Page 93 of The Vow We Made
I move around the table towards the hall when, to my total surprise, Evelynn also stands from her seat. “Let me show you where it is. I know Luke’s place pretty well now.” She smiles and all I can do is smile back.
As soon as we’re out of earshot, I shout whisper, “This is unbelievable.”
“Honey, I’m so sorry,” she says as soon as we lock ourselves away in the bathroom. “I had no idea. None at all.”
“It’s not your fault Evelynn, really. Neither of us could have predicted it. Aiden said your name was Eve and I didn’t put two and two together, I mean, why would I when you live thousands of miles away?”
“It is pretty unbelievable,” she agrees.
“I’ve got so many questions going through my head right now, you have no idea.”
“I bet.”
Pacing the floor in Luke’s, more than adequate bathroom, I bite my nails, thinking as I go. “And what happened to calling me when you were next coming to London?”
“I was going to, but my circumstances changed.”
“You mean you met Luke.”
“No. Not that, we’ve been seeing one another on and off for a while.”
I close my eyes and the reality of her situation dawns on me. “Oh shit, don’t tell me Luke is your British piece of arse.”
She squeezes her eyes shut. “I’m sorry.” Tentatively, they open again and her nose wrinkles as she begins to explain.
“It was after the first time I came to London to find you. I was on the return flight back to Dubai and Luke was seated next to me. We got talking, exchanged numbers and met for dinner at his hotel. It spiralled from there. It was only meant to be a casual thing; a distraction from all the heartache. I didn’t have any expectations for a future with him, but now there’s a baby on the way—”
I swallow hard, shake my head and place my hand on her arm. “Hold on there, a baby? You’repregnant?”
“Shit. Vickie I’m sorry. I was so sure you knew.”
My head is swirling. “This is a nightmare. And how on earth would I know, unless… has Luke told Aiden?”
She nods. “Last week and I assumed Aiden told you.”
“Maybe he thought it wasn’t his place?” It would be a typical Aiden move. He’s loyal to everyone in his life.
I take a breath. “Christ Evelynn, you’re pregnant!” An excited smile beams across my face, “you’re pregnant!” It’s shocking and wonderful all at the same time.
She finally beams with the news and I don’t know if I should laugh or cry. “Can you believe it?”
I’m overjoyed for her initially until thoughts of what this will mean for me and Aiden, start to appear, then my feelings change. They shouldn’t. I want to be happy for her, she deserves it after all, but it means she’s now a permanent fixture in Luke’s life. Will she live in London? Will I see her all the time? I’m unsure where this leaves my future with Aiden, if there is a future at all, because as much as I now love Evelynn, she is part of a past I’d rather forget.
“It’s a lot to take in and honestly, Luke and I only recently decided to give our relationship a real chance.”
“Have you told him about Andy?” I ask in the hope he’s still in the dark, for now at least.
“Only what we agreed. And Aiden?”
“The same, but I can’t leave things like this. He has to know the truth.”
She takes a step towards me. “You’re telling him? But you can’t, we vowed never to tell another living soul.”
“About that…” I’m nervous, but I may as well be honest. “I’m sorry, but my parents know and Steph. It all came out one night. I had to explain. If you knew what it was like listening to them banging on about howwonderfulhe was, you would have done the same.”
“It’s okay,” she soothes while rubbing my arm. “I actually spoke to my sister too.” A tiny smile creeping over our lips. “But no one else.”
“Absolutely no one, I promise, but I do want Aiden to know the truth.”
