Lucy nodded. ‘It’s weird, but I feel so protective of the baby. It’s as if I have to look after it and keep it safe. I know it sounds mad, but it’s how I feel, and I think I can work it out. I’ll just defer for a year, then go back and finish my degree.’
‘Okay, it’s your funeral. But I will not be minding your kid. Do not even think about using me as your babysitter. And if Tom does move in – which is, like, so weird – you are not allowed to have sex because the walls are thin and I do not want to have to listen to you two going at it.’
Lucy laughed. ‘Let’s take one step at a time.’
‘Okay, but I’m just saying, straight up, no child-minding and no sex.’
‘Thanks for your support, Jen!’ Lucy punched her playfully.
Jenny finished doing her face. At least she’d succeeded in making her sister smile. But a baby? She was worried this Tom guy was going to let Lucy down. She had a bad feeling about him, really bad.
7
Gabriel stood outside the corner shop. A sign saying ‘Murphy’s’ hung outside it. He rolled his eyes. Murphy, the commonest name in Ireland. Common name for a common girl.
The street was crammed full of semi-detached houses with small driveways, just about big enough to fit one car. He’d passed a park at the end of the road where a group of children were playing soccer. There seemed to be some sort of football club.
He peered through the window of the shop. It had overstuffed shelves and a huge sweet counter. Gabriel loathed corner shops where fat kids could buy more junk to shove into their faces. A small, bald man was leaning on the counter reading a newspaper. Probably the Sun or the Daily Mail, he thought.
He saw the door behind the counter open and Lucy came through. The conniving little bitch. Gabriel threw open the shop door and marched in.
‘Well, well, well, here you are,’ Gabriel said.
Lucy froze.
‘Who’s this?’ Billy asked, looking at Lucy’s shocked face.
‘He’s Tom’s father.’
‘Well, well, well yourself,’ Billy said, as he closed his Irish Independent and puffed out his chest.
‘Mr Murphy, I presume?’ Gabriel asked.
‘Yes, and you are?’
‘Mr Harrington-Black.’
‘Your son not with you, then? We’re very keen to meet him.’
‘Oh, I have no doubt you are,’ Gabriel sneered. ‘I need to speak to your daughter.’
‘Speak away.’ Billy crossed his arms.
‘It’s a rather delicate matter.’
‘Would it have anything to do with your son getting my daughter pregnant?’
Gabriel rested a leather-gloved hand on the countertop. ‘I think your daughter had a rather large role to play in her misfortune.’
‘Your son needs to grow a backbone, come here and look me in the eye.’
Tina popped her head around the door. ‘Lucy, your dinner’s ready.’
‘Come in, Tina, this is Tom’s father. He came to speak to Lucy about the pregnancy.’
Gabriel barely acknowledged her. ‘Your daughter has got herself into trouble and claims the child is my son’s, although I’m not sure about that. From what I saw in the café the other day, she seems to be a very “friendly” girl. Still, I hate to see a young girl in trouble so I generously offered to help her to deal with the problem. She was due to have a termination yesterday in a top London clinic that I paid for, so you can imagine my surprise when the clinic called to say she never turned up.’
Gabriel tried to keep his voice even, but he was ready to wring the stupid girl’s neck. He had sorted everything out and it appeared she hadn’t gone through with it. There was no way a common slut was going to drag Tom down with her.
Billy folded his arms across his chest. ‘She’s changed her mind.’
‘There is no changing of minds here. This isn’t will-I-have-my-coffee-black-or-with-milk. This is a serious issue that needs to be dealt with quickly and efficiently.’
Tina rested a hand on Lucy’s shoulder. ‘I know exactly how serious an issue this is,’ Tina said calmly, ‘and if my daughter has decided that she wants to keep the baby, then that is what she’ll do.’
Gabriel swallowed the rage rising in his chest. ‘Let’s be reasonable here. We both know keeping the baby is a ludicrous idea. You need to make her see sense. She’ll ruin her life, her career, everything. She’ll be a nothing, one of the thousands of single mothers leeching off the government for benefits.’
