No Going Back by Casey Kelleher (bill gates books recommendations TXT) 📕

‘Save your bullshit excuses, Ashley. Shelby’s in hospital. She was attacked last night,’ Pete said bluntly, glad to see the look of shock spread across Ashley’s face.

He was rendered silent for a few seconds as he tried to make sense of what Pete was telling him.

‘Attacked?’ Finally, he spoke. ‘What do you mean attacked? By who?’

Ashley felt his legs go weak beneath him as he slumped back down on the bed, a sinking feeling in his stomach as he thought about the Boland brothers’ threat last night.

‘I mean, if you had been at home instead of here, getting your end away, you cheating, fucking waste of space, none of this would have happened. She came to ours last night, upset because you didn’t come home. Again. And someone attacked her near the common. She’s gone into labour, Ashley. And for some unknown reason, she still wants you to be there.’

‘But she’s not due for another four weeks…’

‘Oh, I’m sorry. Bit inconvenient for you, is it?’ Pete sneered. ‘Now, you might not give two shits about my daughter, but I do. And I’m not missing the birth of my first grandchild because of you. Now move your arse. And not a word of this,’ he jerked his head towards Kate, ‘to Shelby. We found you out cold outside Smokes.’

He knew it would break Shelby’s heart if she found out Ashley was dipping his wick where he shouldn’t be while she was in hospital having their baby.

‘Thanks, Pete…’ Ashley started, dressed now and following Pete and Carl out to the car, glad of the lifeline his father-in-law was throwing him. But Pete shook his head gravely.

‘Don’t thank me, Ashley. I’m doing this for Shelby, not you. I told you once and I’ll tell you only once more: you break my daughter’s heart again and I’ll personally break every single bone in your body. Let this be your final fucking warning.’

10

‘Where the bloody hell is he, Mum? Typical bloody Ashley. He should be here,’ Shelby screeched loudly, gripping her mother’s hand tightly as she pushed herself back in the hospital bed, as the wave of pain tore through her once more.

‘And why won’t you lot give me a bloody epidural? It hurts!’ Shelby moaned at the midwife, Tracey Flynn, once the pain had subsided enough for her to catch her breath and string a few words together.

‘There’s no time now, Shelby,’ Tracey said, trying her hardest to keep her tone friendly and positive – a hard task when all the patient had done since she’d arrived at the hospital was bark orders at everyone around her; and the way she spoke to her mother was truly disgusting.

‘What do you mean it’s too late?’ Shelby spat her words through gritted teeth as another rush of pain ripped through her. The contractions were coming fast now, each one starting almost immediately after the last wave had finished. ‘You should have done this earlier. I knew I should have insisted on going private, bloody incompetent… ARGH!’

‘Sorry, Shelby, but there’s no time. It looks like this baby of yours is coming. Take another big gulp of gas and air,’ Tracey said, keeping her eyes on the monitor as Shelby let out another shriek.

She’d never admit it out loud to a living soul, but part of her was actually glad that this woman was suffering a little bit. She was so rude and up her own arse that maybe a little bit of pain would be the wake-up call the girl needed to keep her humble.

‘One last gulp? She’s almost drained the entire canister!’ Janey said now, concerned at the queasy look on Shelby’s face as she greedily sucked in as much pain relief as she could possibly pull down into her lungs.

‘I don’t feel very well,’ Shelby declared, leaning over the side of the bed and emptying the contents of her stomach onto the floor before the midwife had time to get her a bowl.

Tracey didn’t have time to clean up the mess now. Placing a towel down on top of it, to stop anyone slipping over and to mask the smell, she swiftly moved to the foot of the bed.

‘Okay, we need to concentrate on the baby now, Shelby,’ Tracey said, manoeuvring herself so that she could examine Shelby properly. Her suspicions were confirmed as she noted that Shelby was now fully dilated.

‘This is it, Shelby. A few pushes and your baby will be here.’

‘Did you hear that, Shelby? The baby is almost here. A few more pushes and it will all be over,’ Janey said, knowing that she had to step up now and try and get her daughter through the hardest part of her labour. Shelby was emotionally and physically exhausted.

She needed her now more than ever. Even more so, seeing as there was still no sign of her useless husband. And Janey had a feeling that was what Shelby was holding out for.

‘No! I can’t, not yet. This isn’t right, Mum! Ashley should be here. Where the fuck is he? He should be here. This is his child too. Why should I be the one doing all the work?’ Shelby winced, gritting her teeth and bearing down on the bed, almost willing the baby to stay inside her for just a while longer. Why should he get off scot-free in all of this? So far, all he’d done was have his fun and sow his seed, and since then she’d been left to do all the hard graft. She was the one who suffered heartburn and morning sickness and watched in horror as her perfect size eight figure was stretched into a doughy, round fourteen. And she didn’t even want to think about the stretch marks that lined her stomach and breasts now. This pregnancy had all but ruined her body. And if Ashley didn’t get his arse in here soon, she’d ruin him too.

Janey nodded in understanding, knowing her daughter better than anyone.