Page 87 of Be More Lucy

‘What’s wrong, darling?’

‘I don’t know where to start.’

‘Has the business sale fallen through?’

‘No, that’s all going well. Lucy. Um. Hannah came to see me this morning.’

Hannah? Lucy was sitting bolt upright now. Why was she back on the scene? Surely, she hadn’t seduced him after all he’d said about being in love with Lucy.

‘Are you still there?’ Mark asked.

‘Yes.’

‘She’s pregnant.’

Fuck. Lucy remembered what he’d said about not abandoning her if she ever got pregnant with his child.

‘How far gone?’

‘Ten weeks.’

When was ten weeks ago? No, it was eight weeks because of the mad way they calculated pregnancy lengths. She tried counting back in her head, but she couldn’t concentrate.

‘I can’t abandon her.’

‘A child in the womb is worth one in the mind.’

‘I’m sorry?’

She wasn’t surprised he was confused by that statement. She wasn’t sure it made sense herself. ‘I know you want kids. Of course, you’d choose a woman who’s already pregnant over one who doesn’t know if she can carry a child to full term.’

‘It’s not like that! Lucy, I love you. I wanted to be with you more than anything.’

Wanted. Past tense. So that was it then. He’d made up his mind to go back to Hannah.

‘I feel like a complete shit doing this.’ It sounded like he was trying not to cry. ‘I have to stay here. Try to make it work. For the child’s sake.’

‘Not many men would do that. It’s 2019, not 1919.’

‘I know. But I can’t leave her to do this on her own.’

‘Are you sure she wants you back?’

‘Yes. She wants us to bring our child up together.’

‘And it’s definitely your baby?’

‘Yes. It must’ve happened just before our London trip.’

So that was it then. She may as well get this over and done with now, like ripping a plaster off in one quick pull.

‘I wish you and Hannah a long and happy life together. I really do. Goodbye, Mark.’ Lucy ended the call before he could say anything else.

46

‘Hello, you,’ Jack said as he walked into Em’s studio at Octopus Cottage. It was his usual greeting, but he hadn’t said it in his normal cheery tone.

‘I wasn’t expecting you till lunchtime,’ Em said, descending the stepladder. ‘I need another twenty minutes to finish painting the ceiling, then I can take a break.’

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