Page 74 of A Highland Family Affair

Bella rummaged around in her dress pocket. She pulled something out and thrust it in Olivia’s face. ‘Like this, perhaps?’

Olivia widened her eyes. ‘Oh.’ Olivia took the pregnancy test from her hand but didn’t look at it.

Bella scoffed. ‘Oh? Is that all you’ve got to say?’

Olivia curled her top lip. ‘And eeuw, what were you doing rummaging around in my waste bin?’

‘I’d left my lip gloss on your dressing table, so I went up to get it earlier and decided to borrow your loo while I was up there. But it wasn’t in the bin. It was on the cistern as plain as day. So…?’

Olivia sighed. ‘Oh. I could’ve sworn I put it in the bin. Anyway, it’s fine. I’ve just been feeling a bit off for a few days. A week or so maybe and my periods have been a bit hit-and-miss. I only took the test to be sure. But it’s clearly not that, so it must just be the wedding planning that’s wiped me out. Stress can play havoc with your menstrual cycle.’

Bella frowned. ‘Erm, hang on. What do you mean it’s clearly not that?’

Olivia held up the stick. ‘Durrr! It’s negative, see? So that’s that.’

It was Bella’s turn to widen her eyes now. She took the test back and held it up. ‘Negative? Olivia, I’m not sure if you read the instructions properly but this test is not negative. It’s the complete opposite of negative. In fact, this test and negative are so diametrically opposed they aren’t even in the same universe.’

Olivia felt the colour drain from her face. ‘I’m sorry, what? No… no, I checked, and it was negative, that’s why I threw it away. Or at least why I thought I had.’

‘Erm, no! It’s positive! Very much positive. As in the clearest lines you can get.’

There was a knock at the door. ‘Go away!’ Bella and Olivia shouted simultaneously.

‘Aw, come on! It’s only me!’ Skye called. ‘If you’re having a girls’ conflab then I’m… oh, shit! Whose is that?’ she asked with a gasp as she walked into the room and spied what was in Bella’s hand. ‘Bells, are you⁠—’

‘It’s mine apparently,’ Olivia replied in a daze, taking the test from Bella again and staring at the lines that were showing in the little window.

‘Never mind that, Skye, did anyone follow you?’ Bella asked urgently.

Skye, a little worse for wear, giggled, then in a theatrical whisper she said, ‘Shhh,’ and glanced over her shoulder before singing the theme tune to Mission Impossible and moving around on her tiptoes. ‘Why? Is Tom Cruise about to lower himself from a hole in the ceiling?’ She burst out laughing but Bella whacked her arm. ‘Oy! What was that for?’ she whined, rubbing the spot.

‘This is serious, Skye,’ Bella hissed through pursed lips, clearly trying not to laugh at her tipsy friend.

Skye crumpled her face and slurred, ‘Why? She’s a married woman.’

Bella paused for a moment and gave a laugh. ‘Oh, yeah. Of course you are, Liv.’

A wave of nausea washed over Olivia along with the same light-headedness she’d felt a few times in the past week. ‘I need to sit down.’

They all walked around to the sofas and sat. The door opened again. ‘Caught you!’ Harper said with a loud laugh. ‘I came to see what you’re all being so secretive about.’

‘Shhhh!’ Bella and Skye hissed in unison.

Harper frowned and joined them at the sofas. She glanced at the little white stick with the royal blue lid that Olivia clutched in her hand and covered her mouth. ‘Shit. Is that…?’

‘Yup,’ Skye said with an overexaggerated nod and wag of her finger. ‘It sure is.’

Harper flopped onto the sofa by Olivia. ‘That’s amazing news!’ she said excitedly until she took in Olivia’s expression. ‘Hey, honey, are you okay?’ she asked gently.

Olivia lifted her face. ‘How am I going to tell Brodie?’

‘What do you mean?’ Harper asked.

Olivia swallowed. ‘We got married a matter of hours ago. What if he’s not ready for this? What if I’m not ready for this? It’s so sudden. What if he feels trapped? What if he leaves me?’

Bella came over and crouched before her. ‘Hey, stop that. You’re being ridiculous. Brodie adores you. And I’m not being funny here, but you didn’t exactly make this happen alone, did you?’

‘She’s right, babe,’ Harper agreed. ‘You just need to speak to him. Be honest.’ Harper paused. ‘Are… are you okay about this? I mean, it’s your body. How do you feel?’