‘Gracie? Oh my God, what have you done? Are you OK?’ Leaving the van running, Ed leapt out.
‘There’s nothing broken, apart from her pride. Just a graze that needs a clean. I had best be on my way. I need to catch this bus.’ Ali put her hand on Gracie’s shoulder.
‘Thank you, thank you so much,’ Gracie said softly. She fished in her handbag and handed Ali a flyer. ‘My details are on here. It would be lovely if you could send me yours. I’m setting up a club. I’ll send you details, so maybe you could share it at your hospital?’
‘Sure. OK. Now take care, hey? And slow down. Running away isn’t ever the answer, you know.’
‘Fuck, babe.’ Ed noticed Gracie’s bleeding limbs. ‘Come on, get in the van. I’ll patch you up.’
Gracie sat awkwardly on the edge of Ed’s bath.
‘Ouch.’ She was trying so hard to be brave.
‘I’m sorry, beautiful girl, but we need to get it clean.’ Ed dabbed gently at her elbow with an antiseptic wipe. ‘What were you doing anyway? I thought you hated running and I wouldn’t call this exercise gear.’
Gracie shut her eyes for a second. ‘It’s too complicated.’
‘Gracie, we’re both grown-ups. Not much fazes me, really.’
‘If you really must know, my ex just asked me to marry him.’ Her face screwed up as the antiseptic wipe touched her elbow. ‘Ouch!’
‘Sorry, sorry! The ex you just split from, right? Literally weeks ago?’
Gracie sighed deeply. ‘I said it was complicated.’
‘You don’t have to tell me anything else,’ Ed soothed.
‘It’s about time I opened up to people. I’m going to get it out really quickly. I’m sure it’s boring to other people.’
‘Take your time, it’s OK,’ Ed carried on, dabbing gently.
Gracie’s breath hitched. ‘I struggled to have kids; we had IVF; I got pregnant… with twins.’ Her voice wobbled at the word ‘twins’.
Ed was visibly upset. But now she’d started, she had to finish.
Tears filled her eyes. ‘Obviously, I lost them and, with a following hysterectomy, my ability to have children, too.’
‘You poor love.’ Ed kissed her forehead.
‘And that’s when we started to grow apart. I went into myself. I didn’t lose my baby weight, didn’t feel attractive. Lewis went off me. He slept with someone else… a woman who used to sit opposite me at work.’ Her voice tailed off and she exhaled deeply.
‘What a twat.’ Ed shook his head.
Gracie winced at this comment. ‘He was hurting, too.’
‘Gracie, don’t make excuses for him. Love is love. I can’t believe he didn’t see what was in front of him. You’ve been through hell. How could he not wrap you up and protect you? And look at him now, tail between his legs thinking he can just get you back, now that he’s ready.’
Gracie bit her lip. ‘I’m so confused.’
‘I’m not surprised you are. I can’t think of anything more traumatic for a woman to go through, especially as you’re so young. Losing the babies would throw most people, without your tosser of a boyfriend being a complete and utter dick. You’re strong, Gracie, and you should never doubt yourself.’
‘Really?’ Her voice quivered.
‘Really.’ Ed bent to kiss her. She closed her eyes. It felt so lovely. He had said all the right things. Maybe he did care. Maybe he was just nervous the other night. They kissed gently, slowly, lovingly.
Standing up, Ed laughed. ‘My back is killing.’
Gracie stood up and winced again.
