‘George, why is your alarm making that hideous noise at this ridiculous godforsaken hour?It’s not even six yet,’ said Leo.
‘Mum said we’d have to get up early if we wanted to put one over Edward Crabtree,’ George answered.‘Do you know what “put one over” means, Leo?And while I’m asking questions, will you tell me what gay is, please?Mum usually says look it up in the dictionary, but it didn’t help.’
‘Didn’t it?’said Leo, scratching his stubble.
‘No.Why should Edward and Alex want us to know that they’re “light-hearted and carefree”?I don’t think Edward’s usually that happy, he’s normally really grumpy looking.He was quite cheerful last night though, wasn’t he?Maybe Alex has been trying to cheer him up?’said George, wandering away to feed Maurice, who was weaving around his ankles meowing pitifully.
‘Ask your mother,’ said Leo.He followed George into the kitchen and put the kettle on, just as Mab emerged sleepily from her bedroom.She was wearing faded Betty Boop pyjamas and had tied her hair up in a bunch on top of her head.She yawned and stretched hugely, wondering why she felt so well after so little sleep.Maybe her body was finally getting used to being pregnant.She thought about bacon sandwiches to test out her theory and was delighted to feel no lurch of nausea.Well, at least that was one of her problems solved.The others would be trickier.Leo was looking at her as if he couldn’t decide whether she was worth speaking to, or not and she’d already had a text from Edward saying:
Half 7 here pls.
‘Morning, Mab,’ said Leo, frostily, ‘breakfast?’
‘Just a cuppa, please, I’m off to have a quick shower.’
‘But it’s way too early for tea,’ protested Jess, coming out of her room.‘Can’t we all go back to bed for a little while?’
Mab shook her head.‘No, we’ve got work to do.Remember, Edward said his brother’s men are coming round to make a start on Operation Plumbing Rescue at seven o’clock.If they can get the pipe work ready, the jacuzzi can be fixed later today.It’s being delivered sometime this afternoon.’
‘And then if everywhere is dried out, we can put the final touches to the shop.The books were mostly fine – just a few soggy Richard Osman novels and some really damp Sally Rooneys to throw out,’ said Leo.‘We got off lightly, all things considered.’
‘I don’t know if Richard and Sally would agree with that, but you’re right,’ said Jess.‘OK, guys, I’m having first shower.’
‘Oh, no, you’re not,’ said Mab, sliding into the bathroom and bolting the door quickly behind her.Jess’s howl of outrage brought George running.He looked at her with disgust.
‘Button it, Mum.You frightened Maurice then.Anyway, come into our room while you’re waiting for your shower.I’ve got a few things to ask you.’
Jess raised her eyebrows at Leo and he grinned back.
‘Good luck with that one, Jess.’
‘Oh, Leo, I was sort of wondering…’
‘No, not in a million years.I’ll help out with most things, but this is a mum’s job,’ said Leo, going downstairs to see if the heaters and dehumidifiers that had been blasting away in the shop all night had done their drying-out job.
* * *
At seven thirty on the dot, Mab slipped out of the flat and let herself into the café next door.She could hear a radio playing in the kitchen and recognised Alex’s tuneful tenor voice singing along to an old Queen song.Hmm.
‘Are you there, Edward?’she called, following the smell of sausages until she saw Edward and Alex, both clad in huge aprons and not much else, frying, toasting and cooking up a storm.They looked blissfully happy and Mab could feel her face setting in a deep frown.How dared they be so loved up when her whole future, not to mention the future of her baby, was so uncertain?
‘Oh, hi, sweetheart,’ said Alex, coming over and kissing Mab on both cheeks.‘Did you sleep well?’
‘Funnily enough, yes,’ she answered, ‘but I’m guessing you know why I’m here, Alex?’
Alex and Edward exchanged a glance, full of love and après sex.
‘Well, yes, I think Ed’s told me everything I need to know about his life so far,’ said Alex, going back to the cooker to check on the sizzling sausages.
‘How cosy.So now all we need to do now is decide how to fix this monumental cock-up.’Mab blushed as she realised what she’d said, and both men laughed.
‘Let’s not go there,’ said Edward.‘Come and sit down and have some breakfast?This could be a long job.At least sit down at the table and have some coffee?’
‘I can’t eat until we’ve sorted out at least the worst of our problems,’ said Mab, slumping into a chair and feeling her eyes fill with tears.‘You two may feel as if everything’s wonderful this morning, but I’m now facing the fact that I’ve acted like a total bitch, got pregnant for money without thinking about the baby at all, and now…’ She began to cry, tears dripping onto the stripped pine of the table.Alex ripped off a wad of kitchen roll and passed it over.
‘Look, Mab…’
‘Don’t“Look, Mab” me, Alex.It’s all very well for you, all loved up and looking forward to life.What’s going to happen to my baby?I’d already decided I couldn’t let Beattie get her hands on him, but now what?’
