It all started with Freshers.....

Part Sixteen - Panic

April brought a nice change in the weather. It was beautiful out. The sun was shining and it was actually hot outside. The good weather lasted a whole week and damn was it amazing but irritating. I was seven months pregnant and felt huge. All my clothes felt too heavy. Sweat was running off me constantly and couldn't settle myself to anything as I got irritable every time something went wrong and all because I was too hot.

After tech on Tuesday the 18th of April I went to meet Rachel for coffee as was our weekly ritual. We'd kept it up despite leading busy lives. Rachel sat opposite me in our favourite cafe by the window so we could watch the world go past.

"How's things today?" Rachel asked me as she sipped at her hot chocolate.

"Fine. Far too hot. Yourself?" I asked.

I shifted uncomfortably. It was too warm for me.

"Yeh all good honey." She smiled at me with obvious delight.

For a second I couldn't concentrate on her as I tried to make myself comfortable in the chair. A twinge ran across my stomach but I ignored it. I still had eight weeks left.

"You alright?" Rachel frowned looking concerned.

I nodded. "Yeh. How's this man of yours?"

Rachel had just started texting this boy Liam. She really really really liked him. I hadn't met him yet because that would make things too serious for Rachel but so far I'd heard loads of great things about him.

"Awk Ciara, he is so so sweet. Want to see the message he sent me yesterday?" Rachel fumbled with her iPhone 6 with the purple butterfly case and scrolled through her recent messages. She turned the phone towards me after locating the message she was searching for.

"Hey gorgeous 😘 been thinking about you all day! Hope you've had a great day. Counting the hours till I see you on Saturday ☺️xx"

I smiled. "That is lovely. Where are yous going on Saturday?"

Rachel's grey eyes immediately lit up and her smile grew bigger. A healthy flush coloured her usually pale cheeks. Already I could tell he had made a really big impression on her. I hoped he'd never hurt her but somehow I didn't think he would. He was already really taken with her by the sounds of it. He was great for her.

"If the weather is good we're for the beach. If not, I think we're going to the cinema to see the new trainspotting film."

"It's supposed to be so good. I heard Nikki talking about it at tech."

Rachel nodded eagerly. "I'm actually so excited. I just can't wait to see him."

I chuckled. "It's so nice to see you so excited about a boy."

For a strange change Rachel looked so peaceful. Usually you could see her mind working in overdrive as she picked apart at the world around her.

"Fancy going a walk by the river. It ain't far?" Rachel suggested looking hopeful, "We might as well especially when it's so nice out."

"Yeh. Why not?"

I stood up and another twinge ran across my bump. I rubbed my bump nervously and soothed my own racing mind. I wouldn't ruin my day with Rachel by telling her that I had a few, most likely meaningless, pains.

Rachel drove us down to the river and we walked. It wasn't far. Soon I was out of puff and the sweat was rolling off me. This was exhausting.

"You alright? You're very pale," Rachel said as I paused for the fourth time for breath.