A Time to Love

Chapter 17

                'Do either of you know if Sarah's coming back?' Bridget questioned as Zander and Lucy awkwardly sat, metres apart as they rehearsed from their script a final time.

'No' Lucy simply answered but Zander pushed himself up so that he was no longer slouching 'Erm' he cleared his throat 'she's not answering my calls but I'll keep trying.'

'And this... thing that's happened between the three of you. It needs to be sorted, and soon, the dress rehearsals next week but we can't have it with incomplete costumes and no costume girl' Bridget ranted, barely leaving time for a breath in between.

'Like I said, I'll keep trying' Zander smiled.

***

That's why Sarah's phone rang for what she thought was the millionth time that day.

'Sarah dear' her mother began as she was plating up the food in preparation for the evening meal 'how long are you going to let the poor boy suffer?' she passed one food full plate to her daughter who passed it down the table.

'Until he gets the message' and it was at that moment she switched her phone off and carelessly shoved it in her pocket.

'Maybe he wants to discuss the baby' her mother gladly answered and placed twice as many portions on to Sarah's plate before setting it down in front of her.

'Then he can write it in a letter' came Sarah's lukewarm reply as she circled the spaghetti from her Bolognese dinner around her fork.

Seeing the mountain of a meal that their sister was eating, the twins decided to compare it to their almost empty plates and Bradley even went as far as to complain. 'How does she get more dinner than we do? That's unfair.' He pushed his plate to the side and sat back in the chair, folding his arms in protest.

'Because Sarah has a little baby growing inside her so she's eating for two now' her mother smiled proudly. Too proudly, Sarah thought, for a woman with an eighteen year old pregnant daughter.

It was either the over zealous pride or mention of the baby that Zander had implanted inside her, which was a constant reminder of him, but something made Sarah scoff and empty the food off her own plate and divide it between her brothers.

'Help yourselves' she stood to leave the room, declaring as she reached the door 'I might not be keeping it anyway.'

***

A shadow cast over Sarah as she lay asleep on the couch the next morning, after another bout of morning sickness had kept her from accompanying the rest of the family as they collected her father from the rehab centre. After four months, he was finally being released. Carefully, Sarah was stirred awake by the shadow.

'Dad?' she said when her eyes had returned to their regular vision. She rose from her position and flung her arms around his shoulders. All was better as he held her against his body but in an instant he let her go, a wave of emotion shot over her head and drenched her in sorrow once more.

'I heard you were ill. How are you feeling? I can make you some of my magic soup' he stood to walk the few feet to the kitchen.

'It's fine dad, sit down. I've got something to tell you' she nodded at her mother when she noticed her standing at the living room door, indicating her to give them privacy.

'Do you remember what I told you the last time I visited?' Sarah began, keeping her promise from her previous visit.

'Oh yes, about your boyfriend. Where is the lad? It would have been nice to meet him, since he's captured my baby girl's heart.'