Page 66 of Prove You Wrong

She’s grinning to herself and then, as if remembering something, turns to me.

Still smiling, her eyes take a moment to focus.

‘I’m Dee.’ She wobbles as she lunges towards me, hand outstretched. ‘It’s Ella, right? You’re here with Nate?’

‘I, er … ’

She steadies herself against a sink and seems to use all her energy to concentrate on me. ‘I always used to say to Nate he needed to find himself a nice girl.’

‘So you know each other?’ I’m sceptical, but this woman doesn’t seem in any kind of condition to lie effectively, so I’m curious what she’s about to say.

‘Well, your guy out there used to drop by every week to take my stash to the hospital.’

‘Stash?’ My brow furrows.

‘My boob milk.’ She fake-whispers, hand up to her mouth. ‘For the neonatal unit. I donated my liquid gold to help the babies.’

Almost completely bamboozled, I find myself going along with the ludicrous conversation. ‘I didn’t know you could donate milk?’

‘Not many do, and not many mummies have the time or energy to be able to express some.’ She puts her arm on mine as if confiding in an old friend. I stare at her fingers clasping my skin, but can’t seem to pull myself away. ‘But I was lucky the second time, I guess. I had so much milk it used to leak everywhere.’

Jeez, is this actually happening?

‘I started expressing a bit off, to try and prevent it, but it would pour out, and then before I knew it, I’d set myself in this cycle where I was producing more and more.’ Dee shakes her head, her blonde hair tossing in the movement. ‘The thought of wasting it was devastating, especially when I remembered how they tried to use some donated milk to feed Morgan when she was born. She’s my first. She was a bit prem’ and my milk took a while to come in.’ She presses her hand to her chest. ‘So, when I had far too much, I phoned the ward to find out if they could take it and they set me up with the equipment to express it at home. Nate would come round every week to collect it from my freezer.’

My eyes flick to the door to search for Nate, but it’s just me, Dee, some scummy toilets and a crazy story.

‘I felt trapped at home with a baby and a pre-schooler. Nate was the only adult I might see most days. I used to look forward to his visits.’ Dee hiccups.

‘I hoped I could live vicariously through him but he never had any sordid gossip for me. I really did used to tell him he needed a girl, if only for my own entertainment. You’ve got yourself a lovely fella there.’ She’s rubbing my arm again.

I shake my head as if to clear it. To separate what I saw from what I’m hearing.

‘So, you and Nate … ’ I point between her and the door, my voice petering out as I don’t quite ask the question.

‘No sweetie. That’s why I’m here.’ Another giggle peels from her. ‘Nate was worried. Thinks you got the wrong end of the stick and I hate to think it was because of me.’

Am I really believing this?

‘I don’t know what I saw.’ I start to shake my head. ‘I thought you were — ’

She waggles the fingers of her left hand. ‘Happily married. Nine years. Two kids. Hopefully a third one on the way someday soon.’ That bejewelled hand moves back to her ample chest.

I take a long swig from my beer and try to digest her words.

Nate didn’t seem like the sort of guy to mess me around. That’s why I was so shocked when I saw him pawing over her.

But had I?

This touchy-feely, over-sharer is drunk and falling all over the place. Hell,I’dalmost touched her up by accident. And her story is so obscure, could it really be made up? Would a potential competitor for his affections really go to these lengths to fool me?

‘Have I just made a giant tit out of myself?’ I wince.

‘No sweetie, I skidded in a puddle of something on the way to the toilets. Totally stacked it in the middle of the club. I’ve made a tit out ofmyself. You’re just in here helping me get cleaned up, right?’

‘You didn’t?’ My eyes widen as I scan her for injuries.

‘It’s just beer,’ she laughs. ‘I’m fine. Well, I’m covered in bruises and I’m gonna be in bits at six tomorrow when my little darlings wake up. Isocan’t handle my drink after two kids and years of no social life.’ She flaps her hands and starts to usher me towards the club. ‘But really, I’mtotally okaynow, so you can get back to Nate.’

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