‘Can I still tell my parents I’m coming round to yours and staying the night? If I tell them I’m going to a house party, they’ll never let me go.’
‘Yeah, course. I’ll make sure the back door is open.’ Reeni opens her mouth to continue then pauses. ‘How’s your dad?’
I swing my eyes to the ceiling. ‘Fuming. I swear I thought he was going to belt me when Mum told him. She had to get in between us.’
Reeni’s eyes widen. ‘Shit.’
‘Mum bought me this really cute giraffe night light for the room we’re doing up at Jackson’s, though. I’ve hidden it at the back of my wardrobe.’ I bite down on my tongue. My parents are opposite ends of the scale at the moment. Dad can’t bear to look at me, but Mum, with encouragement from Sophie, is all on board. ‘Do you think he’ll ever forgive me?’
‘Course he will.’ She leans towards me and drops her voice. ‘I bet it was the shock. He’s bound to come around. He can’t never talk to you again.’
The group of girls leave the table next to us and I visibly exhale. ‘What do you think I should buy to wear tonight?’
Reeni shrugs. ‘Get something you’re comfortable in. You’ve got good taste. Don’t get anything frumpy or those hyenas will tear you apart.’
I feel dowdy sitting next to Shannon on the train to Poole. I’ve got black leggings on because they have an elasticated waist and my huge maroon sweatshirt to hide all my lumps and bumps. In contrast, she’s wearing skinny jeans tucked into trendy platform boots. A tight bright yellow T-shirt which is cinched in with awide black belt to accentuate her already tiny waist. And she’s finished the lot with huge oversized dark sunglasses.
‘I got them last week. They’re knock-offs to look like the ones Angelina Jolie was wearing. You can’t tell though, can you?’ She touches the side of her glasses and tilts her chin up for me to admire them.
’They’re fab,’ I gush, glad I’ve left my cheap black plastic ones in my bag.
‘Right. What shops do you want to go to?’ She looks pointedly at my hidden middle. ‘I’m not sure where you shop when you’re pregnant. Do you know?’
I shake my head. ‘Oh, I don’t need to go to any special shops. I can get bigger sizes. It’ll be fine.’
‘That’s great then. Still coming to my party, aren’t you? What are you wearing?’
‘I don’t really have anything.’ I think back to my wardrobe at home. There’s definitely nothing in it I could go to a party in. Especially now. ‘I thought I’d get something today.’
Shannon claps her hands together. ‘Great. I know exactly where we’ll go then. We’ll make you look amazing.’
I let her lead the way as she pulls things off the rails in this trendy small boutique in a side street off the main shopping area. Some of the creations she holds up against me then pulls a face and puts them back. Others she hands over for me to hold.
I don’t think she’s picked up one yet that I would have chosen, but I don’t want to be ungrateful; after all, she has come out of her way to help me.
‘That’ll do for now. Come on. We’ll try them on.’
A shop assistant has been hovering around us, probably checking we’re not shoplifting, and she leads us to the changing rooms.
I hang up my six garments on two chrome hooks in the cubicle and put my bag down on the plush navy triangular stool inthe corner before pulling the equally plush velvet purple curtain closed. It’s a far cry from the grubby mirrors and stark cold changing rooms Reeni and I normally use when we’re shopping.
I turn over a white swing tag which is safety pinned to the label on a bright red, halter-neck dress.
‘What?’ The price tag is so large I exclaim out loud. That kind of figure is going to take all of Mum’s money and some of mine.
‘How are you getting on?’ Shannon’s voice floats over the top of the cubicle divider.
‘Still trying,’ I call back and begin to tug down my leggings.
‘Come on. Let’s see at least one of them. They can’t all not fit,’ says Shannon.
‘One minute.’ I grab at the hem of the tight black dress I’m wearing and pull it downwards. A sharp pain slices through my tummy and I grab at it and wince. I stand stock still. It feels like a really bad period cramp, but then it’s gone as soon as it arrived. I’m probably wriggling around too much.
I stand sideways and try to pull in my tummy. The black seems to hide my bump quite well. I turn back to face the mirror and pull up the neckline. It’s good at disguising my huge rock-hard breasts too and as a bonus it’s the cheapest of all the dresses Shannon has picked out.
‘Ellie, get a move on.’
I slide open the curtain. ‘Ta-dah.’ I put my hands on my hips and wiggle a tiny curtsy. ‘What do you think?’
