Babyville Page 0,44
Mark really what you want?”
Julia doesn't say anything.
“Okay. Put it like this. If you weren't able to have a baby at all, would you still want to stay with Mark for the rest of your life?”
Julia still doesn't say anything, but after a few seconds she shakes her head sadly, still too frightened to say it out loud, to admit it to Bella, to make it real.
“Julia, I know you thought you wanted marriage and babies, but have you ever stopped to think that maybe you're not ready for that? Maybe you made a decision and felt that you had to stick with it, even though your life had moved in a completely different direction.”
Julia looks at Bella, pain in her eyes, and her voice emerges in a whisper. “But I'm so scared of being on my own.”
“Oh, Julia.” Bella puts an arm around her and squeezes her. “I know it must be scary when you've been with someone for years, but look at how alive you've felt since being here, look at how happy you've been. That's what your life could be like again. It's not so bad, is it? Is it?” She nudges Julia until she gets a smile. “See? You could be my new partner in crime. You've already committed your first offense with Jack.”
“Jack,” Julia moans. “What am I going to do about Jack?”
“What do you want to do about Jack?”
Julia shrugs.
“Tell me again how you left it?”
“He asked if he could see me again and I said he should call me.”
“Well, then. No point worrying about something that hasn't even happened yet. Let's cross that bridge when we come to it, but one question . . . Do you want to see him again?”
Julia hesitates, then nods with a faint grin as she reluctantly admits, “That kiss did send a shiver down to my toes.”
“That's as good a reason as any. So when he calls you'll say yes.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“It is simple,” Bella is exasperated. “It's what being single is all about. In the meantime it's now one o'clock in the morning and you're supposed to be coming to the office with me tomorrow, so both of us need to get some beauty sleep.” She leans over and kisses Julia on the cheek. “I'm glad you had such a special evening. Sleep well and see you in the morning.”
“Do we have to go to the gym?” Julia moans, just as Bella's shutting her bedroom door.
“Of course we have to go to the gym,” Bella shouts back from behind the closed door. “It's our new religion, for heaven's sake.”
“Congratulations, my darling!” Bella lifts her champagne flute in a toast. “Welcome to BCA!”
“This just feels so ridiculous,” Julia says. “I can't believe I came out here for a spot of rest, relaxation, and shopping, and now I'm working.”
“This, remember, is the land of opportunity,” Bella laughs. “Not to mention the land of reinvention. You can be anyone you want to be, why do you think I love it so much?”
“But you haven't reinvented yourself.”
“Julia, everyone at work thinks I'm Lady Bella Redford.”
Julia starts to giggle. “Tell me you're joking.”
“Of course I'm not joking. If I'd known how helpful a title was in opening doors I'd have invented one years ago.”
“I can't believe you.”
“Why not? You could be one too.”
“I think I'll just stick to being your lady-in-waiting.”
“I didn't really think anyone would take it seriously,” Bella lowers her voice and leans forward confidentially. “I was having a row with one of the other producers and she said ‘Bella!' in this really nasally condescending way, and without even thinking I shot back, ‘That's Lady Bella to you,' and the next thing I knew the whole bloody office was calling me ‘Lady Bella.' I had to spend the next two weeks graciously telling everyone that it wasn't quite the done thing to address me as ‘Lady Bella,' and that I only used it for formal functions, and calling me ‘Bella' would be fine.”
“You really are outrageous,” Julia laughs.
“I know. Just pray no one lands their grubby paws on a copy of Debrett's. So how did you find today? What did you think of the office, and, more importantly, what did you think of everyone in the office? I've been dying to do the postmortem with you all day.”
“God, where do I start?” Julia smiles and wearily lays her head back against the sofa. It's been a long day, and she's tired, and she never thought it