You Don't Own Me(110)

This time the words roll out of me like a river breaking a dam.

He carefully wipes all expression off his face. ‘Were you telling the truth? About the pregnancy? Or was it just to stop Jake from beating the shit out of me?’ he asks lightly, but I know him well now. His whole body is tense.

I grin happily. ‘Clearblue digital confirmed last night that we just contributed to the world’s overpopulation problem.’

He stares at me with wide eyes. ‘Fuck woman. Just for once can’t you be like your brother’s wife and give me a pair of baby shoes instead of this insensitive, sassy bullshit,’ he croaks.

I look around the room, locate my purse a few feet away, and reach out for it. I take out a little box of baby shoes and shove it into his chest. ‘There you go,’ I cry triumphantly.

To my shock, tears fill his eyes.

I feel my eyes prickling too. ‘Jesus, BJ. If I’d known it was that easy to make you cry I’d have got pregnant sooner.’

‘I hate clichés, but fucking hell, Layla. This is the best day of my goddamn life.’ He grins and I can feel the happiness pouring out of him. He stands suddenly, grabs my waist, and lifts me up as high as his arms can reach, whirling me round and round. I know he is doing it because I had told him about Lily’s experience and how special I thought it was.

I start laughing. ‘You’re making me dizzy.’

‘I know,’ he laughs. ‘That was the plan. You’re always quiet when you’re dizzy.’

‘Why don’t you use your usual way?’ I tease.

He puts me down. ‘I was saving that for last,’ he says and covers my mouth with his own.

When he lifts his head, my insides are all gooey and melted. ‘We’re going to rule the world, aren’t we?’ I say dreamily.

He grins. ‘Absolutely. I’ll be the king and you’ll be my queen.’

‘And we’ll sit on gold thrones.’

He touches my face. ‘Oh Layla. You’re the dream I didn’t even dare have.’

I can’t stop smiling. ‘I’ve always wanted to be the dream someone didn’t dare have.’

‘I guess you’ll have to marry me now, and in a hurry too, won’t you?’

‘Is that your idea of a proposal, BJ Pilkington?’

‘No, I’ll do a proper job, later, when I’m between your legs.’

‘Oh my!’

‘Come on. Let’s get out of here.’

‘Yes, lets,’ I say drunk with love. Unable to believe where my day has ended. I was worried about telling Jake about BJ and telling BJ about the baby. And now everything has just fallen into place in the most extraordinary way. I know Jake will come around. BJ is happy about the baby. And everything is just so, so, so perfect.





TWENTY-SIX




Layla

It is 8:00 by the time I make it to Jake’s house. All the lights are on and in one of the upstairs windows I can see the silhouette of Lily’s grandmother cradling my niece in her arms. Anxiously, I go in through the kitchen hoping to meet my mother first. Shane is sitting with his legs up on a chair and eating a strawberry trifle.

‘Hey, Bear,’ he says, licking the spoon.

‘Good you are in time for dinner,’ Ma says, not looking up from chopping vegetables.

‘How come he gets to eat dessert before dinner?’ I ask.

‘Because I’m not staying for dinner,’ Shane says.

‘Shane, I need to talk to Ma,’ I tell him pointedly.

‘Don’t mind me,’ he says, not moving from his chair.

My mother looks up. ‘What do you want to tell your old mother? That you’ve got a man.’

I stare at her shocked. ‘Yes, how did you know?’

‘Do you think I’m stupid, Layla?’

‘I’ll be damned,’ Shane says, grinning and slapping his thigh. ‘Who’s the poor sod?’

‘Of course, I know,’ my mother says. ‘You’ve been walking around with your head in the clouds for at least a month now. So I checked with Queenie and she told me he is a good boy. One of ours. And I have been patiently waiting for you to tell me all about it. Sit down then.’

Bemused and pleasantly surprised at how easy all of this is turning out to be, I sit down and tell them that it’s BJ.

‘What? BJ!’ Shane exclaims with a frown. ‘Shit, Layla, he must be the worst man-whore in all of England and Scotland.’

‘You’re a fine one to talk,’ I snap at my brother, glancing worriedly at my mother.

But my mother is not worried at all. ‘Billy Joe is a good lad,’ she defends. ‘He’ll be good to you. He’s always had a soft spot for you.’