BANG, BANG.
I stand, watching them together, knowing this image isn’t quite right, but I don’t want it to end.
BANG, BANG.
I’m happy where I am.
BANG, BANG.
I jolt upright as I realise the banging is my front door and not a part of my dream. I slowly drag my aching limbs out of bed and brace myself, but there are no more waves of sickness.Yay!The banging continues, the voices of two people bickering outside carrying through the door.
“Just a sec!” I shout. I walk through my living room and notice it’s past lunch; my stomach growls. Either that, or little Peanut here is part werewolf. I snort at my stupid joke.
Reaching the door, I open it to find that the two people are still bickering. Hayleigh and Emmy notice me, and both of them pull me into a three-way hug.
“I didn’t believe that you were sick. I thought you were avoiding us, but now I can tell you’re sick. You look like shit.” Hayleigh wrinkles her nose at me. Paranoid, I lift my arm and sniff, and she laughs at me. Smacking my arm playfully, she says, “I’m joking! Now move aside because we’re back from our holiday and we have to fill you in and make sure you’re okay.”
Emmy looks at me with a strange expression as I let them go by. “Are you okay?” she mouths, and right then, I know for a fact that Cas has spilt the beans.
“Let me guess, Cas?” I say, giving her a pointed look. Her cheeks blaze, but I wave her off. “I should have known better. That man can’t hold a fart in, let alone a secret.” We laugh it off and sit down on my sofa.
Hayleigh looks between Emmy and me. “Okay, what am I missing?” She brings out some tinned cocktails and places them in front of us.
I sigh, knowing I need to get this off my chest, regardless of whether they judge me for it or not.
“Do you remember a while back when we went out in Brimcrest?” They both nod but stay silent. “I met someone that night…” I don’t get to finish what I’m trying to say because Hayleigh jumps in.
“Eek, you’re in a relationship? Oh my god, this is amazing news!” She then stops what she’s saying as she looks around and whispers, “Oh shit, is he in there?” She points to my bedroom and fans herself.
Emmy puts her hand on her arm. “Calm down, Hayls, let Lacey finish her story.” Hayleigh nods and rolls her hand for me to continue.
I take a deep breath. “No, I’m not in a relationship, but I am pregnant because of that night.” I squeeze my eyes shut, not daring to open them, but then I feel two sets of arms surround me, and because of my stupid hormones, I burst into tears.
“Oh, sweetie, don’t cry, it’s going to be okay. Are you going to keep it?” Hayleigh asks me, zero judgment in her voice.
I sniffle back the tears. “Yes, I’m keeping her. Not that I know if the baby is a she yet; it’s just a dream I had. I feel like little Peanut is a girl.” I put a hand on my stomach and lovingly stroke it.
“We’re proud of you, Lacey.” Hayleigh has tears in her eyes, as does Emmy. I have never been more thankful to have these women as my friends than in this moment.
I wipe at my tears. “Okay, enough about me! I need to know about the honeymoon and holiday!”
I spent the next few hours listening to all about the honeymoon and the holiday the rest of the guys took, whichinvolved a funny story about Archie and a pink flamingo. Hayleigh seems a bit cagey with what she got up to, but maybe that’s just me.
Hayleigh insists on ordering food in, and I’m not about to complain. She finishes up the order on her phone and grabs her mojito in a can before gasping.
“Holy shit! I know who he is!”
We both stare at her like she’s lost the plot, but she flaps her hands excitedly as she says, “Baby Daddy! I remember him saying his name was Ted, or was it Fred? Anyway, Ted/Fred told me he worked as a lifeguard in Brimcrest!”
My stomach starts doing somersaults – I’m sure it's from nerves or excitement.
“All we have to do is go over to Brimcrest and find where he works, Bob’s your uncle and all of that!” She smiles from ear to ear, and I find myself nodding along.
“Yeah, okay. Let’s do this.” But even as I say the words, there is something in the back of my mind telling me this may not be the best idea.
Emmy notices my apprehension. “Lacey, we don’t have to do this. It is entirely your choice. You can always wait till later on.”
I shake my head. “No, the right thing to do is to tell him he's going to be a father, and then he can decide whether or not he wants that.” I sound calm and confident, but inside I don’t feel that way.
