Page 71 of Plot Twist

‘I’m sorry, guys. I am so over the moon for you both. But I just don’t think I can stay. I don’t think it’s fair on Riley. Or Jackie. And most of all, I don’t think it’s fair on Ivy. She’s so excited about her mum being back. If there’s even the slightest chance that they might get back together, I need to step aside and let that happen. I can’t be a homewrecker. I won’t,’ I said, firmly.

There. I’d said it. I watched their faces fall as I spoke, but they nodded reluctantly.

‘Don’t worry, we’ll sort something else out,’ Ellie said, although her worried expression betrayed her true feelings on the matter.

‘I’m sorry,’ I said, again.

‘It’s fine, Becca,’ Bridget said. ‘But just so you know, you’ve put Ivy first more times than her own mum ever has.’

I felt my eyes fill unexpectedly with tears as Bridget leaned over and squeezed me into a tight cuddle. I buried myself into her cosy bright red cardigan and reminded myself to breathe. Everything was happening so quickly. I blinked back the tears and cleared my throat.

‘Do you know, you’re the only one that’s never asked us,’ Bridget said.

‘Asked what?’ I frowned.

‘Why we’re adopting. You know, instead of going down the sperm donor route,’ she said.

I blinked.

‘People actually ask you that?!’

‘All the time!’ Bridget replied, laughing, waving her hand as though shooing a fly away. ‘We’re used to it by now. The whole of book club has asked at one time or another. Discreetly, most of the time, at least. Pete from the walking group even offered to be a sperm donor for us, after a few too many whiskeys on our Christmas night out last year. Can you believe that?’

‘Noooo!’ I replied, holding my face behind my hand to stop myself from giggling. ‘But he’s about sixty.’

‘Sixty-four.’ Ellie nodded firmly.

‘I have to say, I’m not sure if I could have resisted that offer,’ I said. ‘He’s got a cracking set of thighs on him. They might even be hereditary.’

Ellie and Bridget laughed.

‘See, why are more people not like you?’ Bridget said. ‘They’re all usually asking six million questions. Do we not want to carry our own child? Is there a problem with one of us? Both of us? Who would carry the baby, if we decided to go down that route? One person even asked me if we were thinking of adopting to make everything feel more even, because the one that carried the baby might feel like more of the mum than the other!’

My hand flew to my mouth. ‘Nooo!’

‘Yup.’ Ellie nodded. ‘As if, you know, a dad feels like less of a parent than a mum or something. Most people are understanding and supportive of us as a couple but it doesn’t stop all the questions. But you’ve never asked us why. You just accepted it.’

‘Of course,’ I replied. ‘But if you’d told me Pete from walking club with his super sperm was willing to get involved, I might have tried to get in on the action myself.’

‘I think the reason you haven’t asked is because you’re a bit like us,’ Ellie said. ‘You want to help kids, too, right? You love working with the children in your class, don’t you? We want to see if we can help a child that’s already here and welcome them into our home. If we can’t, then we’ll look into having our own.’

I gave a tight smile. I did love the children in my class. It was my horrible boss spoiling it all that was the problem.

‘Who could ever argue with that?’ I said. ‘And by the way, I think you’re both going to be the most amazing mums in the world.’

‘You too, Becca. One day. Maybe with our Riley.’ Bridget winked.

I rolled my eyes but inside, my heart felt heavy. That ship looked to have well and truly sailed.

33

Ivy woke at the crack of dawn the next morning, asking if we could have pancakes for breakfast. We crept into Bridget and Ellie’s kitchen and set to work, gathering all the ingredients from various cupboards. We managed to find everything we needed, despite the messy drawers, and having no idea where anything was in the first place.

Ivy giggled with excitement as I urged her to keep her voice down. We set about flipping the pancakes and laid out fruit, chocolate spread (of course) and maple syrup. I cooked bacon in the frying pan while Ivy sat at the table colouring in the card.

Just as she was putting the finishing touches to it, Bridget and Ellie came in, wearing matching dressing gowns.

‘Good morning!’ Ellie said.