Chapter Twenty-Eight
Having spent the whole of Friday night and Saturday cocooned in the love shack that Rory’s house had become, wrapped up in the all-consuming mutual adoration that was peculiar to lovers still dazzled by new romance, it was with reluctance that they geared up for their night out in the real world. They had barely left the house. Lucy had decided to see whether her period came the next day rather than going out to buy a pregnancy test. She was always extremely regular, so she knew that if she was late she could then take a test to confirm whether she was pregnant. The outcome didn’t feel quite as critical now. She still wanted to be a mother, of course, but now that she had Rory she realised she was prepared to wait a while.
Lucy was very excited at the prospect of Claudia and Dan meeting Rory. Her best friend’s approval was of paramount importance to her. She knew that as soon as other people got to know him and see for themselves what an incredible man he was, the more real it would become for her. She might be able to stop pinching herself at her astounding good luck in finding him.
Rory continued to amaze her on a daily basis. Physically, he was such a strong and striking man, yet he was so kind and vulnerable underneath. He had endless time for her. He had told her that this was the first time he had really let someone in, let someone get to know the real him, since Abigail died, and she was so glad that he had chosen her to be the one to do so. When he gave her his attention she felt as though he was thinking of nothing else apart from what she was saying, as though there was nowhere in the world he would rather be, no one else in the world he would rather be with. She had heard him on the phone talking to his various family members, giving the same tenderness and affection whether he was talking to Trina and Paddy, his brothers or sister, or any one of his numerous nephews and nieces. Occasionally he would just double up with laugher, a booming deep laugh that would reverberate around the room, echoing warmth through the house, and Lucy would find herself laughing along with him, having no idea what about. It was contagious.
They had developed a jokey banter between them, lightly teasing each other and steadily building up the foundations of a deep friendship, which felt as secure and unshakeable as her relationships with Claudia and Tor.
On Saturday lunchtime, Lucy called Claudia to confirm their plans to meet up that evening.
‘Luce?’ said Claudia, answering the phone at the first ring.
‘Hi Clauds,’ said Lucy. ‘Are you excited?’
‘OMG I can’t wait!’ shrieked Claudia. ‘I feel like I’m going on a first date… I’m nervous!’
‘Steady on, Clauds, heistaken you know!’ laughed Lucy. ‘As are you, need I remind you?’
‘I know, I know! Dan thinks I’m completely crackers. He just sounds so great and I’m so happy for you. It’s too exciting!’
‘So where do you want to meet?’ asked Lucy.
‘Mmmm, not sure. Where’s convenient?’ asked Claudia.
‘I reckon Putney is about halfway.’
‘How about the Rose and Chalice?’
‘Brilliant, I love that pub,’ agreed Lucy.
‘Cool, see you later then,’ said Claudia, getting ready to hang up the phone.
‘Wait…wait!’ said Lucy, lowering her voice so that Rory couldn’t hear her. ‘Remember, Clauds, not a word aboutanything.I mean it.’ She hated the fact that she wasn’t being completely open with Rory, especially when he had been so honest with her about Abigail, but she didn’t want to scare him away when there was no indication at this stage that she was even pregnant.
‘Yes, yes, I know. I mustn’t mention a thing,’ said Claudia, having already been lectured several times about the impossibility of Rory finding out a single detail of donor insemination gate.
‘See you later,’ said Lucy.
‘Byeee! Can’t wait!’ added Claudia, blowing kisses down the phone.
That evening Rory and Lucy both had showers before getting ready to head out, Rory going first and Lucy, for once, managing to resist his persuasive offers to join him, knowing that would make them very late indeed. Later, as she emerged with pink cheeks in a cloud of billowing steam from the en suite into the bedroom, she was greeted by the sight of Rory, his white towel wrapped around his hips, doing a Michael Jackson impersonation to ‘Thriller’ which was playing on the radio. Not wishing to be outdone, she joined him, moonwalking across the floor, her hair in a turban like the Queen of Sheba, prompting an energetic dance off that ended up with both Rory and Lucy collapsed on the bed, trying to catch their breath through hysterical laughter.
‘I definitely beat you,’ said Rory, bending over her and kissing her on the neck.
‘You didnot!’ shrieked Lucy. ‘My moves aremuchbetter than yours!’
‘Oh,really… well we’ll have to see about that!’ chuckled Rory, showing her exactly what moves he was talking about.
Shoving him off her, Lucy screeched, ‘Rory! You are incorrigible! Not now… we’re going to be so late!’
‘But you’re so irresistible, it’s not my fault!’ complained Rory, a wicked glint in his eye, trying to tug her towel down.
Wriggling out of his grasp and bolting to her overnight bag that was lying in the corner of the room, she promised him that he could have his wicked way with her later if he got a move on now. She pulled on a set of matching underwear and a royal blue patterned dress, spraying herself with perfume and running a comb through her hair. No straighteners would mean she would have to embrace her natural wavy hair, but she felt confident enough to go au naturel with Rory, having crossed that bridge early on thanks to the rainstorm. She couldn’t believe it was only last Saturday when they had got together, it seemed like months ago!
Rory pulled on his trusty jeans, some loafers and a pale blue shirt that brought out the striking colour of his eyes, then tousled his fingers through his hair, declaring himself good to go. Lucy’s stomach flipped at the sight of him, she couldn’t wait to see Claudia’s jaw hit the floor.
Having finished off her make-up while Rory took Rufus out for a quick walk around the block, they were ready to leave. They hailed a taxi and set off for the pub.
