as Stuart’s given me the rest of the day off, I might as well take advantage of it.’
    He went behind the hotel bar and made up their drinks, ice clinking in their glasses.
    Joe brought the drinks over with some sandwiches from the fridge. ‘I had a word with Lili before she and Valerie left. Asked her if I should call the dad and let him know.’
    ‘What did she say?’
    ‘That there was