Babies in Waiting Read Free

kept stopping in the middle of sentences, and looking into the distance.
    ‘After a while I asked him if he was okay, and he said, “Yes. Just, you know. Family stuff.” I didn’t want to pry, but he still looked so serious that eventually I said, “Everything okay?” And he said, “Well, no. I’m . . . er . . . well, I’m about to leave my wife.” I said, “Really? I’m sorry,” and I tried to sound compassionate and professional, asa colleague should, but inside I was thinking . . . interesting . . . veeeeeery interesting indeed! Anyway, he told me that his wife, Lisa, had some problems with depression, and alcohol. If it weren’t for the kids . . .’
    ‘He’s got kids?’ Simon said, alarmed.
    ‘Emily is ten and Charlotte is eight. Anyway, he started telling me how awful his marriage was and how he couldn’t carry on, though his kids mean the world to him. They didn’t love each other, and they hadn’t . . . you know . . . for years.’
    ‘Of course they hadn’t,’ Simon said cynically.
    ‘I’m just telling you what he said. It was very convincing at the time. He just stared at me with those blue eyes and said, “She’s just drifted further and further away, and I’ve tried everything. Arguing, counselling for her, counselling for us as a couple . . . medication . . . I miss her, but it’s just not possible to get her back.” And then he looked like he was going to cry. I didn’t know what to say. I reached out my hand to pat his arm and he grabbed it and held it tight, like he was drowning. And then he said, “So this is the end. When I get back from the conference, I’ll tell her. And within a fortnight, I’ll have moved into my own place.” And then he squeezed my hand and said softly, “Thank you. Thank you so much for listening. I haven’t told anyone that before.”’
    Simon actually snorted at that. Louise sipped her tea and nodded.
    ‘Anyway, a week later, the company won this big prize at an awards ceremony in Manchester. All the managerswent along, there was a lot of champagne, and flirting . . . and well, then there was falling into bed. As soon as I woke up the next morning, I knew it was a mistake. I mean, I might have had a moment of madness, but I’m not permanently dumb. I knew I’d been fed a line. He wasn’t going to leave his wife, and I wasn’t interested in being his bit on the side. So I said goodbye very politely and left.’
    ‘How did he take it?’
    ‘He didn’t get the message at first. He kept ringing me up and texting me . . . he sent me a mobile number, different from his usual work number, and said he thought we had something special going. Then we had our usual fortnightly managers’ meeting. I avoided him while we were all getting coffee outside, but he hung back so he could walk into the meeting room with me, and as we went through the doorway, he slid a finger up the sleeve of my jacket and stroked my wrist. It was sexy, but way too risky for me, so I sent him a text that afternoon and said I didn’t want anything to do with him. He sent one back calling me some not very polite variations on the term “cock tease”, and we haven’t spoken since.’
    Louise took a big breath. ‘So here I am, Simon love. Thirty-eight, and pregnant by a married man.’
    Simon shifted in his seat, then said quietly, ‘Sorry to ask this, but didn’t you use anything?’
    ‘Of course! We used a condom, but . . .’
    ‘It broke?’
    ‘I know, I know, oldest cliché in the book. I didn’t haveanything with me . . . I wasn’t planning on sleeping with a co-worker, as you can imagine. And I suppose that one had probably been in Brian’s wallet for some years. He told me he was sure it would be fine.’
    ‘But . . .’
    ‘Well, obviously not so fine now, is it?’
    ‘So, how far along are you?’
    ‘About eight weeks. I want to get it over and done with as soon as possible.’
    ‘Well, you’ve got a good few months to go yet, you know, I mean you’re