Billy leant forward. ‘Now why would she be a single mother? Are you suggesting that your son is not going to stand up and be a man? Surely you’re not telling me that he is going to leave my daughter alone to raise his child. Because I’m afraid that just won’t wash. Your son is going to shoulder his responsibilities, show up every day and be a dad to this child and a supportive partner to my daughter.’
Gabriel stared Billy in the eye and said slowly, ‘My son will have nothing to do with your gold-digging, manipulative, scheming daughter.’
Billy’s eyes widened. ‘What did you say?’
‘Don’t you think it slightly convenient that your ambitious daughter finds herself pregnant with the son of a Supreme Court judge, and that after pretending to agree to a termination suddenly changes her mind? She clearly thinks she can trap my son and ingratiate herself into my family but, I can assure you, that is never going to happen.’
Billy laughed. ‘Do you know what I think? I think you’re an arrogant prick. I think your son is a stupid, spineless coward and if you think I would let my beautiful and brilliant daughter near you, ever again, you’re the one who is delusional. You know where the door is.’
Gabriel slammed his hand onto the counter. ‘I am not leaving without a guarantee that she,’ he jabbed a finger at Lucy, ‘is going to terminate this pregnancy and leave my son the hell alone.’
‘Well, now, Mr Harrington-Black, you have two choices here. You can take yourself and your disgusting comments and accusations and walk out the door, or I can show you the door. Please believe me when I tell you that, while you might be taller than me, I grew up on the streets and I can beat you into a coma with two punches. And if you ever speak to or even look at my daughter again, I will come after you and kill you. Am I making myself clear?’
‘Scum breeds scum,’ Gabriel hissed, then turned on his heel and stormed out.
‘Oh, my God,’ Tina gasped. ‘What a horrible man. Well done, Billy, you were brilliant.’
Billy turned to Lucy, who was crying silently. ‘I’m telling you now, you are going to have this baby and I’m going to help you in any way I can. If Tom wants to be involved and come and live with us and help you raise the child, he is welcome. But I will never, ever have that bastard come near me or my family again.’
‘Is Tom like that too?’ Tina asked, her eyes full of concern.
‘God, no,’ Lucy said. ‘He’s the opposite, kind and generous and lovely.’
‘Thank God for small mercies.’ Tina kissed Lucy’s forehead.
‘Right, I’m closing up early. I need a drink after that.’
‘Thanks, Dad.’
‘For what?’
‘For standing up to him and defending me and being, well, just … brilliant.’
Billy pulled her into his arms. ‘Let’s pray the baby has Murphy genes!’
8
Lucy dressed in the pink jumper Tom had told her he loved on her. What he’d actually said was ‘You look beautiful in that jumper.’ Whenever she wore it, she felt happy.
Jenny helped her with her make-up. ‘Okay, you look good, fresh and healthy, not wrecked and knackered like you did half an hour ago.’
‘Thanks, Jenny.’
‘No problem, we want you looking nice when you tell him he’s about to be a dad. He’ll need to fancy you so he doesn’t run away.’
‘Stop! I’m nervous enough already.’
‘He told you he loves you and that he’ll stand by you. It’ll be fine. Unless und
erneath all the niceness he has his dad’s black soul.’
Lucy slapped her sister’s arm. ‘He has none of his father’s characteristics.’
Jenny grinned. ‘I still can’t believe Dad threatened to punch him and kill him. It’s kind of cool. I wish I’d seen him with his whole Bruce Willis vibe going on.’
‘He was really great.’
‘If only I’d been there – I’d have told Gabriel to go to hell and back.’
‘I’ve no doubt you would.’ Lucy smiled. ‘I’d better go or I’ll miss my bus. Wish me luck.’
‘Good luck, and make sure you snog him before you tell him about the baby thing.’
Lucy sat in the Starbucks opposite the university and stirred two spoons of sugar into her coffee. She was exhausted and needed the caffeine and sugar rush. Tom hadn’t turned up this morning to any of the lectures. Once again, she’d humiliated herself by asking everyone if they’d seen him. No one had. She’d eventually tracked down his best friend, Andy, who said he hadn’t heard from Tom in days and was a bit worried. He said he’d drive over to Tom’s house later so he could see him face to face to make sure everything was all right.
