Second Chance - Jane Green [100]
‘Well, he obviously doesn’t mean it.’ Olivia is confused. How can Holly be giving her such terrible news with such a huge grin?
‘No, no. I think he does.’
‘So how do you feel, or is that a stupid question?’
‘Honestly?’ Holly turns her head to look at Olivia. ‘I feel free. For the last three hours, once the total shock had passed, I haven’t been able to stop smiling.’
‘God, Holly, I had no idea you’d be so impulsive… Oh no. Stop the car!’
Holly turns again to look at Olivia, who is now as white as a sheet.
‘Seriously, Holly. Now. Please.’
Holly pulls over and watches, concerned, as Olivia jumps out of the car and reaches over to vomit into the gutter. She leaps out and rubs Olivia’s back, and when Olivia has finished and is wiping the tears from her eyes, Holly asks gently if she’s okay.
‘I’m okay,’ Olivia says, suddenly leaning over and vomiting violently into the gutter again.
‘No you’re not,’ Holly says. ‘We ought to get you to the doctor.’
‘Really, I don’t need the doctor,’ Olivia says flatly. ‘But I could do with some crackers.’
Holly looks at her carefully as it dawns on her. ‘Are you…?’
Olivia nods.
‘But… who? The American guy? I mean, congratulations… No?’
‘No.’ Olivia shakes her head. ‘I don’t think I’m going to keep it. I’m pretty certain I’m going to have an abortion. It is Fred, the American, but he’s very definitely no longer in the picture.’
‘Look, you get back in the car if you’re feeling up to it, and I’ll run into that shop and get you some ginger ale and crackers. The one thing I know about is morning sickness.’
Half an hour later, Olivia starts laughing. By this time Barnyard is the movie du jour, and the two women haven’t stopped talking since Holly got back in the car with the ginger ale, crackers and snacks for the kids.
‘What are you laughing at?’ Holly sneaks a sideways glance as she zips across to the fast lane to overtake a white van.
‘I’m laughing at how much of a mess we all are. You may have just left your husband, I’m pregnant, Saffron’s been exposed. God, what else could there possibly be? I feel like Tom’s death has propelled all of us into these huge mid-life crises.’
Holly snorts and peers through the windshield up at the grey sky. ‘Thanks a lot, Tom – interesting way to keep us all together.’
‘Isn’t that weird, though?’ Olivia shifts in her seat so she’s looking at Holly. ‘It is keeping us all together. I mean, I loved seeing everybody for Tom’s memorial service, even though it was obviously under such awful circumstances, but then afterwards I intended to stay in touch more but forgot to phone people, other than you, of course. Life just became so busy, and yet here we are, together again. It does feel that this is Tom’s doing,’ and with that she peers through the windscreen herself, looking up at the sky. ‘Nice one, Tom. I ought to be pissed off with you for the pregnancy, but I am grateful for seeing everyone again.’
‘Do you do that too?’ Holly asks quietly.
‘What? Talk to Tom?’
‘Yes, but look up at the sky when you do it. I do that a lot. Still. I have little chats with him.’
‘I know. It feels a lot of the time that he is watching and, corny as it sounds, I feel like he’s become my protector a bit, sort of a guardian angel.’
‘It’s not corny.’ Holly can feel the tears well up. ‘It’s exactly how I feel.’
‘Oh God.’ Olivia reaches around in her bag for a tissue. ‘Don’t set me off. I cry at everything these days.’
‘You’re supposed to.’ Holly smiles through her tears as Olivia hands her a tissue. ‘Your hormones are all out of whack.’
The phone starts ringing, and Holly picks it up, plugging the earpiece in as she looks at the screen to see who it is.
Will.
‘Hey,’ she says softly. ‘Did you get my message?’
‘Oh Holls,’ he says. ‘I was so shocked. I can’t believe he did that. I can’t believe you left. How do you feel? Are you okay?’
‘Yes. Better than, actually. But I can’t really talk. I’m on my way down to the country. Long story. I’ll tell you another time. Is everything okay with you?’
‘Everything