‘It’s breathtaking! My house looks like the Eden Project, I’ve got so many flowers here, you have to come over and see it!’
‘I’m having tea with mum in Hammersmith this afternoon, why don’t I pop over on the way? I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve seen you and you can see your godson too!’
‘Great idea! Come over whenever you want. We’ll just be having some lunch.’
‘We?! Does that mean I’m going to get to meet the mysterious Rory then?’ asked Tor, clearly delighted at the prospect.
‘If you’re lucky!’ chuckled Lucy, winking at Rory who could overhear their entire conversation.
‘Well now just try and stop me!’ cried Tor. ‘I’ll be there within the hour; it takes me an age to get out of the house with all the baby crap.’
‘Okay Tor, see you when I see you,’ said Lucy.
After that they nipped out to the local deli and bought some salads for lunch and a loaf of sourdough bread from the bakery. Lucy heated up some chicken mulligatawny and they dunked their crusty slices of bread into the creamy soup. They had picked up the Sunday papers and read them while they ate, Rory starting with the real news and Lucy with the supplements before swapping over… Lucy was now determined to keep up with Rory’s impressive knowledge of current affairs.
She hadn’t been feeling quite herself that morning so she declined Rory’s offer of coffee opting instead for a pint of Berocca to try and give her immune system a boost. The liquids seemed to rush straight through her and suddenly she found herself desperate for the loo.
To her surprise and disappointment Lucy found that her period had started. Her eyes filled with tears. Her head started to spin with a mixture of emotions at the realization that once again she was not pregnant. She hadn’t been thinking about it nearly as much as she had done in the two weeks that followed each previous cycle. She had spent more time and energy convincing herself that what would be would be, but now that the reality hit her she felt absolutely devastated. The by-now familiar and all-encompassing disappointment of yet another failed round of treatment washed over her like a tide of despair, rising up through her body and spilling out in her tears. It was bitter and almost tangible in its strength. She forced herself to try and be positive: this clearly hadn’t been the plan for her. And anyway now she had Rory, maybe she was meant to have a baby with Rory instead, following the traditional route of falling in love, marriage and starting a family. She dreaded to think how she would have broached the subject with Rory had she been pregnant and felt the tiniest flicker of relief that now she would never have to.
She splashed water on her face and took a deep breath. There was nothing to be done but to resign her future to the fates. Life really was full of surprises, she thought. You could plan all you liked but it did no good. She remembered an old poster that she used to have blu-tacked to her bedroom wall saying, ‘Life was what happened when you were busy making other plans!’ It was true, she thought as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, wiping the tears away. She knew now was not the time to sort through the puzzling and conflicting feelings that were currently zooming through her head like a snowstorm. She pushed them to one side and promised herself she would process it all properly the next time she was by herself. Rory, and Tor’s imminent arrival, were far too much of a distraction for any serious soul-searching to take place at this precise moment.
About an hour after Tor’s phone call, as predicted, the doorbell rang. Lucy buzzed Tor in and she stomped up the stairs heaving Otto in his little car seat under one arm. Lucy felt her eyes smart furiously at the sight of baby Otto, the bittersweet realization that she was not pregnant swung dramatically towards disappointment at the sight of her godson. Pulling herself together, Lucy offered to help. Tor insisted on lugging it all the way up, saying it was the only exercise she got, eventually arriving at the top of the steps with slightly red cheeks, huffing and puffing. Brushing her blonde curls out of her eyes and kissing her friend hello, she walked into the flat to find Rory waiting to greet her.
‘You must be Tor,’ he said warmly, giving her a kiss on both cheeks as she said, ‘Nice to meet you, Rory!’
‘And you, little man, must be the famous Otto that your godmother has told me so much about! I can see why, he’s darn cute!’ said Rory as he tousled the baby’s slightly ginger hair.
Otto gurgled in response, a spit bubble forming on his rose-bud lips, before a beaming smile spread across his chubby cheeks.
‘He loves you!’ said Tor. ‘He doesn’t smile for just anyone, you know.’
‘He’s grand!’ said Rory. He seemed genuinely interested in little Otto.
‘Can I hold him?’ asked Lucy, feeling very hormonal all of a sudden.
‘Be my guest!’ replied Tor as she unclipped the strap around Otto’s chest, releasing him from the car seat. Lucy picked him up and held him out in front of her, kissing his soft little cheeks and cooing over his beautiful blue eyes. ‘I can’t believe how much he has grown!’ she said to Tor.
‘Tell me about it!’ Tor rolled her eyes and collapsed onto the sofa.
‘Would you like a cup of tea?’ asked Rory.
‘I’m absolutely gasping for one, thank you. I haven’t had a second to make one for myself all day.’
‘Where’s Will?’ asked Lucy.
‘Oh he’s away on business so I’m coping with Otto all by myself, lucky me! The flowers are stunning by the way. You’re right, Luce, it is like the Eden Project in here!’
‘I know, I’m a lucky girl!’ grinned Lucy, reminding herself to count her considerable blessings.
‘I’ll say!’ agreed Tor with a wink, mouthing, ‘In more ways than one!’ while Rory busied himself in the kitchen.
Rory came over to join them with a tray of biscuits and three cups of steaming tea.
Tor thanked him as she took a sip, relaxing back into the cushions and heaving a deep sigh of relief. ‘It’s so nice not to have to be in charge!’ she said, yawning. ‘You just keep hold of him for me! Don’t mind me if I nod off… I’m so sleep-deprived!’
‘We’ll look after him, don’t worry. I absolutely adore children, and so, it would seem, does Lucy. You should let us babysit for you!’ suggested Rory. ‘Give yourself a break.’
‘Definitely!’ said Lucy. ‘I love looking after him, anytime, just give us a call.’
