For several reasons, none of which she intended to divulge, this was closer to the truth than he could ever imagine and she could see from his dark flush that she had hit home. He had been fond of referring to her distant ex as one of life’s great losers.
She stuck her chin up and looked him squarely in the eyes without flinching. ‘After I’ve been to the hospital, I shall find somewhere cheap to stay until I can catch the first train out of London.’
‘This isn’t Ballybay! London isn’t safe at night to be wandering around in search of cheap hotels!’
‘I’ll take my chances!’ Of course he would see no problem with her sleeping in his apartment, she thought with punishing reality. She meant nothing to him, so why on earth would he be affected by her presence? And, if that were the case, then wouldn’t it be the same for her? ‘And when I leave here I never, ever want to see you again.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
‘DIDN’T THIS OCCUR to you at all, Miss Sullivan?’
Her doctor looked at her with the sort of expression that implied this was a conversation he had had many times before. Possibly, however, not with someone who was unmarried. Unmarried and pregnant in these parts was a rare occurrence.
Her head was swimming. It had been over a month since she had walked out of Leo’s life for ever and in the interim she had heard not a word from him, although she had heard about him, thanks to Bridget, who emailed her regularly with updates on the joys of finding her long-lost son.
Bridget had remained in London in his apartment, where she had all the benefits of round-the-clock care and help courtesy of a man who had limitless funds. She hadn’t even needed to fetch any of her clothes, as she was now the fortunate recipient of a brand-new wardrobe.
On all fronts, he was the golden child she thought she had lost for ever.
In between these golden tributes, Brianna never managed to get any answers to the questions she really wanted to ask, such as did he ever talk about her? Was he missing her? Was there someone else in his life?
And now this.
‘No, not really.’ Brianna found that she could barely enunciate the words. Pregnant. They had been so careful. Aside from that one time... She resisted the temptation to put her hand on her still flat stomach. ‘I...I didn’t even notice that I’d skipped a period...’ Because she had been so wrapped up thinking about him, missing him, wishing he was still around. So busy functioning on autopilot that she had missed the really big, life-altering thing happening.
‘And what will you do now, Brianna?
Brianna looked at the kindly old man who had delivered her and pretty much everyone her age in Ballybay and beyond.
‘I’m going to have this baby, Dr Fallow, and I shall be a very proud, single mother.’ She stuck her chin up defiantly and he smiled at her.
‘I would have expected nothing less from Annie Sullivan’s daughter. And the father?’
And the father...?
The question plagued her over the next few days. He deserved to know. Or did he? He had used her and then dispatched her once her usefulness was at an end. Did a man like that deserve to know that she was having his baby? He had been ultra-careful with precautions. How ironic that despite the best laid plans—because of a split condom, a one-in-a-million chance—here she was, the exception to the rule. And a cruel exception, because having a baby was not on his agenda, least of all with a woman he had used. So what would be his reaction should she show up on his doorstep with the happy news that he was going to be a daddy? She shuddered when she thought of it: horror, rage, shock. And, although there was no way he could blame her, he would still be upset and enraged that fate had dealt him a blow he couldn’t deal with.
Yet, how could she not tell him? Especially given the circumstances of his adoption? Would he appreciate being left in the dark about his own flesh and blood? Perhaps finding out at some much later date down the road, and being destined forever to imagine that his son or daughter had grown up thinking of him as someone who had not taken enough interest to make contact? Being left in the awful position of wondering whether his own life story had been repeated, except without him even being aware of it?
The pros and cons ran through her head like a constant refrain, although beneath that refrain the one consolation was that she was in no doubt that she was happy about the pregnancy, however much it would disrupt her way of life. In fact, she was ecstatic. She had not thought about babies, having had no guy in her life with whom to have them. And, although she couldn’t have chosen a less suitable candidate for the role of father, she was filled with a sense of joyous wonder at the life slowly growing inside her.