I get up and kiss him on his cheek. “Absolutely nothing, hun. You’re perfect together. If it feels right, go with the flow and just be you.”
“That usually works - after all I am perfect.”
I laugh at his lack of modesty. “That you are, my love. Do I have to call you, Lord now?”
“Nah, I didn’t think, Lord Colin rolls off the tongue very well.”
“Hmmm I know what you mean. So just, Colin then…”
“Oh God no - Count Colin, darling - much more me.” He rests his top teeth over his bottom, Dracula style, providing me with a cheesy smile and I shake my head. The man was mental but I loved him.
“Go on fuck off so I can get some work done.”
“Well you will choose to go sun yourself with a, Silver God, rather than work your butt off like some people.” He blows me a kiss and heads off to the kitchenette and I watch his retreating form deep in thought. Oh to be back on that private beach in The Maldives now. The more and more I think about it, last night’s chat with Suzie had helped massively and blown the cobwebs from my eyes but I’d been wary as to what I could say to her - I mean she was my sister, but she was also pregnant herself. I needed to talk to an impartial party before I spoke to Sebastian.
Grabbing my phone, I dial Abby and we arrange to meet in The Velvet Cupcake in half an hour. She never lets me down.
“Right, so what’s the emergency, babe?”
I settle down in front of my pretty best friend and park my bag with hunch of my shoulders. I’m buggered. Well here goes.
“Hi, Abs - I’m sorry for the short notice, were you Ok to getaway?”
“I’m fine, I’m putting an Ad for a nightmare client to bed and the deadline is like, yesterday - so I haven’t long but I could tell this was important, could hear it in your voice. Is everything OK?”
“Let me order us something and I’ll start.” I make a grab for the menu and avoid eye contact.
“Lu, you’re scaring me.”
I reach up and cover her hand with mine, smiling at her grey glittery shellac nails, she always maintained her nails. “I’m OK please don’t panic, but I just need you, babe - this is big - mahoosive as Finn would say.”
Her eyes are like saucers as they scan my face for answers and she gulps, nodding in acknowledgement. “Well, I’ve already ordered us hot drink’s and a cupcake each. I figured you’d need a sugar fix - was I right?”
I rub her arm in thanks, she knew me so well. “Thanks, love, you’re a star - the hot drinks great… the bun I already have…”
Her screwed up expression is evidence of her complete confusion. “I don’t get you - am I being thick?”
“I’ve already got a bun…” and I point to my stomach “you know…in my oven.”
Her hand flies up to her mouth and eyes pop open wide and we stare at each other for what feels like hours, but in reality is seconds. “OMFG!”
I bite my lip and wince, nodding at her statement. “OMFG it is.”
“Oh, Lu, are you OK?”
I nod, then shake my head.
“No then. Well you won’t be, you’ll be all over the place. Oh you poor thing. These bloody Silver men with their big cocks - no scrap that, big virile cocks!”
“Will you stop saying the word ‘cock’ in the cafe, love… please - everyone is starting to stare.”
Abs scrunches her nose and looks around apologetically, muttering “Oops, sorry!” before pointing at my tum and enthusiastically saying, “Anyway on another note, that… must be why that Indian therapist wouldn’t do reflexology on you in Dubai!”
I look up at her. “Do you think she could tell? She did keep commenting on me having soft fat tissue on my foot or something or other- maybe that means pregnancy? I’m not sure I believe in all that to be honest.”
“No, I get you but she wouldn’t use aromatherapy oils either and you can’t use those in pregnancy I know that much from when you had Finn and now with Suzie. Nope - she definitely knew - how clever.”
I chuckle at her excitement and we stop as our order arrives. As I add sugar to my tea I sigh and lean both elbows onto the table, my face collapsing into my hands. “I have to tell Seb tonight, Abs.”
“He doesn’t know yet?”
“No.”
“Oh shit. How come?”
“There hasn’t been the right time. I did a test in Dubai, after you and I talked about my dodgy periods the night of the Ball.”
“You’ve been dealing with this since then… on your own?”
“Well… no, I did a test, didn’t think I was, then I did another and I was, then I came home and went to the Doc immediately.” I decide to leave out Toni’s part in the pregnancy testing - there was just no point - Abby would find her, kill her and leave her for the wolves and that wouldn’t help anyone.