Parker and Noel’s brother our seats when they return from the bar.”
Stevie gave him a questioning gaze before he latched onto her arm and pulled her. She wondered the exact reason as to why he had lied. They didn’t have to go back to work. The only thing she had to do was note down the kinds of advertisements that were along the stretch of road leading out from the airport.
“All right, we’ll see you later, son,” Noel’s father, Marcus, said. It was always ‘son’ with Marcus.
After a round of goodbyes, they walked out of PJ’s and towards the small café located near McDonald’s. When they left behind Noel and Clara’s families, Julian hadn’t attempted to take her hand or make it clear that something was between them. He made it seem casual. He made it look like they were co-workers. A tease here and a bothered frown there. He made the perfect liar.
“Baby, you have to understand how hard this is for me,” she heard once they reached their table.
“I know. I’m sorry. I ruined our wedding and now our honeymoon,” Clara cried into her hands.
“We’re not interrupting, are we?” Julian asked.
“Nah, mate. We’ve got to head through security soon,” Noel stated. “Baby, do you want me to give you a second with Stevie?”
Clara lowered her hands from her face and nodded. Noel then took his wife’s left hand and kissed her wedding ring.
“I love you, Clara.”
“I know you do. I love you more.” She smiled at her husband. Then she picked up a napkin and dabbed under her eyes with it.
When Noel and Julian had headed towards PJ’s and left them alone, Stevie took the seat in front of Clara.
“What’s going on?” Stevie asked in a calm tone. She had learnt long ago that being forceful with Clara wasn’t the way to go. She had learnt many things from Clara Parker.
“I’m hurting Liam because I chose to marry Noel. And I’m hurting Noel because I hate that I’m still hurting Liam. I don’t want to leave with Liam that upset. I loved him. It hurts me to see him like the way I did on the bench. And it kills me to see Noel feel guilty because I’m so conflicted.” Clara took a deep breath. “And then there’s you and Julian… you both make me so mad! I can see how good you two are together. And you’re both pathetic liars. And I definitely know you two had sex!”
Stevie flinched and her heartbeat rapidly picked up. “We did not hav—”
“Save it. I saw the morning-after pill wrapper in the rubbish. I don’t use them, so it’s not hard to figure it out. When were you going to tell me that you had sex with Julian… recently?” Clara’s nostrils flared and then she dropped the napkin on the table.
Raising her hands up in defence, Stevie shook her head. “Who said anything about it being Julian who I had sex with.”
The brunette-cupcake-baker glared. “You’re a terrible liar. It was Julian.”
“Fine,” she breathed. “It was just once.”
“And you didn’t use protection? How could you be so careless after last time?” The threat and disappointment were heavy in Clara’s voice. But Clara didn’t know the truth about the miscarriage. Stevie had only confessed to a false positive on her pregnancy test to remind her to use birth control and to serve as a message about sex.
Stevie hung her head in shame. “I never intended for it to happen. I just… I needed to feel something with him. I needed to see if that magic was still there. I had more protection than I did when I was eighteen, Clara. Thank you for reminding me of my carelessness.”
“Stevie, I’m sorry that was—”
The shake of her head had Clara stopping. Stevie sniffed and looked up at her best friend. The pain in her chest had Stevie struggling to breathe. “You get to have the cute story. Where the first guy you sleep with isn’t a stranger. You’ve known him all your life, and it takes him living with you for you both to fall in love. My story isn’t that. Not even close. Mine is filled with lies, sex, drugs, alcohol, suicidal thoughts and attempts, miscarriage, and regret—”
“You what?” Clara’s eyes widened and her mouth gaped. The expression of horror succumbed her face. And so was the sympathy and pain.
Miscarriage.
“Oh God,” Stevie mumbled and shut her eyes tightly.
One more person knows.
Charles, Sophie, and now Clara.
“It wasn’t a false positive. You were actually pregnant… Oh