Charlie the Kitten Who Saved a Life

But the next morning, there was something about the sight of my boiled egg that gave me the same feeling as the poor Alsatian’s injuries had, and after being thoroughly sick again, I went back to the kitchen, feeling shaky and anxious, wondering what I could eat or drink that wouldn’t make me feel ill. I automatically went to put on the kettle, but changed my mind. The last thing I fancied was a cup of tea, which was strange in itself as it was always my favourite lifesaving pick-me-up. And then I remembered how Claire had joked with me a couple of days before when I told her I didn’t want one.

‘You’re not pregnant, are you?’ she’d teased, making me laugh through my firm denial. ‘There’s got to be something up for you to say no to a brew. Loads of pregnant women go off tea or coffee, it’s a really common sign.’

At the time, of course, I thought nothing more of it. But now …

‘What’s up?’ Helen, one of my flatmates, gave me a curious look. I was sitting at the table, staring into space. ‘Did you overdo it last night or something? You look well hung-over.’

‘No. I’m OK.’

‘Well, you don’t look it. Not going into work, are you?’ She shook cereal into a bowl and poured milk over it, which made my stomach lurch with nausea again.

‘No. I’ve got the day off.’ I’d been told to stay home for forty-eight hours in case I had a bug. I got to my feet and headed back to my room. ‘See you later.’

Within minutes I was dressed in jeans and a jumper and heading for the pharmacy on the next street. All the way there and back, I kept telling myself there must be some other explanation. But there wasn’t. Back in the safety of my flat, the result of the test was all too conclusive. I was pregnant – with a baby Adam had made very clear he didn’t want, and I wasn’t sure I was ready for either.

The shock made me feel weak and nauseous all over again. I spent most of the day lying on my bed, my mind in a whirl. I had no idea what I was going to do. But I had made one very important decision. I wasn’t telling anyone yet – not my parents, not Claire or my flatmates and most of all, definitely not Adam. I’d wait until I’d got back from my two weeks in Hope Green. That, at least, would give me some time to think, get some much-needed perspective and make some decisions. Perhaps by the time I came back, Adam and I would have missed each other so much we’d be ready to make a fresh start, and perhaps then, his reaction to the pregnancy would be better than I was imagining.

Also by Sheila Norton

OLIVER

The Cat Who Saved Christmas

A friend who brings light at the darkest of times...

Oliver the cat is a timid little thing and rarely ventures from his home in the Foresters’ Arms.

Then his life changes dramatically when a fire breaks out in the pub kitchen and he is left homeless and afraid. But, with the kindness of the humans around him, he soon learns to trust again. And, in his own special way, he helps to heal those around him.

However, it isn’t until he meets a little girl in desperate need of a friend that he realises this village needs a Christmas miracle...

Available from Ebury Press

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Copyright © Sheila Norton 2016

Extract from The Vets at Hope Green © Sheila Norton, 2017

Sheila Norton has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

This novel is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental

First published by Ebury Press in 2016

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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 9781785034190