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“I’m just worried about you being in a busy place. There are lots of people and you could get jostled, you know.” Viv gestures at my huge belly. “You can’t exactly breathe in, can you?”
“I’m fine. Everyone’s taken good care of me while I’m here, and if Mark is around once he’s done.” I affectionately poke Viv in the side. “He hovers over me as much as you do.”
“But you don’t mind it when he does it, I bet.”
Admittedly, I don’t. I like having someone like Mark looking out for me. He does go a little too much at times, but he reins it in when I tell him he’s going too far. He listens to me, and even after a long day at the office or having travelled around the country refereeing in the premier league, he’ll always look after me. I get foot rubs, massages and cuddles whenever he’s with me, not to mention sex. I thought people were telling me bullshit when they said you could end up craving sex more when pregnant, and now I know what they mean.
We’re not living together, but Mark is pretty much at my house all the time. I never lived with Rick, so it’s strange having someone in my house with me, but we settled into it. It’s almost like we’ve been together longer than a few months.
“I am wondering why Mark wants me to come onto the pitch at halftime, though.” I frown at the stewards who are at the mouth of the tunnel that leads onto the pitch. “He normally goes straight off once the final whistle goes.”
“Maybe he needs your help with something? I don’t know.”
But from Viv’s expression, that she’s trying to fight back, she knows something. I poke her in the side again, which makes her squeal.
“Don’t do that, Emma! That tickles!”
“Tell me what Mark is up to, and I’ll stop.”
“No, I won’t. I was just told to get you down here for halftime, that’s it.” Viv holds up her hands. “I swear, Emma. That’s it.”
I believe her somewhat. But it’s not stopping my curiosity. I’m pleased that Mark managed to get me a private box to watch the game for my birthday, but now I’m getting nervous about why he wants me to come out onto the pitch. He’s not going to give me a present in front of thousands of people watching, is he?
I’m not sure if I’m going to like this surprise. It was good enough already knowing that I don’t have to worry about Rick anymore. We never did file the cease and desist with the courts because he declared that he was moving away and would not bother me anymore. We all knew that he was saying this as a big display to make me realise that I still loved him and I wanted him back, but I just ignored him. So Rick ended up moving up north without me chasing after him, and I never will.
I don’t know what Mark and Forrest said to him, but whatever they said worked.
The sound of the halftime whistle reaches our ears, and a moment later Forrest is jogging down the tunnel towards us, the studs on his buttons echoing around us. He grins at me and holds out a hand.
“Come on, Emma. Mark is waiting for you.”
“What’s going on, Forrest. Why won’t you tell me?”
“Mark will bite my head off if I do, and I’m not keen on having that happen.” Forrest winks at me. “Don’t worry, it’s fine. You’ll like this.”
I’m not so sure, but I’m going to trust them. It doesn’t stop me from worrying as I step onto the pitch. Amy would tell me that I need to take the bull by the horns and hold my head up high. I have the confidence to pull it off, and nerves shouldn’t hold me back.
It’s a shame that she’s not here. After she allowed Rick to manipulate her, I knew that I couldn’t trust her as I used to. We spent some time apart, Amy understanding that she fucked up. We do occasionally talk, but things are not the same. It’s going to take a long time before things are back to normal.
But I’ve got Viv, and that’s enough for me for now.
Forrest leads me onto the pitch, and the sound of the spectators cheering and chanting hits my ears. Somehow, it feels louder being on the field than in the stands. Then I notice that the players from both teams haven’t gone off. They’re still present, standing in a large semi-circle in the middle. Mark is there as well, talking to both captains.
What the fuck is happening?
Forrest tugs me along, and he leads me into the middle of the pitch. Mark turns to me and gives me a smile and a laugh.
“You look nervous,” he said as he kissed me.
“What’s going on, Mark? I don’t like being kept in the dark.”
“I’ll reveal all, I promise.” He takes my hands, and kisses my fingers. “I know we haven’t known each other long, Emma, but I feel like you and I have connected more than I have with anyone else. I love you, and I can’t imagine my future without you.”
It’s then that I realise that his microphone, which he’s always hooked up to during the game, is still on, and his voice is echoing around the stadium. Glancing over, I see that we’re on the main screen, and a cameraman is hovering around us. They’re making us a spectacle, but what for?
Then it clicks for me when Forrest gets something out of his pocket and passes it to Mark. It’s a small square black box, the size…
Oh, my God.
