“What? Do you mean to tell me that you’re prepared to give up this relationship – thisgoodthing we have going, just because I’m no longer living close by?”
“Hey,” she said shortly, “you’re the one who’s upsetting the apple cart, not me.”
He gave her a hurt look. “Karen, you’re not even prepared to even consider the possibility that we might be able to do this, are you?”
She rounded on him, eyes flashing. “You have some cheek. Tonight, you tell me out of the blue that you’re swanning off to work in Germany –next month. You didn’t even bother to let me know that something like this was in the pipeline. How did youexpectme to react?”
Mercifully she managed to flag down a taxi, and she and Shane got into the car. Karen was so angry that she barely remembered telling the driver where they were going.
She truly hadn’t expected this. She’d thought that their relationship was going well and assumed that Shane might include, or at least consult her. Here she was thinking they were happy together, and all the while he was making plans without giving her a second thought.
She stole a quick look at him as he sat in silence staring out the window as the taxi sped towards home.
Probably felt guilty for not having told her earlier. Still, it wouldn’t have made any difference to his decision – he was going regardless. No point in either of them making promises she was sure they wouldn’t be able to keep.
As the taxi crossed the bridge at Portobello, Karen asked the driver to drop her off at her place. Shane, who lived further up the road, looked at her sadly, his face filled with disappointment.
“Can’t we even discuss this?”
“There's no point," she said abruptly. “You’ve made your decision and that’s it.”
“For goodness sake, Karen – stop being so bloody childish,” he said, his voice clipped, as the taxi turned into Leinster Square. “That’s not ‘it’, and of course we need to talk about it.”
Karen noticed the driver shift his position so that he could get a better look in his rear-view mirror at the warring couple in the back.
“Shane, good luck in Germany. I hope you have a fantastic life. Andyou,” she snapped at the driver, “mind your own bloody business.”
She thrust the fare at the guy and without another word to Shane, slammed the door behind her and stomped up the pathway.
Watching the car move away, Karen battled in equal measure with disappointment and sadness. Stop, she warned herself. No point in getting sentimental. Shane had made his decision – she’d just have to get over it and move on.
Glancing at the upstairs window, she noticed that the living room light was on. It was almost ten – unusual for Jenny to be home at this hour when she usually stayed at Roan’s these days.
She bloody well hoped he wasn’t in there with her. She wasnotin the mood for making awkward small talk just now.
But when inside the flat Karen pushed open the living room door, the sight that greeted her banished all thoughts of her own situation completely from her mind.
10
“What’s wrong?” Karen gathered Jenny in her arms and her friend began to sob afresh. “Hey, you’re scaring me. Has something happened between you and Roan?” Seeing Jenny nod but unable to speak for crying, she continued. “Did you two have a fight? What has he done?”
Jenny sat up dishevelled and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her hair hung in strings around her face.
“I went to the doctor today …hic… and found out … I found out that I ….”She hiccupped furiously, unable to complete the sentence.
The conclusion hitting her, Karen’s heart dropped like a stone as she engulfed her in a fresh hug.
“Oh, honey, I understand – I had a feeling in the last few weeks that something was up, but …”
Dammit.
“It’s my own fault. I thought it would be OK because I’m on the Pill.”
“It’s OK – I’ll be here for you every step of the way,” Karen soothed, “You won’t be alone. Whatever you need I’m there - I’ll even help you break the news to your parents if you like.”
Jenny gave her a lopsided smile. “‘Somehow, I don’t think I’ll be telling Mum and Dad about this. I’m not pregnant, Karen. It’s nothing like that, thank goodness.” Her voice dropped to a low whisper and her cheeks went pink. “I’ve contracted some kind of … infection and I must have picked it up from Roan. An STI.” She looked away, mortified.
Karen stared, open-mouthed. She tried to say something but for a long moment, words escaped her.
