that she was going to spend the rest of her life with him.
They did Paros, then decided to go to Santorini, where they'd heard of an Australian bar manager who was looking for a replacement. Everything was idyllic, she sobbed (for by this time the waterworks were starting), and they'd sit and watch the sunrise every morning, talking about their future.
They had a great team of young people working at the bar, and soon it became the place on the island. They worked hard and they played harder, and even though Fay knew they weren't going to manage this bar on this little Greek island forever, she thought she'd found her true love, and she'd go anywhere, do anything, for him.
Fay had decided to go back to Sydney after the summer. She would live with Stu and find a job out there. Waitressing. Nannying. Anything, just so she could stay there with him. Until she walked in and caught him in bed with Paola, one of the great team of young people.
That was on Wednesday afternoon.
“I'm so sorry,” she sobs, wiping her streaming nose and eyes with a crunched-up tissue. “I know I should have let you know but all I could think of was that I wanted to come home.”
“I understand,” I say soothingly. “But what are you going to do? Where are you going to live?”
“What do you mean?” She looks at me, uncomprehendingly, her tears already starting to dry up.
“You weren't thinking of moving straight back in here, were you?” I see that's exactly what she meant. “You can't just kick me out, Fay. I'm really sorry about your failed holiday romance”—she flinches but I ignore it—“but we agreed that I would stay here a year, and so far it's only six and a half months. Quite frankly,” I continue, “I haven't got anywhere else to go.”
“Well, neither have I,” she says, standing up and crossing her arms, staking her territory. “And it's my bloody flat. Show me your lease, then. Show me where you signed on the dotted line and said you were taking out a lease for one year.”
We didn't sign anything. We just liked each other . . . then . . . and took it on trust.
“I can't believe you're behaving like this. Can't you see I'm pregnant, for God's sake?” The hormones are once again threatening to hit, and I can feel a hot sting behind my eyes that means tears aren't far behind.
“And I can't believe you're behaving like this. Pregnancy has nothing to do with it. You're acting appallingly. It's my flat. And I'm the one who's been through hell and back.”
“Okay,” Mark says, taking control. “We don't seem to be getting anywhere, and we all need a bit of time to think about this. Why don't we sleep on it and discuss it in the morning?”
“Fine,” says Fay, turning to go into the bedroom.
“And where do you think you're bloody going?” I step sharply toward her, and block her way. Ha! At times like this a spectacularly large stomach definitely has its advantages.
Mark looks shocked. “Maeve!”
“Yes.” Fay tries to stare me down but I stand my ground. “Maeve!”
“Where am I supposed to sleep?” I look at Viv for some moral support and she nods.
“I think Maeve has a point.”
“Why don't you come and stay at mine?” Mark says, looking first at me, then at Viv. “Both of you.”
“No way,” I say, shaking my head. “There's no way I'm leaving all my stuff in the flat with her here. How do I know I won't come back tomorrow and find everything destroyed?”
“Oh, for God's sake.” Fay rolls her eyes to the ceiling but I'm not budging. “In that case,” she states, “I feel exactly the same way and I'm not going anywhere either.”
“Can we just behave like adults here, please?” Mark says, completely aghast at our immaturity, but I don't care. I'm not moving.
“I am an adult,” I say petulantly. “She's the one who's behaving irresponsibly.”
“Right. How about this, then? Fay can wait in the bedroom and we'll stay in the living room and talk about what we're going to do, and that way neither of you is in danger of having their belongings trashed by the other.” I know Mark thinks we're ridiculous, but I'm six months pregnant. How dare she just come back and throw me out onto the street?
I say this to Mark when Fay disappears into the bedroom and slams the door, and he says that