Page 62 of The Fallback

‘Bad?’ said Jasmine in response.

‘Very bad,’ said Rosie nodding.

‘Ok bring me up to speed. I’ll stop you when you become too self-involved, OK?’

Rosie smiled. ‘I’m not sure where to start,’ she said, taking a sip of her tea and wincing at the heat.

‘Well,’ said Jasmine, ‘the last I heard you had accepted his proposal. So what happened? Did you change your mind?’ Rosie shook her head. ‘Did he?’ asked Jasmine in surprise.

‘Yes I suppose he did,’ Rosie said sadly, ‘in a manner of speaking.’ Jasmine looked at her quizzically. ‘And if he hadn’t been having second thoughts before, then he certainly will be having them now.’

‘OK,’ said Jasmine firmly, ‘you need to explain, I don’t follow.’

‘He’s got himself a new girlfriend,’ Rosie began. ‘Jenny.’ She hated herself for the tone of scorn she had poured into the poor girl’s name.

‘Oh,’ Jasmine pulled a face. ‘Well, what’s new? I suppose that gets you off the hook, though, doesn’t it? I mean you weren’t keen on the whole thing to start with.’

Rosie put her head in her hands. ‘No, well I wasn’t. But then it got me thinking.’ Rosie moved her hands and stared down at her tea instead, thinking about Mitch and about how quickly this disaster had enveloped them. She picked up her cup and took a sip of her tea and then took a deep breath.

‘I started to think that maybe I did want a baby. And that maybe Mitch wasn’t a bad choice for me to have a baby with.’ Rosie looked up and saw the look of surprise on Jasmine’s face. Perhaps this was enough honesty for one day. ‘In the absence of an alternative father!’ she said quickly.

Jasmine leaned back on her bar stool. ‘Well, I wouldn’t worry too much about it,’ she started. ‘Mitch always has a new girlfriend and they never last so I expect your plan will be back on before long.’

Jasmine looked at Rosie. ‘Oh. Is this one different?’ Rosie nodded slowly. ‘Right, I see,’ said Jasmine. ‘What’s she like?’

Rosie shrugged. ‘Small, blonde, petite. Complete opposite of me.’ Jasmine looked at her curiously.

‘Oh and she hates me,’ blurted Rosie. Jasmine looked surprised.

‘Hates you? Why?’ She took a sip of her tea. ‘She’s not one of those possessive jealous girlfriends, is she? She’ll never last with Mitch if that’s the case, don’t worry.’

‘No, it’s not that,’ said Rosie, fiddling with the rings on her fingers awkwardly. ‘I might have done something to make her hate me,’ she said slowly.

Jasmine moved from looking surprised to downright startled. ‘People never hate you!’ she said adamantly. ‘What happened?’

Rosie braced herself against the island. ‘I may have told her about mine and Mitch’s plan.’

Jasmine was trying to suppress a smile. ‘Yeah, I guess that might put her off you.’ She picked up her tea again struggling not to laugh.

‘And I might have told her that Mitch was desperate to settle down and have kids.’ Rosie looked sheepishly at Jasmine, who could no longer contain herself and let out a loud cackle of laughter.

‘Oh, Rosie, that’s brilliant. How old is this girl?’

Rosie shook her head. ‘Twenty-four?’

Jasmine laughed again. ‘When did this happen?’ she asked.

’Friday night,’ Rosie replied. ‘In the pub. With all of Mitch’s colleagues there.’

A moment of dawning realisation came over Jasmine’s face.

‘Does Mitch know?’

‘Yes, he arrived at my flat on Saturday morning and we had a massive row about it all.’

‘And that’s why you were MIA all weekend?’ said Jasmine. Rosie nodded her head sadly.

‘I’m so sorry about that, Jas.’

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