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“I had a migraine last night.”
“Poor you. Horrible. Not that I’ve ever had one, but I believe so.” With that, Leonie went off to the bar.
Felicity’s fingers itched to scrabble around in her bag, grab her phone, message Oliver and demand he have the decency to tell her the simple truth. But she didn’t, because if she did, she knew she’d type something awfully rude. So she simply waited, trying to breathe.
When Leonie got back, they sat for what seemed like hours, but was probably moments, staring at their drinks.
“You’ve been up the coast, haven’t you?” Leonie said finally. “How was it?”
“Great, thank you.”
“Where did you go?”
“The Barrier Reef.”
“Of course. Has to be numero uno, doesn’t it?” A pause. “So Oliver didn’t tell you I was here?”
Miserably, she shook her head. Leonie tutted. “I guess he’s processing. Itwaskind of sudden, me walking back into his life.” She drew in a breath. “Look, this is not easy andobviously, I would have left Oliver to tell you himself, if you hadn’t walked in, but you know, now we’ve met… I really think it’s best if I explain, woman to woman.”
Felicity’s brain felt like a soggy sponge inside her skull. She asked in a small voice, “Could you—just tell me—all my belongings. Did Oliver box them up? Or did you?”
“I did. They weren’t quite the right vibe for the photos… Sorrryyy.”
“It’s fine.”So not fine.
Leonie bit her lower lip. “I know you two have been having a fling,by the way. Oliver and I had the big heart-to-heart.” She sighed.“I had to fess up as well—about a thing I had with a guy in Bali.” She sipped her wine, took another deep breath. “But you knew, right? That Oliver’s not over me.” She didn’t wait for a response and no way was Felicity’s mouth able to deliver one. “You see, we—me and him—are… considering afreshstart, so—”
I think I’m going to be sick,thought Felicity. She buried her nose in her glass of water and gulped, because she couldn’t speak. Just couldn’t. Finally, she managed, “When did you decide that?”
“Well, you know, we haven’tformalisedit yet. Obviously, he’s coming to terms with everything I’ve told him, but… he wants to…”
“He’s said that?”
Leonie didn’t quite meet her eyes. “He’s still too hurt to admit it outright. Like I said, he’s processing. But I know what he wants without him having to say a word.”
A little glimmer of hope surfaced in Felicity’s heart. Tiny, the size of Tinkerbell, but she couldn’t quite believe, however beautiful and beguiling this woman was, that Oliver would do this. Surely her heart had got to know a different Oliver.Surely?
Leonie splayed her hands. “Okay, I’m going to level with you. The problem, between me and Oliver was—gosh, honesty plus here—Oliver wanted kids straight away and I didn’t. He wants, like, a big family, and I’d be happy with one. Max.”
Felicity’s fingers stuck to her glass, nearly pressed through it.
He wants kids.
“I—I didn’t know that.”
Leonie smirked. “Why would you? It’s not something you discuss with your holiday hook-up, is it? Oh, I don’t want to sound mean but… you knew the score.”
“Of course, right from the start.”
He wants kids. Lots of kids.
Leonie’s voice came from a tunnel, so, so far away. “I guess I wasn’t ready for the whole baby thing. I’m not, like, the archetypal earth mother type. So I ran. Not proud of that. But… it must be my biological clock ticking. The closer I get to thirty—suddenly I’m so broody, it’s like this physical pull inside me.” Two fingers tapped her dish flat stomach. “And I know that Oliver is the only guy I want to have kids with.”
Felicity sat like an ice statue, frozen.
“I guess what I’m saying is… we need some space to sort our shit out—” Leonie’s eyes demanded an answer and somehow Felicity roused herself.
“Thanks for explaining it so clearly.”
