Page 18 of In the Long Run
I slide to the ground, our legs almost intertwined.‘You’re not going to.’
‘I’m four days late.’
‘That’s a good sign, right?’As someone who’s only ever tried tonotget pregnant, I’m not sure when you’re supposed to do the test, but surely the longer you go without your period the better it is?
‘Maybe I don’t want to disappoint myself again either,’ she whispers.
‘Mere,’ I say, leaning forward and pulling her into my arms.It’s awkward because we’re cramped in the tiny space, but she sags against me.‘Do you want to do a test with me?’
‘Why?You pregnant too?Things all hot and heavy with the sexy soldier?’She laughs and wipes her eyes, but all it does is smear her make-up more.
‘Ha, ha.’It’s been a few days since my breakfast with Knox and I haven’t seen him since.I also haven’t left my flat much, but those two things are unrelated.
Mere takes a deep breath and twists her long blonde hair into a rope before tossing it over her shoulder.‘Now would be the worst time.’Her voice is hushed even though there are multiple walls and doors between us and the nearest people.
‘Why?’
‘We just started our run club, and the first meet-up was a flop.’
‘I’m confused,’ I say, because I am.Guilt gnaws at my belly because I didn’t go to it either.
‘We’ve registered it with Brigitte’s Run and everything.It’s a huge time commitment on top of all the classes we already offerbut I convinced Bernie we should do it.We’re each supposed to lead one of the distance groups.’
My brow furrows.‘So?Can you not run if you’re pregnant?Just take the shortest distance group.’
She shakes her head.‘No, you can run.You can do whatever your body’s used to doing.I just …’ Her breath rattles out of her.‘I don’t want to risk it.Do you think you could …’
I wait, tipping my chin forward.
She offers me a watery laugh.‘Could you take my run club flyers to parkrun tomorrow?Only a handful of people turned up for the first session last week and we need bigger numbers to make it viable.’
I relax.I’d thought for a second she was going to ask me to lead a group at the club.
‘One of the other trainers has called in sick so I’m covering them, and Bernie’s got a full schedule of clients already.And the Annas are going to be there.They posted about it before.’
Meredith’s been obsessed with the Annas for months now.Also known as Annabeth, Annaliese and Anneke Heerlijk, the Dutch model-slash-influencer triplets have a huge TikTok following.Mere’s been trying to convince them to come out to Get Fit, Get Strom for ages.
‘They’ve signed on as ambassadors for Brigitte’s Run, and I’d love for them to join our running club.Which brings me to my next request …’
It’s remarkable how much brighter Mere gets when she’s ticking items off her to-do list.
‘Will you be the marathon group leader for the run club?It’s only one morning a week.Just Sundays.I’ll still come and help with getting everyone’s details.Bernie’s going to lead the half-marathon group, so he’ll be around as well.’
There it is.
‘Pretty sure you need qualifications to do stuff like that, Mere.’
‘Bernie’s doing the training plans.The whole idea is to engage with the community.Make sure the run club’s accessible for everyone, even people who aren’t members of Get Fit, Get Strom.That’s what makes Brigitte’s Run so special and why we want to promote it.It’s all about challenging yourself and celebrating how positive running is.You might even get some new clients from it?’
I place my hand on her upper arm and squeeze.‘Aren’t we getting a bit ahead of ourselves here?We don’t even know if you’re pregnant.’
Mere pales.‘You’re right.I need to do a test.’
‘Want me to go get you one?’There’s a chemist three doors down.
She gestures towards the tiny cream-coloured vanity.‘I’ve got pregnancy tests stashed everywhere.’
‘Then we’re doing this?’I stand and offer her my hand, helping her up until both our reflections appear in the mirror.We’ve got the same nose and eyebrows, but our colouring has always been different.Meredith is the quintessential English rose, whereas I inherited Dad’s olive complexion.I’m taller too, but only just.
