Forever, Plus One. Sophie Love

well try some new designs,” she said.

      “Sure,” Wayne replied. “The rest of the work we can get started on right away, though.”

      “When do you think we’ll be able to get all the work done by?” Daniel asked.

      Wayne Erik looked down at the plans spread on the table and pondered. “Considering we’re going to redraw this floor,” he said, pointing at the second floor, “we’re probably looking at Labor Day for the whole thing to be complete.”

      “That soon?” Emily asked, surprised. She’d been expecting years of work.

      “Yes, for this place,” Wayne explained. “For the spa over at the inn it may take a little longer as you’ll need different constructors in there. Pool specialists and the like.”

      Emily had quite forgotten about Chantelle’s spa plan to transform the empty old swimming pool. She realized then that they hadn’t yet looked at the brothers’ options for converting that place

      “Can we look over those designs now?” Emily asked.

      “Of course,” Wayne said.

      “We should fetch Chantelle,” Emily said to Daniel. “It was her idea, she should be involved.”

      They left Trevor’s house and collected Chantelle from the inn. Then they all went into the dark, unused outhouse that stood on the inn’s grounds. It was cold inside, despite the warm weather, dark and filled with shadows. Emily was glad for the sensation of Chantelle’s warm hand in hers, and drew comfort from it.

      The brothers produced their plans for Emily, Chantelle, and Daniel to consider. The most impressive (and, once again, the most expensive) was to convert the space into a part indoor and part outdoor spa, overlooking the ocean. The barn area in that specific design would have two floors, a spiral staircase connecting the two, and the top floor containing an infinity pool with views of the oceans.

      “I can’t resist the staircase,” Emily said. She’d wanted one ever since she’d set eyes on the yacht club’s.

      Daniel grew animated then. “We could design it. The team at Jack Cooper’s, I mean. We’ve done spiral staircases before and it would help keep costs down. In fact”—he looked again at the plans and Wayne’s lightly scribbled notes—“we could do this paneling work here as well. The changing area doors. The reception desk.”

      He looked excited by the prospect and Emily was glad to see that glint in his eye once more. He’d seemed so stressed recently it was good to just see him enthusiastic again.

      “And if we hire Jack Cooper’s for the woodwork then I’ll be onsite, closer to home,” he added. “I can project manage the whole thing.”

      “I like the sound of that,” Emily said, thinking of the baby and how much more relaxed she felt knowing Daniel was close by as opposed to the other side of town. Not that she was anticipating going into labor anytime soon!

      Chantelle nodded her agreement. “It would make it even more special to know you’d made some of it yourself,” she said.

      With the decision made, they bade farewell to the architects from Erik & Sons and went back to the inn. As they crossed the lawn, Emily was happy listening to Chantelle and Daniel’s merry chatter and all their grand ideas. But as they went, Emily couldn’t help notice the disparity between how excited Daniel seemed about the renovation work in comparison to how stressed and muted he seemed about the baby.

      When they reached the inn, Emily was so wrapped up in her thoughts she’d become completely distracted. Her main focus in life at the moment was the baby; it was the main source of her excitement, the thing that she thought of last thing at night and first thing in the morning. But she felt like that wasn’t the case for Daniel. He seemed more enthusiastic about making a wooden spiral staircase!

      “I think I’m going to head upstairs for a rest,” Emily said, wanting to excuse herself and take some time to sit with her thoughts alone.

      She went up to her room and sat on her vanity stool, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Why was Daniel behaving this way? Amy had acted a hundred times more enthusiastic when she’d told her. Amy had wanted to instantly run out and buy things for the nursery, but Daniel hadn’t even mentioned all the things they would need for the baby. Even if he went into his practical, logical, sensible mode and started researching strollers and car seats that would be better than the overwhelmed and slightly stressed state he seemed to be in.

      As she mulled on her thoughts, Emily realized then that the only people other than immediate family who even knew about the baby were Amy and Harry. She’d told a friend but hadn’t yet told the person she wanted to the most, the person whose reaction would be the best of all: her dad.

      She rummaged in her drawer for some paper and pen. Knowing full well that her father had next to no connection to the internet, and only a pay phone in the village which would be difficult to coordinate, she knew that writing to him would be the quickest way to get him the news. Plus, there was something extra special about writing an old-school letter. He could keep it and cherish it for years to come. Holding onto scraps of paper was one of her father’s great pleasures, after all.

      She began to write.

      Dear Dad,

      I miss you so much! The house just isn’t the same without you. Coming home after the honeymoon was bittersweet because I knew that you wouldn’t be here. I hope we can fly out to England to see you this summer as you suggested. I know Chantelle would love that. She’s pining for her Papa Roy!

      My reason for writing to you is actually two-fold. I’m not just writing to tell you how much I miss having you around, but because I also have some exciting news. Daniel and I have recently discovered that I’m pregnant! Can you believe it? You’re going to be a granddad! The due date has been set for early December.

      Of course I would prefer to have been able to tell you my news in person but I thought this would be the best way to get the news to you. Plus you can frame this letter or add it to your hoards of paper, which I know you’re fond of doing!

      I look forward to getting your return letter. Or, even better, you could invest in a cell phone and then we could FaceTime! Video calls, Dad, can you believe it? It’s like we’re living in the future!

      All my love, always, forever,

      Emily Jane xx

      She read the letter again, hoping Roy would appreciate her slightly cheeky tone and not be offended by it, then folded it up and put it in an envelope.

      Just then, Emily heard a knock on the door. She turned to see Chantelle poking her head around.

      “What’s wrong, Mommy?” she asked. “You’ve been up here for ages.”

      Emily gestured for her to enter and the little girl walked inside, padding across the rug with soft footsteps. When she reached Emily she folded into her open arms.

      “Nothing’s wrong,” Emily told the little girl. “I just wanted to write a letter to Papa Roy to tell him about the baby.” She held up the now sealed envelope. “Would you like to come and mail this with me?”

      Chantelle nodded her agreement. Emily handed her the envelope, which she clutched in her hand, then they left Emily’s room together. They went downstairs and out the front door, then headed along the lane slowly toward the mailbox, hand in hand. Emily noticed that Chantelle was awfully quiet as they went. Usually the child never stopped talking, but she hadn’t uttered a word since they’d left the B&B.

      “Are you okay, love?” Emily asked, giving her hand a little squeeze.

      Chantelle looked up at her sadly, her other hand tightly clutching the envelope. “I miss Papa Roy,” she said.

      “I do too,” Emily replied wistfully.

      “Doesn’t Papa Roy have a phone we can call him on?” Chantelle asked. “We could do a FaceTime call?”

      Emily laughed and tapped the envelope.