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Forrest is giving me a strange look, but I signal for him to wait as I listen to Emma take deep breaths. Her voice still trembles, but not as bad as before.
“I think they’re coming over here now. I…I know this is a big thing to ask, but Viv is at work and I can’t get hold of her. I don’t…I don’t want to be alone. Just in case…”
“Of course. But what about your other friend? Amy, is it?”
“She’s on Rick’s side now. I don’t know what’s going on there, but I don’t trust her anymore.” Emma hesitates. “Please, Mark? Can you come over?”
I should be going back to the office and getting on with my work, but I can’t leave Emma like this. My boss is going to have to deal with me another time. I can finish everything at a later date. Right now, Emma is my priority. I signal to Forrest and he stands up with me.
“I’ll be right there. Text me your address.”
I hang up and a second later, my phone buzzes. Forrest is watching me curiously.
“What’s going on?”
“I’ll explain on the way. You haven’t got anywhere else to go, have you? Because I think I’m going to need your help on this.”
“Of course not.” My friend follows me out. “I have a feeling that this drama is something I’m not able to keep away from.”
Emma
I keep glancing through the curtains towards the street, but it doesn’t make me feel any better when I don’t see anyone there that I recognise. It just tightens the knot of unease in my stomach.
Rick and Amy haven’t turned up yet, and it’s putting me on edge. Now Rick knows that I’m pregnant, he’s going to be coming over to demand that we get back together. It wouldn’t be about the pregnancy; it would be about him losing control over me. He thought that he was in charge even when we’re not a couple. He believed that he could dictate what I could and couldn’t do. I’ve managed to keep him at arm’s length, for the most part, in the last couple of months, and I thought he had backed off. But now he knew that I’m pregnant with someone else’s baby, Rick is not happy. I remember how upset he sounded over the phone when Amy called me.
Now he’s going to be demanding answers and that we’re getting back together. At least I think he’s going to; I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s so fixated in wanting me that he is prepared to take me no matter what, especially now he sees that I’m carrying on without him.
I did wonder if he had a screw loose when we were together, and now I’m seeing that I was right about him.
I just hope that Mark gets here quickly. I don’t want to be alone when Rick gets here.
My phone buzzes as I pace the living room, and I almost don’t look at it. Seeing Viv’s name flashing up on the screen, I scramble to answer before she hangs up.
“Hey.”
“Hey. What’s going on? I just got a voicemail from Amy and she sounded worried. Something about Rick going mad now he knows that you’re pregnant?”
“Sounds about right.” I sag onto the sofa. My legs are feeling shaky, and my stomach is churning. “I think he sees this as me properly moving on, something he was in denial about. Now he’s throwing a fit.”
“But how would she know about it? She’s not in contact with him, is she?”
“Well, funny that didn’t come out when she called you.” I glance towards the window when I hear the sound of a car going by. God, I’m getting jumpy. “She’s been talking to him. From what I can tell, she’s sympathetic to him.”
“Holy fuck.” Viv whistles. “And Amy was your strongest supporter. Why would she turn around like that?”
“I have no idea. And I never thought she would have her opinion swayed, but Rick can be persuasive.” I feel my leg beginning to bounce and I force it to stop. “God, I’m so nervous. I know that Rick is coming here, but I don’t know when.”
“Do you want me to come over?”
“If you can get hold of Amy and knock some sense into her, I’d prefer it. But Mark is coming here right now. I should feel better when he does.”
“Ah. I see.” Viv’s voice sounds sly. “So things are actually good between you two, then?”
“You could say that. Look, Viv, please talk to Amy. I don’t know how to get through to her.”
“Don’t worry about that, girl. I’ve got this. You focus on that baby and that gorgeous man who seems to be smitten with you.”
“Wait, what?” Did I hear her correctly? I can’t help but laugh. “Viv, you only saw us together in Paris when you were drunk. How would you know if he was smitten on me then?”
