The day after my run-in with Kyle, Mrs. Bellingham stuck to her word and brought some carrot cake for me. I never got to say thank you in person because she left it at the front desk. When I called her, she told me she didn’t want to disturb me. It was so delicious, my co-workers and I polished it off within ten minutes. Afterward, everyone came up to me, begging me to ask Mrs. Bellingham to bake another one.

The following Friday, I decide to take the day off. I’m so nervous, I feel sick. But, then again, I’ve felt sick every day for the past few days. Morning sickness is kicking my arse. I read that ginger helps, so once I feel a little better, I decide to go out and do a bit of shopping. I like ginger biscuits and cake, so I’ll grab both to see what helps.

As I walk around town, I pass by Mother Care and stop to look in the window at all the clothes, prams, cribs, et cetera. I bite my lip, knowing I shouldn’t go in. It’s way too soon, but I can’t resist the temptation.

I won’t buy anything, I tell myself. There’s no harm in just looking.

I walk in. Pretty soon, I start looking at the clothes. All the tiny onesies and booties they have for newborns… I sense a tingle in the pit of my stomach, making me smile. I pick up one of the little onesies and trace my thumb over the fabric. It feels so soft.

“Alice, is that you?”

Jumping, I let go of the onesie, like I’ve been caught shoplifting. My heart races when I see Ethan’s sister, Judy. She smiles as she comes closer. “What are you doing in here?”

I start stuttering, eventually coming to my senses. “A friend of mine is expecting, so I thought I would buy her a gift.” I notice she’s on her own. “No children today?”

She shakes her head. “They’re at school.”

“Of course. It’s Friday. I’d forget my head if it weren’t screwed on.”

She laughs. “That’s okay. Believe me, once you have children, your brain gets more scattered. You wouldn’t believe the amount of times I’ve nearly put the baking tray in the fridge instead of the oven.” She rolls her eyes.

“I’ve done that once or twice, so it’s not just a nappy-brained thing.”

She smiles, motioning her elbow towards me. “Nappy-brained… Yeah, I like that.”

I smile back, but my heart’s still racing. Little does she know I’m carrying her niece or nephew.

“So, how are you?” she asks. “I heard about that horrible business with your husband and that bitch.” She screws up her face in anger. “I always knew there was something about her.”

“Well, it seems your instincts were correct. Truthfully, I also had the impression you didn’t like Kyle, either.”

She nods. “Yes, he seemed slimy and self-righteous. A cocky little shit.” She then looks shocked. “Sorry. I do hope you have left him and I’m not putting my big foot in my mouth.”

I shake my head. “Not at all. You’re totally right in what you say. He is a slimy, self-righteous, cocky little shit.”

We both laugh. She places her hand on my shoulder. “I really wish I didn’t have to rush back to Plymouth. I would have loved to invite you for coffee down the street.”

I smile. I like Judy. “I would have loved that, too.”

She squeezes my arm. “Another time then?”

“Definitely.”

We put each other’s numbers into our phones before she rushes out. I release a nervous breath. I know I have to tell Ethan soon because I’ll eventually get caught and he’ll be told by a third person. That wouldn’t be fair. The sooner it’s out in the open, the better. I just don’t like the thought of how he will react once he does learn.

Reluctantly, I leave the shop. I’m only seven weeks along. I’m going to wait until at least twelve weeks before I start buying stuff.

I buy my much-needed ginger biscuits and cake. Along with the usual magazines, I can’t help but pick up a couple pregnancy ones, too. Once I’m finished, I check the time and see that it’s already lunch. When my stomach growls, I choose a café off the high street and order a toasted ham and cheese sandwich and an orange juice.

I sit down and choose a gossip magazine to read. The pregnancy ones call to me, but I leave them at the bottom of the pile. I’ll be patient and wait until I get home.

“Alice?” a familiar voice calls as I take a bite of my sandwich. Looking up, I see Ethan. Instinctively, I try to cover the magazines at the bottom.

