that she heard it was a boy.’
And she was back and her friends were crowding around her, looking at pictures of Simon on her phone. Hearing their enthusiasm, she realised just how badly she had misjudged her friendships and she started crying.
‘He was a bastard,’ Hannah said when Jasmine told her why. ‘Of course nobody thought you were involved.’
‘Everybody was so weird around me.’
‘We were embarrassed,’ Martha said. ‘Upset for you.’ She gave Jasmine a hug. ‘You’re better off without him, you know.’
‘Oh, God, do I know.’
‘Does that mean you’re coming back?’ Hannah asked.
She thought for a moment, because she could come back and part of her wanted to come back except, Jasmine realised then, just as she had told Jed, she was very happy with what she had now.
‘Maybe one day.’ Jasmine smiled and then of course they asked if she was seeing anyone and she was through with covering things up and so she said yes.
‘His name’s Jed,’ Jasmine said. ‘Jed Devlin.’
‘I know that name.’ Hannah frowned. ‘Where do I know that name from?’
‘He came for an interview here,’ Jasmine said.
‘That’s right.’ Hannah nodded and then waved in direction of the door. ‘I think your transport’s ready.’ Jasmine turned and there were the paramedics. ‘Don’t be a stranger,’ Hannah warned. Then she laughed. ‘Well, I guess you won’t be now.’
Jasmine had no idea what Hannah meant, but she was on too much of a high to think about it, and then when she realised she still had nothing to wear tonight and she wasn’t going to get to the shops, she was far too panicked to dwell on Hannah’s words, especially when they hit traffic on the way home.
‘Can’t you put on the sirens?’ Jasmine grumbled, but the paramedics just laughed. ‘Some of us are going out tonight.’
THANK GOD FOR heated rollers and quick-dry nail varnish, Jasmine thought as somehow she cobbled herself together, cringing as she pulled her old wedding dress on.
It didn’t look remotely like a wedding dress.
It was a dark blue silk that her mother had said matched her eyes, and the strange thing was, as she looked in the mirror, she looked better in it than she had on the big day.
Then she had been sixteen weeks pregnant and bloated and miserable and not particularly sure that she wasn’t making the biggest mistake of her life, and, no, she hadn’t been particularly excited at the prospect of her wedding night.
Now she had curves and a smile and couldn’t wait for the formalities to be over just to get Jed into bed!
‘Wow,’ Ruby said when she opened the door. ‘You look gorgeous. I love the dress.’
‘Thanks.’ Jasmine smiled.
‘Where did you get it?’
‘I’ve had it for ages.’ Jasmine blushed and mumbled something about a boutique in the city as she stuffed her bag with lipstick and keys. ‘I don’t think I’ll be late back,’ she told Ruby. ‘Jed has to go into work and cover for Penny.’
‘All you have to worry about is enjoying yourself,’ Ruby said. ‘He’ll be fine.’
She knew that Simon would be fine.
It was two other people she was more worried about tonight.
Surely they wouldn’t tell them about the job today, Jasmine reasoned. It was the A and E ball tonight so they would no doubt wait till next week to give the verdict.
Oh, God, Jasmine thought, putting in her earrings, she was torn.
Family first, she told herself, except she knew about the delays that had been caused in Jed’s career. He was older than Penny and he wasn’t where he thought he should be in his career.
And here he was at her door.
Her heart was hammering for different reasons when she first saw him in a tux.
‘Wow.’ Jed gave a whistle of appreciation. ‘I told you you’d look lovely.’
‘Wow to you too,’ Jasmine said.
‘I thought you said you had nothing to wear. Jasmine, you didn’t go spending a fortune, did you?’
‘No, no,’ Jasmine said. ‘I’ve had this for ages. I didn’t know if it would fit!’ Quickly she tried to change the subject. ‘Have you heard about the job?’
‘We’ll talk about it later.’ He sort of nodded his head in the direction of Ruby. ‘We ought to go, especially if you want to drop in to see your mum.’
‘I feel stupid walking through the hospital dressed like this.’
‘It will be nice for her,’ Jed said. ‘And knowing that place, Penny will get called just as she gets into her dress and have to do something urgent and be swanning around Resus in pink satin.’
‘I guess,’ Jasmine said. ‘Though I can’t see her in pink satin.’ Jed smiled, but she could tell he was a little on edge. Maybe he was having second thoughts about them being seen out together so soon and she told him so.
‘You’re being daft.’
It was worth going in just to see the smile on her mum’s face.
‘You look great.’ Louise smiled. ‘You both do.’
‘I’m just going to go and ring the unit and check it’s okay,’ Jed said, and she knew it was because staff were a bit thin on the ground, but it also gave her a chance for a little bit longer with her mum.
‘You look so much better.’
‘I feel it,’ Louise said. ‘I told you your wedding dress would be perfect!’
‘Shhh!’ Jasmine warned. ‘I don’t want him knowing.’
‘Now.’ Louise was back to practical. ‘Your sister’s got something to tell you, some big news.’ And her heart should have surged for Penny, except first it sank for Jed and then it surged back up because she was truly torn. ‘It’s big news and even if it’s a bit hard to hear it, I think it’s really important that you be pleased for her.’
‘Of course I’ll be pleased.’
‘I know,’ Louise said. ‘I can’t say anything, I don’t want to spoil things for her, and I guess that it’s her news to share, but just keep that smile fixed on.’
‘I
