“How can she be? I want what you and Mase have, the marriage and family, but what if I never trust her to give me that?”
“Declan.” Liv comes to my side and hugs me tightly. “I don’t have the answers, but I know giving up the baby almost broke her. She was sad, hurting, angry and ashamed. She would never do that again, not least of all because you are not Christian any more than Anita is Amber.”
I nod. I believe what she’s saying. “Maybe we could talk. She could explain to me…I never gave her much of a chance before.”
“Ah.”
“Ah, what?”
“She’s gone.”
“What do you mean, gone? Gone where? When will she be back?”
“She was on her way to the airport, that’s why she had the case.”
“I thought she’d been staying with you.”
“No. She came by to explain and to say goodbye. She was heading to the airport to grab a flight anywhere. One way with no destination or return date in mind.”
“She didn’t say goodbye to me.” My petulant tone is quite pathetic.
“Declan, she thinks you hate her.”
“Shit!” I am on my feet and pacing, roughly pushing my hand through my hair. “I need to speak to her. She can’t go like this. I don’t hate her, I love her.”
Liv let’s out a squeal as she grabs car keys and rushes for the lift. “Come on then. I’ll drive, drop you at the airport and you can stop her leaving on the condition that you promise to listen to her and not just get mean.”
“I promise.” I have already joined Liv at the lift door that is opening.
“We’ll call her on the way.”
I’m not even sure how this has happened but just the thought of seeing Anita, of stopping her leaving and making things right makes me feel as though the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders.
Liv hits the button for the car park and the lift begins to move and then it stops dead. The lights go out briefly until the emergency lighting kicks in.
“What the fuck!” The lift has broken down. I have never known this to happen, and it has to be today when my sole mission is to go and stop my lady from fleeing to fuck knows where.
“Dec,” Liv says, her voice almost a whisper.
I am still thinking of how long we’re going to be stuck here when she repeats my name, but this time it’s louder and filled with panic. Turning to face her, I can see she is clutching her belly.
“Dec,” she says once more, “I think the baby’s coming.”
“No!” I tell her, almost forbidding her to confirm her thought.
Neither of us speak for a few seconds but we both hear and then see the pool appearing on the floor.
“Of fuck! My waters have broken. Get Mase!”
I hit the alarm button in the lift and it is answered immediately. I explain who I am and that Mrs Harding is in the lift with me. I don’t tell him she is in labour, but I do tell him to let Mase know. I don’t need to tell him to send my brother to us, he will be beside himself at the idea of Liv stuck in a lift.
Liv looks shit scared as she clutches the handrail on the wall. “Shit, this hurts.”
“Liv, I don’t know too much about this, but I’m sure you’ll have hours yet.”
She nods and does look strangely reassured by my words. “I might have been in labour a few hours though…I thought the Braxton Hicks were just getting really strong.” She doubles over as I assume another contraction hits.
Mase’s voice comes through the panel on the wall, and he sounds concerned.
