‘Ms Elephant, if you don’t mind.’
While Em and Jack were celebrating their marriage plans, Lucy was alone in her Birmingham flat. She’d had a busy day at work, which was exactly what she needed to take her mind off the events of the weekend.
Josh was travelling back from France. His flight was due back any minute now. She’d offered to pick him up from the airport, but his friend was giving him a lift home. He said he’d pop around to see her as soon as he was back. She sensed he was desperate for a shag after four days apart.
She’d had no time to look at Instagram all day, but now she was sitting on her sofa, she opened it without thinking and started scrolling through her feed.
Several photos of friends’ cats, allegedly looking cute but just staring at the camera, as far as Lucy could tell.
Em’s work-in-progress photo of her new Dashford harbour painting. She double-tapped that one. She might buy it for the office.
Kizzy’s new nails. Longer than ever. How the hell could she type with those?
A baby scan photo. Shit - whose was that? Ella. She read the caption.
12 weeks. So happy! Baby Wagstaff due 30.03.2020
A honeymoon baby. Lucky Ella and Sam.
Lucy felt faint. Tears welled up. She put the phone down on the coffee table.
He’d have been nearly ten years old now, her little boy. Did Dylan ever think about him? Probably not. She wondered if he was a father now. He might have a better understanding of what she’d gone through if he was.
Lucy got up, grabbed a tissue from the bathroom, and blew her nose.
She was in control again now. It was a good job that she’d found out while she was on her own. What if Ella had told her in person?
And Ella was unlikely to be the only friend to get pregnant over the next few years. She needed to come up with a strategy. She’d thought it before, but until now it had never been someone in her friendship group announcing their pregnancy. She could get away with excusing herself when it was someone at a networking group or yoga. But close friends would expect her to be delighted for them straight away. If she’d been open about her miscarriage at the time, they would probably tread carefully if they had a baby announcement to make, but they were all oblivious.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Josh.
Back on terra firma. Cock raring to say hello to your vag in approx 40 mins. J xx
Charming, but at least you knew where you stood with Josh. He lacked the finesse of some of her ex-lovers but he was always keen. How would he handle it if she got pregnant? Not well, she suspected. She needed to think about that, too.
27
Jack pulled the car up on the drive at Octopus Cottage.
Em dangled the keys she’d picked up from the solicitors at lunchtime. ‘Who’s going to open the door?’
‘You do it,’ Jack said as they got out and walked up the path to the front door.
‘I’m not sure which one’s which.’
There were half a dozen keys, all looking very similar, and none of them labelled.
‘Try that one,’ he said, pointing to one of the Yale keys.
Em put it in the lock and turned the key. ‘You must have psychic powers. It worked.’
‘Just a minute.’ Jack scooped her up in his arms.
‘I thought you were supposed to carry me over the threshold after we’re married.’
‘Nothing stopping me from having a practice run now.’ He kissed her as he stepped inside. They both went quiet as they looked around the hall.
‘You know that renovation plan I made,’ Em said.