Page 63 of Kiss Me Ever After
What was I thinking? Candace didn’t work like that.
“Lennon? A little help here, please?” Bryony rapped on the door, breaking my chain of thought.
“Be there in a sec!” I called back. I dried my hands and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I had to do this.
Pulling my shoulders back, I opened the door and headed back into the cafe. It looked like a coach load of pensioners had deposited themselves at every available table, except one.
“Can you serve Justin and his friend?” asked Bryony, not looking at me. “I’ll sort out this lot.”
“Sure.” I walked over to their table like I was walking to the executioner’s block.
“Hey, Lennon. How are you feeling today?” asked Candace. “It’s so nice not to wake up with a hangover after a night out these days.” She ran her hands protectively over her stomach. “And I have this little one to thank for that.”
Justin stared down at the table, unable to look at me.
“I still get a bit of morning sickness; do you have any ginger tea?” Candace ran her finger over the menu at the range of teas.
“We do, it should be on there,” I replied as politely as I could. “Anything to eat?”
“I shouldn’t. I need to watch what I eat, even though the chocolate cake looks amazing.” She handed the menu back to me and smiled.
“Anything for you?” I directed at Justin, not able to use his name.
“Coffee,” he grunted, not lifting his head.
“Right, one ginger tea and one coffee coming right up.” I spun on my heel and walked over to the counter as my eyes started watering.
“Thanks, Lennon,” Candace called after me.
“You okay?” Bryony asked as I swiped away a tear, hands shaking as I made their drinks. “What’s Justin doing with her?”
I gulped in a breath. “Talking parental plans.”
Bryony’s head twisted around to examine the pair. “She’s pregnant?”
“Yup. And Justin’s the baby daddy.” I wanted to add ‘apparently’ but he was sitting there with her, I guess that was evidence enough, wasn’t it? My head pulsated with a myriad of new and mostly unwanted knowledge.
“Oh my God, Lennon! I thought the two of you were…”
I held up a hand to shut her off. “I think it’s obvious we weren’t anything.”
“Have you spoken to him?”
Candace giggled and reached across the table to cover Justin’s hand with hers. My chest tightened. I couldn’t be around to watch how it developed, even if only for a few days. A thought struck me.
“Bryony, do you mind if I make a quick phone call?”
“No, you go ahead. I’ll serve those two if you can get ten pots of tea made up as soon as you’re done.”
“Thank you. I won’t be long.” I gave her arm a brief squeeze.
As soon as I got in the staff room, I pulled my phone from my bag and dialled my new flatmate’s number. He answered straight away, and after a chat, agreed to my new proposal. I let out a hard breath. If Bryony agreed too, I’d be away from here by tonight.
* * *
My room wasin total chaos. Originally thinking I’d have another pair of hands to help out on the journey, I had to minimise my packing by at least fifty percent and take only the bare essentials. While I decided what those essentials were, I messaged Amber knowing she wasn’t working.
Me: Can you come over? I have something to tell you.