“Ethan,” I say with a nervous smile. “How are you?”

He looks better today. The smile is back in his eyes, and he has more colour in his face. He seems a lot happier than when I saw him almost two weeks ago. He’s dressed casually in a pair of jeans and red V-neck jumper. The clothes suit him. From what I know of Ethan, Sarah is mad to have done what she did. Not only is he sweet and kind, but he is a handsome man. Why would she need to look elsewhere? She has the whole package, yet that still wasn’t enough.

“Better,” he replies with a bright smile.

“You look it.”

“May I?” he asks, motioning to the seat opposite me.

I nod. “Of course. I’ll be glad for the company.”

Upon sitting, he points at the magazines. “It looks like the gossip mags have been doing it.”

I laugh nervously. “Yeah. I don’t gossip myself, but I’m ashamed to admit I do like to read about others.”

“That’s nothing to be ashamed of. I do sometimes take a peek when I hear about another celebrity beating up a journalist.”

I jokingly roll my eyes. “Is that because it makes you feel more ‘manly’…” I raise my hands to make air quotes, “if you read about people getting beaten up?”

He smirks. “Okay. First, what’s with the air quotes? Second, I’m sure it’s not only men who read about things like that.”

I start laughing. “Okay, okay, you got me. I won’t make another attempt to question your manhood.”

He stares at me for a moment, smiling. “You look better than when I last saw you. Happier.” I smile back, then it fades. “Uh-oh, that doesn’t look too good. Have I put my foot in my mouth?”

I shake my head. “No, no. I am happier. It’s just...” I pause.

“Just...?”

“I’m having problems with Kyle. He won’t accept the divorce and is threatening to move back in.”

He leans forward, a concerned look on his face. “Can he do that? From a legal standpoint, I mean? In any case, he should respect your decision.”

“As soon as he threatened it, I went to my solicitor. He said that since he moved out voluntarily, he would need a court order to move back in. My solicitor is currently filing a motion with the court for temporary exclusive possession of the marital home. I hope that will buy me some time.”

He places his hand on my arm. “If you have any problems with him, I am just around the corner. I can be there in under a minute.”

“Thank you. My solicitor did tell me to call the police, but it definitely makes me feel safer knowing you’re so close.”

He leans back. “Well, it makes me feel better, too.” Just as he says this, a server comes by to ask him if he wants to order. Ethan looks at me, eyebrows raised. “Would you mind if I eat with you?”

I shake my head. “Go ahead.”

He orders the same as me, then turns to me with a smile. “Yours looked too good to pass on.”

Taking a bite, I cover my mouth when I speak. “It’s really good. It’s one of the only things I can...” I catch myself before I spill the beans. Confused, he looks at me as I widen my eyes. “I mean... It’s one of the only things I allow myself the pleasure of from time to time. Cheese is so fattening.” Waving my hand, I try and laugh it off, hoping he doesn’t see right through me.

He chuckles. “Me, too. I’m a doctor and supposed to advise against eating anything fattening or bad for you, but... You have to allow yourself some pleasures in life.”

I nod. “Every Saturday, I buy myself a big bar of Galaxy and sneakily eat it in the kitchen.”

He smiles, then frowns. “Why did you need to sneak it? Why not in front of the TV while watching a good movie or favourite program?”

“Kyle used to berate me if I ever ate anything he deemed too fattening. He kept saying he liked me the way I was and didn’t want me to change.”

Ethan shakes his head. “Well, that’s impossible. We all change as we get older. Especially our bodies. You wanted a family together, right? It’s only natural that your body would change with that alone. Your boobs get bigger, along with your waist. Also, stretch marks are extremely common. They are a sign of womanhood.”

I laugh. “Womanhood. I don’t think any woman would call it that.”

