Page 5 of The Promise
Chapter Two
I stare downat the pregnancy test with shaking hands. I got the one that tells you in words so I didn’t have any difficulty deciphering it, but I didn’t think about how that word staring back at me would affect me. My heart pounds and my breathing gets more and more out of control, my hands continuing to shake as tears start to roll down mycheeks.
This can’t behappening.
I shove the test back inside the box and hide it back at the bottom of my bag. Out of sight, out ofmind.
Sortof.
I eventually get my breathing back under control and. after splashing my face with cold water and washing my hands, I leave the safety of thebathroom.
* * *
“Adds! How’s that sexy man of yours?” Juliette asks the second she answers mycall.
Isob.
“Fuck, what’swrong?”
“He cheated,” I manage to getout.
“He did fucking what?” she screeches, making me pull the phone away from myear.
“I need to get away for abit—”
“When are youcoming?”
“I’ve got a flight booked for Sunday morning.” I rattle off the details and Juliette promises to be there, waiting for me with a bottle ofwine.
I don’t mention the real reason I need to go to England, because I know Juliette and I know she’ll try to talk me out ofit.
Deciding to go away again probably isn’t the wisest idea when I’ve got a bakery opening in a matter of weeks and cake orders to fulfil, but thissituationneedsresolving.
I manage to put the whole thing to the back of my mind as I spend all day Friday and Saturday baking and icing cakes. Thankfully, Aunt Addy and Mum agree to deliver them for me on Sunday when I’ll be heading for London. It turns out that after all her years avoiding doing anything domesticated, Mum’s a dab hand with a piping bag. I got her practicing on a batch of cupcakes when she showed an interest in what I was doing the other day and now she seems to be turning into my sous chef—if a baker can have such a thing. She’s even showing an interest in the bakery itself. I had to pick my chin up off the floor this morning when she asked me if I’d be hiring any staff, because if I needed someone she’d be more than willing. I never thought my relationship with my mum would ever change, but it seems toy boy Tim has done something to her. Maybe it was all the travelling; I don’t know. But something has changed for her. She’s not mentioned once the possibility of leaving Ireland like I expected her to. Instead, she’s been meeting up with long lost friends and enjoying life—with a little less alcohol than when she first arrived, thankGod.
I’m just putting the finishing touches to a birthday cake on Saturday night when the doorbell rings. Both Mum and Aunt Addy have gone out to celebrate some old school friend’s wedding anniversary; it was like they were teenagers again, getting ready for a night out. Seeing them made me smile, but also made me miss those easy times of mylife.
I let out a sigh and make my way to the front door. I don’t need to check to see it’s not Blake because the hazy person through the glass isn’t tall enough to behim.
“Sinead, how are you?” I look behind her in case he’s hiding somewhere but there’s no sign ofanyone.
When I look back down to Sinead, her sad eyes stare into mine as she shrugs. “Can I comein?”
“Of course, but your nan’s not here,sweetheart.”
“I know, I came to see you,” she says, standing awkwardly just inside the livingroom.
“Would you like adrink?”
“Yesplease.”
I make us both a hot chocolate before joining her on the sofa. She sits awkwardly on the edge, like she’s about to bolt any second. “What’s wrong,Sinead?”
“I…I…” she stutters, looking anywhere but at me. “I’msorry.”
“Whatfor?”
“It’s all my fault. I know I shouldn’t have done it but I couldn’t bear it,” sheexplains.
