Page 31 of One Day at a Time

‘I’ll walk you out. I think I’ll go and sit outside and wait for mum. I don’t want to miss a single second of seeing her face.’

Yvie pushed herself up from the couch, then put her hand out to Orla to give her a pull up too.

The thing she was looking forward to most in life right now was meeting her child, but her mum arriving today was a close second. She had never needed her more.

At the front door, she hugged Yvie and said goodbye, then sat down on the bench in front of the house.

She’d been there about ten minutes before history repeated itself, with the opening of her neighbour’s door. Thankfully, it was Aidan this time and not the woman who had delivered the news that had imploded her life. Not that she was shooting the messenger.

He’d taken a few steps down his path when he saw her and stopped. ‘Oh. Hey. Sorry, I didn’t realise you were there.’

She’d had absolutely zero contact with him since one of his many girlfriends had blown up her marriage, nor had she wanted any. In fact, she’d appreciated that he hadn’t tried to insert himself into her complete crapstorm of a life.

‘That’s okay. I’m just waiting for my mum to arrive, so I thought I’d get some vitamin D at the same time.’

She wondered if he was feeling as awkward as she was. Aquick glance at the serious, apprehensive expression on his face told her that he was. The uncomfortable demeanour was such a contrast to his put-together vibe in his brown jeans, expensive-looking cream shirt, and dark loafers. No wonder he was the most popular guy on the street. It was no coincidence that when he was out cutting his grass with his top off, half the female population of the neighbourhood seemed to have an urgent requirement to walk their dogs. He was like that Diet Coke advert from about 2013.

He took a step forward, as if to carry on down the path.Yep, please keep walking. Let’s just act like there is nothing going on. Head in sand. Just like we’ve been doing for the last month.She’d seen him a couple of times over the back garden fence and there had just been awkward, brief waves and nods. That was fine with her. No need to discuss the humiliation of finding out your husband is having an affair when you’re three months pregnant. No sir. Keep walking. See ya later.

He stopped.Bugger.

‘Listen, I just wanted to say I’m so sorry about what happened. Kimi didn’t realise he was your husband, I hope you know that. She told me how shocked you were, and she’s devastated that she caused that. She had no idea.’

Orla’s face began to burn, and not from the midday sun. ‘That’s okay. It wasn’t her fault. I’m sorry to drag you both into our mess.’ Another pause, before she filled it with a random, ‘She seems really nice.’

‘Yeah, she is.’

Another awkward silence, and then she was on a roll with the desperate attempts at deflection. ‘How long have you been together?’ Shit. She shouldn’t have said that, and his confused face confirmed it. Of course they weren’t together. Kimi was justone of a few that were in and out of the revolving door of that house.

‘Together?’ For some reason, that made him laugh, and while she was sticking to her firm position of non-judgement of other people’s affairs, it irked her that he was acting like a committed relationship was some kind of situation to be mocked. Although, given the state of her own, maybe he had a point. ‘We’re not together.’

Yep, she already got that. Loud and clear. Just one of many casual flings.

‘Kimi is my sister.’

Still loud, but suddenly not clear.

‘Your sister? Oh. I thought?—’

‘That I was picking up women ten years younger than me and being some kind of player?’

Face burning even hotter now. ‘Well…’

‘Don’t say it,’ he said, clearly enjoying her embarrassment. ‘Much as the concept icks me out slightly, I’m flattered that you thought I had either the game or the energy for that.’

He could protest all he liked, and okay, so that one was his sister, but she’d seen the others, so he wasn’t off the hook.

‘Kimi is my sister. And so is Leanne. And Carrie and Rina too. I’m the oldest of five, and they’re all either working or studying near here, and apparently think my house is some kind of crash pad with free food. Not that I mind. Except when they roll in from the bar at 2a.m. and wake up the street.’

If Orla could go back to the beginning of time and request any improvement to her mind, it would be for a better judgement of character because clearly hers was crap. She’d thought Kyle would be faithful until they were old and grey, and that this guy was a prime candidate for an STD or a lecture on avoiding commitment. Wrong on both counts.

Thankfully, at that moment they were both distracted by Kyle’s van turning into the street and for the first time in the last month, she was relieved to see him.

‘I’d better be going,’ Aidan said. ‘I need to go pick up a couple of the ladies from my harem.’

‘You’re hilarious,’ she told him, chuckling, because it was the only way to go when she was feeling like a complete tit.

By the time Kyle pulled into the drive and got out of the van, Aidan was already in his car and reversing.