‘Lucy?’
She looked up. Oh, God, it was Olivia, one of Tom’s really annoying friends from St Jude’s.
‘Hi, how are you?’ Olivia plonked herself down opposite Lucy. ‘I heard the news.’
Lucy blushed. ‘I’m fine.’
Olivia leant forward and, lowering her voice, said, ‘It’s pretty dramatic.’
‘Well, it’s all going to be fine.’
‘Are you, like, okay about it?’
‘It’s not ideal, but yes.’ Lucy smiled.
‘Poor Tom, I heard he was upset.’
Lucy bristled. ‘We both were, but it’ll all work out for the best in the end.’
‘Wow, you’re tougher than you look. I mean, Tom’s pretty great, don’t you think?’
‘Yes, I do.’
‘So why did you change your mind?’
‘Lots of reasons.’
‘Tom said it was Gabriel’s idea. I guess Gabriel wasn’t too happy with you.’
Lucy wanted to smack Olivia. ‘I don’t really care what Gabriel thinks of me.’
‘Really? He’s kind of scary. He’s always been so hard on Tom. Mind you, my father knew Gabriel back when they were boys in St Jude’s and he says Gabriel was always very tough and that Gabriel’s father was the same. You know Gabriel’s father, Tom’s grandfather, was the headmaster at St Jude’s, don’t you?’
Lucy hadn’t known that and didn’t care. Olivia seemed to think this was a big deal but Lucy couldn’t have given a damn if Gabriel’s father was the bloody president. Gabriel was a bully and she had zero interest in his father.
Olivia prattled on: ‘He turned St Jude’s around. It was always a top school, but Gabriel’s father brought it to a whole new level. He was quite a maverick and ruled with an iron fist. Gabriel was apparently very keen to please his father and he ended up getting the best exam results in the whole country. My father says Gabriel is a genius, which explains a lot.’
It explains nothing, Lucy thought. If he was so bloody intelligent, why didn’t he see that he was alienating his son and might never see or know his own grandchild?
Lucy hated the way the St Jude’s crowd always thought stories about their ‘special’ school were so interesting. It was as if they were unable to peel themselves away from their school days, stand on their own two feet or have an individual thought. It was pathetic.
‘It’s kind of amazing that Tom turned out to be such a softie and a sweetie. My dad says Tom’s mum was really nice. So sad she died so young.’
‘Yes, it is.’
‘I’m still in shock about you guys, though. Did Tom tell you he was going, because he didn’t tell any of us?’
Going? What was she talking about?
‘Was it a bad break-up? I presume you did it because he was very into you. He told me he was mad about you. To be honest, I was kind of surprised because you’re not his usual type.’
Lucy frowned and held up her hand to shut Olivia up. ‘We haven’t broken up.’
‘What?’
‘Tom and I are together.’
Olivia looked puzzled. ‘Well, why has he gone to New York to finish his law degree?’
‘New York?’ Lucy’s head began to spin. ‘What are you … New York?’
‘Oh, my God, did you not know?’ Olivia stared at her, clearly shocked. ‘The only reason I found out is because my mum bumped into him on the flight yesterday. She said he was behaving really strangely. He told her he was going to finish his law degree in America because Gabriel thought it was better for him.’
Lucy was struggling to breathe. ‘Are you sure it was him?’
Olivia nodded. ‘I’m sorry, I really am. I presumed you’d broken up with him and that’s why he’d gone. I … Do you need a glass of water? Lucy?’
Lucy gripped the table and stood up unsteadily on shaking legs. ‘I need air.’
‘Let me help you.’
‘No,’ Lucy snapped. ‘You’ve done enough damage.’
She staggered out of the café and down the road, sobbing. How could he do this? How could he abandon her? Her heart was pounding as she tried to gulp in air. New York to finish his degree? Gabriel had obviously sent him away, far away from her, the social-climbing slut.
