章 20: THAT WASN'T NICE
"That wasn't very nice.'
"No, I know that it wasn't,' he said. 'I wasn't feeling very nice at the time, but... He didn't continue, they just drove in silence, but as the airport came into view conversation started again. "You haven't chosen badly, Kylie. I might have been a bit of a bastard the way I landed
on you and some of the things I've said tonight but I'm not going to be a negative in your baby's life. He added, "And, I'm sure you don't need my opinion of you but when I think of some of the women that I could have been having this conversation with, I'm very happy that it's you. I think you'll be a brilliant mum and I'm quite sure we'll do this right. We've still got a couple
of months to work things out...'
'We do,' Kylie said.
He went into his wallet, pulled out a business card
and wrote a few things on the back and Kylie frowned when she read them.
"Why would I need your social network details?
I'm not going to be checking up on you...' Then she went pink when she recalled how he'd caught her going through his wallet.
'Or me you,' Ken said. "But if you update about
the baby and things...'
"I'll call you if there's a problem.'
"I meant for day-to-day stuff,' he said, 'I don't need formal emails and progress updates. Soon you might want the same...'
'Sorry?'
"Well, she won't stay a baby. My family lives in Spain.'
'You'd take her on holiday? No.'
She was adamant, her response was instant. "You're not taking her out of the country.'
And Dominic was about to respond that his lawyer would see to it but he held that in. He could see the conflict in her eyes and he knew that she was struggling with the concept.
Kylie was. She had glimpsed the future.
There would be pictures of her child with her father in houses she never set foot in. Holidays spent apart.
"I just sent a friend request, Ken said. 'Up to
you whether or not you accept it.
"Here...' She went into her bag and wrote down her number, then she remembered the recording.
"What's this?
"I had an ultrasound today. If you want to see her...'
"Thanks.
He went to get out of the car. 'I am sorry for not telling you, Ken,' He seemed like a good man, she thought. But, she quickly brushed the thought aside.
He gave her a grim smile. 'Yeah, well, I don't accept your apology....I'm not that magnanimous. Call me when you need to...?
'I shan't.'
"Oh, I'm sure you'll have questions."
'I won't.'
But even before she got home Kylie had found several.
Would he want to be at the birth?
The very thought filled her with horror!
Kylie did her best to stay in control and the one place
she was guaranteed to lose it was in the labour ward.
No, she did not want arrogant, surly Ken seeing
her swearing like a sailor and breaking down.
No way!
And what were they going to tell people at work?
Her mind was darting as she stepped back into her home.
She put some washing on and, completely wrecked from a long and difficult day, wrestled off her boots, which was very hard with a stomach like a basketball, and then had a very quick bath and went to bed.
Except, though tired, she couldn't sleep and she picked up her phone and, sure enough, there was his friend request, which she accepted.
His status was given as single and Cat frowned, wondering why he didn't say he was widowed.
Oh, that's right, he loathed that look.
Then she smiled when she read his status. A little
cryptic note that she was sure was aimed at her.
You can run but you can't hide.
She carried on reading and looking at photos of his eccentric parents and terribly beautiful sister and then there she was.
His late wife.
She knew it was her from the photo she had glimpsed in the hotel.
Now she felt as if she was snooping, so she went back to Ken and saw a picture of him all wet and gorgeous coming out of a swimming pool. At thirty weeks pregnant and not wanting to be, she was terribly, terribly turned on.
"So not happening,' she said, and turned off her phone.
His body was still there, goading her to have another glimpse, at six the next morning when she drank her tea and switched her phone back on.
But then she smiled when she saw what he had changed his relationship status to.
It's complicated.
It most certainly was but the funniest thing was that as she dressed for work and headed out to face the day, even if they weren't together, they were on the same side-her baby had a father and that sat right with Kylie.
She didn't feel quite so alone.
*****
KEN'S PARENTS WERE, though initially surprised, completely delighted with the news.
There was too much wine drunk and they spoke late into the night, and they kept making the most ridiculous suggestions.
'Why don't you bring her here so we can get to know her and she can have a little holiday??
'She's thirty weeks pregnant, Ken said, and
looked over at Nelly for some help.
"Mum, they're not a couple,' his sister said.
"Perhaps, but I'd still like to meet her. We could come over.' His mother, Anna, was warming to the idea. "We could fly over for the birth. I'd love to see my granddaughter being born.'
Dominic swore under his breath before answering. "I don't even know if I'm going to be present at the birth..."
"You could film it,' Anna said. 'Live-stream it.'
"And then you could set it to music and forward it to your hippy friends..." Ken sarcastically responded, "Not happening?' and when his father nodded this time Ken swore out loud. 'You weren't even there when we...' he gestured to Nelly ...were born.'
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