Never Again

Part Ten

                “Come to London! You know you want to! You’ve been away ages!”

Erin laughed at Michelle’s pleas, “I’ve been away four weeks, you were here two weeks ago. You make out like we haven’t seen each other for years!”

                “I miss you Ms Thomas! What’s wrong with that?” Michelle giggled.

                “Did I tell you I’m changing back to Bailey?”

The phone was silent as Michelle digested that swerve in topic, “really?”

                “Yup!” Erin answered confidently. “I want no link to that bastard; figure my Dad’s a better man to be named after, even with all his foibles!”

Michelle laughed, “good point. Please come?”

Erin succumbed, “I’m going home Friday to see Barney, then I’ll come to you Saturday...I’m relying on you to organise something special!”

                “How does my especial boeuf de Wellington sound?”

Erin groaned, Michelle made the greatest beef Wellington known to man, and that was definitely a deal sealer, if she needed one! “I’m in!”

It had been another hectic day in work, and Erin was grateful to collapse onto the train home on Friday evening. Her car wasn’t trustworthy for the longer journeys so she relied on the public form of transport.  Her mother was in the car park of the station in her Landrover, and hugged her daughter keenly.

Back at the house, an obviously recovering Barney was far more enthusiastic than on her previous trip. He was meandering awkwardly around the lounge, as best he could, and in a rather out of character gesture, her father was hand feeding him cooked chicken.

                “He’ll never want to come home now!” Erin exclaimed and her father laughed.

                “He isn’t bloody staying here!”

She liked the camaraderie with her grumpy father, understanding mother, and brother when she visited. She’d lost that when she’d been married, Max had never wanted her to go home, she could know see that he was fearful of her family. She was making up for allowing him to rule that decision.

The next morning, the sun was shining as the train pulled into London. Michelle was jumping up and down on the platform of Paddington station as Erin emerged into the chaos of the Big Smoke.

After a hug that was like the grip of death, Erin held Michelle at arm’s length, “what is up with you? Not that I don’t love feeling appreciated! What’s going on?”

Michelle burst into a grin, “I wasn’t going to say anything, not till later...I’m pregnant!”

Erin wasn’t surprised Michelle had been acting more than a little strangely, and she was ecstatic, “that is...” Words were redundant; the two women whooped, hugged and danced their way down the platform.

With an arm protectively around her friend, Erin led her out into the bright day, “we can’t even have a drink to celebrate! Damn!”

Michelle beamed, and Erin’s heart surged, her friend deserved this so much, she had wanted it for SO long.

After a coffee, some shopping and a trip to their favourite salon, they ended up back at Michelle’s home, Erin with copper curly hair, Michelle with a radical bob and highlights in her naturally fair hair. Dave was muddy from his football match as he burst in after them.