Page 89 of Be More Lucy

‘I better get back to work. I’ve got a meeting in twenty minutes. I don’t think there’s anything else I can do here.’

‘No, thanks for checking. I don’t know what we do now.’

‘We’ll just have to wait until she turns up. I’ll let you know if I hear anything.’

‘I’ll do the same.’ Em said.

Em heard a car pull into the courtyard. She looked out of the window. Lucy. Thank god!

She ran to the front door and opened it. ‘Hi. Where the hell have you been? We’ve all been worried sick.’

Lucy looked awful. No make-up. Red eyes. She’d clearly been crying - a lot. Em had never seen her looking this bad, even after a heavy night’s drinking.

‘You’ll never guess what’s happened,’ Lucy said quietly as she walked into the flat.

‘Hannah’s pregnant and Mark’s gone back to her.’

‘He’s spoken to Jack then.’

Em nodded. ‘Mark’s worried about you.’

‘Is he? A bit late for that. Can I stay on your sofa tonight?’

‘Of course you can. Jack’s at his taekwondo session, but he’ll be back soon. I’ll put the kettle on.’

Lucy sat down on the sofa. She sniffed.

Em went into the bedroom and grabbed a box of tissues. ‘Here. These might help.’

Lucy blew her nose loudly.

‘I can’t slag him off, can I? Normally they leave me because they’re shits. But he’s doing the honourable thing, standing by his pregnant girlfriend. How can I hate him for that?’

‘Ex-girlfriend.’

‘Not now. She’s already moved back in. ‘

‘Has she?’ Jack hadn’t mentioned that.

‘Yes, I went to see him.’

‘You’ve been to Spain today?’

‘I got the early flight. Then I came back this afternoon. I couldn’t face going home after I arrived back at the airport, so I just drove and found myself here. Sorry, I didn’t call ahead.’

That explained the lack of replies.

‘What did he say?’

‘He didn’t. I thought he’d be at the jet ski hire, so I went there first, but his assistant Carlos said he was having a day off. So I went to Mark’s apartment, but there was no reply. I ended up sitting in the bar opposite to see if he came back.’

‘And did he?’

‘Yes, after I’d worked my way through five coffees. He was with Hannah, pulling along a big suitcase. She’d got a small box with some plants in it. They were laughing and joking with one another. Mark didn’t look too distressed. I sat back so they couldn’t see me. I watched him go into his apartment with her.’

‘Did you knock on the door?’

‘What was the point? I know I misinterpreted things with Gabriella last year. But there is no way this could have been anything other than Hannah moving in with him. It would only have caused more upset. What are you doing?’

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