A Time to Love

Chapter 19

           'She's got them wrapped around her finger' Lucy said when the door was closed, she directed eye contact from Zander and stared at the floor instead.

'Yeah, she has' Zander agreed and when the silence between them threatened to linger, he broke it. 'How have you been since the...?'

Lucy placed a hand on her stomach, where a baby had once been 'Empty' was her simple, honest reply.

'I can't help but think' Zander started but swallowed back his emotion when it tried to creep up on him 'Maybe if I hadn't swanned round there shouting the odds at you about the article' his voice cracked as the sadness tinged and a tear escaped his eye 'then maybe this wouldn't have happened.'

'Ssh' Lucy placed a finger on his lips to hush him 'it wasn't your fault, sometimes these things just happen. It's just nature's way of telling us it wasn't meant to be' she lifted Zander's hands from his side and gently squeezed them as they were held in hers. 'You've got a second chance with Sarah, don't mess it up again. And me? Well, I can have another baby someday, with the right person.'

Lucy's body pressed against Zander's as her lips touched his when the kiss between them lasted longer than either of them expected. When she finally broke away, Lucy confessed 'I'm taking a few days off college to recover from...everything. Promise me that you and Sarah will sort everything out between you.'

Zander nodded his assurance and Lucy did to him what he wished Sarah would do, as she dried away his tears. 'Can you do one last thing for me?' she asked him.

'What?'

'Tell me a girls name that you like. Obviously it was too early to tell but I think our baby was a girl so, I wondered if we could name her together.'

'Amber' Zander said after a few seconds of thinking.

'Yeah, I like it' Lucy agreed 'I chose Chloe. So that's what we'll go with- Amber Chloe Riley-Lawson.'

Lucy knocked on the kitchen door when her conversation with Zander had reached its end and Sarah's parents immediately exited. Debbie grabbed Lucy and held her against her body 'Sarah told us what happened' she released the girl, keeping her hands on her shoulders 'how are you doing?'

'I'm fine now' Lucy answered as she turned to Zander and the pair shared a smile. 'I'd better be off Sarah, before mum has a search party out for me.'

Sarah laughed and wrapped her arm around Lucy as she guided her to the door 'That does sound like Marina.'

Lucy was standing on the doorstep before Sarah asked 'Would you like me to walk you to the door?'

'Don't be daft' Lucy declined 'it's only across the road. Besides, Zander's got some grovelling to do' she looked at him as he watched the friends converse and hug tightly as they set aside their differences.

Soon Sarah had Zander at her side and they watched as Lucy walked into her home and disappeared behind the door. 'I'd best be off to. Early start tomorrow' he leaned in closer, ready to feel the touch of her lips against his once more but Sarah edged away.

'Not yet' she announced 'I want us to start again someday. I really do but I'm not ready to forgive you yet Zan.'

He nodded understandably and pushed a stray hair, that had fallen over her eyes, behind her ears. 'Lucy's right, I have got a lot of grovelling to do and I'll do it, every day. Because you're worth it.' She allowed him to kiss her cheek but pulled at his wrist when he turned to leave.