Oh, God. She bent over as pain stabbed in her stomach. She had to calm down – it was bad for the baby. She leant against the railings of a house and tried to control her breathing. She’d never, ever forgive Tom for being such a coward. Never. Oh, what was she going to do? She was on her own now. Completely alone.
She dug her nails into her palms to stop the panic that was rising within her. She thought of the envelope, back in her bedroom, with the tickets that could still be used. She saw two futures before her, but now neither of them featured Tom, which hurt so badly. What should she do?
Lucy stared at the sky and felt a wave of hopelessness wash over her. This was crazy – how had this become her life? She wanted to lie down on the street and never get up again. But then she thought of her parents, of how good they were, and she thought of Gabriel talking to them as he had, the way he’d looked at them all, as if they were filth on his shoe. God, she hated him.
She put her hand on her stomach and took a deep breath. To hell with Tom and his bastard of a father. She’d show them. She’d be a great mother and a great lawyer and raise an amazing child. She would not fail. She was bloody well going to prove it to them all.
9
Billy sobbed into his handkerchief.
Tina patted him on the back. ‘Calm yourself, Billy.’
‘I can’t, it’s just …’
‘I know, love, it’s unbelievable.’
‘How could she –’ A sob prevented Billy finishing his sentence.
‘She’s something else,’ Tina said.
Jenny came in, hair tousled, wearing her pyjamas. One look at her father stopped her dead in her tracks. ‘Oh, God, what’s going on? I can’t take any more drama in this family. What has Lucy done now? Gone to Vegas and got married? Got a tattoo? Pierced her tongue? What?’
Tina grinned. ‘Your sister’s just called us. She went in to get her results this morning. She’s only gone and got herself a first. She’s top of the whole class.’
‘A first in law. My daughter!’ Billy’s eyes shone. ‘Billy Murphy from the inner city, who left school at fourteen, has a daughter who got a first in her third-year exams in law in Trinity College – no one would believe it. I can’t believe it.’
Jenny put a slice of bread in the toaster and turned to her parents, arms folded. ‘Great. Bloody brilliant. Now I’m going to look thick and useless no matter what I do. Why does she have to be an Einstein?’
‘She deserves every bit of it,’ Tina said. ‘I never saw her study so hard. And to think she did it with everything that’s going on. She really is incredible.’<
br />
Jenny turned to get the butter out of the fridge. She was happy for Lucy, of course she was. God knew she deserved a lift after the last few months. But did she have to get a first? Now anything Jenny achieved would look rubbish compared to that.
Still, it was brilliant news for Lucy. Jenny didn’t know how her sister had done it. The last few months had been so horrendous that she was amazed Lucy could concentrate on anything. Her strength had amazed them all.
‘She sounded so happy,’ Billy said. ‘Like the old Lucy, happy and young. I told her to stay out for the day and night and have fun with her pals.’
Jenny snorted. Lucy’s classmates would be throwing drinks down their necks and getting sloshed. They’d probably be drunk by lunchtime. What was Lucy going to do – sit in the pub beside them with her enormous bump, sipping lemonade?
‘It’ll give her a great lift. She needs the confidence boost,’ Tina said.
‘If I ever get my hands on that spineless little –’
‘Don’t go getting yourself all het up, Billy. It’s bad for your heart,’ Tina reminded him. ‘We all feel the same way, but it is what it is and we need to deal with the situation ourselves.’
Jenny cut her toast with the breadknife and imagined sticking it into Tom’s head. He was a useless fucker. How could he just leave her like that?
When Tom had left, Jenny had been worried that Lucy might do something mad like slit her wrists or something. She’d often heard her crying herself to sleep, and it made her sick to her bones to hear her brave sister so upset. Jenny was determined never, ever, ever to have unprotected sex with anyone, not even Joshua Jackson from Dawson’s Creek, whom she was obsessed with. Nothing and no one was worth this.
Billy went into the shop to serve a customer. Tina was at the sink while Jenny finished her toast.
Our Secrets and Lies Page 5
