‘It was so amazing. The Swarovski crystal fountain in the lobby was incredible and you should have seen the room Bill had. Complimentary everything. Veuve Clicquot champagne, Godiva chocolates, you name it.’
‘Wow.’
‘I was only going to stop for a quick drink. Say hello, but then he invited me for dinner. And it was so lovely to see him. I’d forgotten how easy he was to be with. And so English. And the restaurant had a Michelin star.’
It sounded as if she was so homesick and lonely she’d have met him for a Big Mac if he’d asked.
‘I went up to his room for a nightcap and... It just felt so good to be held for a change. Someone looking after me. Someone thinking I’m wonderful instead of taking the piss out of my accent and the things I say.’ She put her head in her hands, starting to cry again.
I leant forward and took her hand, squeezing it.
‘I didn’t want to go back to my place. He was home... and when he kissed me.. . it felt so right. So I stayed.’
My heart lurched in sympathy. I stroked the back of her hand. ‘So what now? How pregnant are you?’
Kate gave me a wry smile. ‘Totally.’
We both giggled hysterically. She moved to sit next to me on my sofa. I put my arm around her shoulders.
‘Sorry, I . . .’
‘I’ve done four tests and every time that blue line appears.’
‘So, when? I mean how long?’
‘Nine weeks.’
Neither of us said anything. I wasn’t sure what to ask next. The obvious question was, ‘What are you going to do?’ but I wasn’t sure I wanted the answer.
‘Are you going to tell him?’ I asked quietly.
Kate sniffed, put her head up and stroked her neck thoughtfully. ‘There’s no point.’
I took her hand again. ‘Kate, whatever you decide to do, you know I’ll support you, but don’t you think you ought to tell him?’
‘What for?’
‘He’s the father.’
‘Olivia, it’s the size of a coffee bean, if that. I’m going to have an abortion. In Australia. I’ve done some research. They do them up to twenty weeks. Anyway Bill won’t want to know now.’
I stared at her. Surely, she didn’t mean that. ‘He might.’
‘No, I don’t want him to know.’
‘But you don’t have to go back. Stay here. You can’t face this on your own.’
‘I have to go back. If I don’t, Mum and Dad will want to know why.’
‘But you can tell them. Come on, they’re pretty liberal, hardly the “never-darken-our-door” sort. You know they’d be supportive.’
Her breath exhaled noisily. ‘Yeah, and they won’t want to know who the father is? Mum will never stop badgering me. The worst thing is they know Bill. They really like him. Knowing my luck, they’ll tell him or insist I do. He’s playing in your bloody Codgers match next week.’
Shit, I’d forgotten he’d be there. How was I going to face him knowing this?
‘But—’
‘Olivia. I’ve made my mind up. I have to... have an abortion and I don’t want him to know.’