He smiles. “Why not? It’s true. Statistically, it’s very hard for a woman to become pregnant, yet there are hundreds of thousands of them out there carrying babies and giving birth. The marks you receive for carrying that child are just marks for a job well done.”

At first, I am nervous when he starts talking about pregnancy, but I can’t help but smile at that comment. “A job well done, huh?”

He chuckles. “Okay, it sounds a little formal saying it like that, but it’s true. In fact, I loved the subject so much, I actually started my career delivering babies.”

“Really?” I ask, just as his sandwich and drink are placed on the table. “I had no idea. What made you decide to run your own surgery?”

He nods to the server before turning to me. “It’s a long story. Basically, a friend needed help running his surgery. I stepped in to help out, then he got sick and died. His wish for me was to continue running it for him. He said his patients had just gotten used to me and that changing to another GP would only unsettle things.”

I frown. “Are you saying you’re only running this because of a man’s dying wish?”

He takes a bite of his sandwich before shrugging. “I guess so.”

The thought makes me sad. “If you had a choice to do anything, what would it be? Say a Genie granted you a career wish—”

He raises his eyebrow. “A career wish?”

I playfully scowl. “Hear me out. If you were asked to pick your dream job, what would it be?”

He thinks for a moment. “I would either go back into obstetrics or be a paediatrician.”

“I bet dealing with a child’s death would be hard, though. It’s bad enough to see them sick, but to see them die...” I shake my head. “I truly admire anyone who would want to go into that field.”

He nods. “There is that. But there’s always a sense of great achievement when you help a sick child get better again.”

I think on his words a moment. “I know you’re carrying on what your friend left behind, but don’t you think if he were a true friend, he would want you to be happy in what you do?”

“Oh, I am happy.”

“But would you say you are a hundred percent fulfilled?”

As he looks into my eyes, I can tell he’s thinking about the question. Then he offers me a grand smile. “You’re very good, you know.” He starts laughing, which sets me off.

“What?” I ask innocently.

“Don’t act like you don’t know. Have you ever thought of becoming a psychologist?”

“I only asked a question,” I respond, acting like I’m offended.

“Sarah always tried to talk me into becoming a paediatrician, but it was only because of the money.”

I almost say “Typical”, but hold my tongue. Sarah has been very self-centred lately, but she wasn’t always like that. When we were children, she was eager to team up with me whenever I wanted to help out at local centres for the homeless or raise money for charities. As the years went by, she started shying away from that and became more interested in how her hair looked and what the latest Prada handbag was going to be. Money and possessions became a big thing for her.

“You should do something you want because it will make you happy, not because of the money. I hate to say this, but I think Sarah was right. Not for the reason she gave, though. You didn’t answer my question regarding being fulfilled, but I think I can hazard a guess. My only advice is to follow your heart. Don’t let anyone pressure you into doing something because it benefits them.”

He smiles. “Thanks. I’ll have to think about that.”

“Good,” I say with a nod. As I chew my last bite of sandwich, I notice Ethan’s is already gone. “You have quite the appetite today.”

He pats his stomach, grinning. “All the better to treat patients with.”

I start laughing, then look at my watch. I notice nearly two hours have gone by, but I don’t know where it went. I swallow hard, thinking about Kyle. He’ll be coming over in less than three hours. I need to be prepared.

“Are you late for something?”

Ethan’s question pulls me from my frown. He’s mirroring my own. “Not really, but I do need to get going.”

“Okay. Let me pay for this and we’ll head out.”

“No, no. It’s fine. Let me...” As I stand up, my hip bumps into the magazines, sending them all to the floor. “Shit!” I shout, bending down to quickly pick them up. Ethan does the same, so I attempt to try and hide the obvious ones.

“Here, let me...”

“It’s okay,” I almost snap, but it’s too late. He spots one of the magazines and picks it up. I close my eyes, hoping he won’t jump to the obvious conclusion. When I open them back up, he’s staring at me.

“I think we need to talk,” he says, showing me the cover.