Page 13 of Tears of Glass

Tabitha looks around the living room. It’s nothing compared to Bowsley Hall where she grew up, but then this house was a lot happier. Nuts, but happier. At the end of the day I know which one I’d prefer.

“Who is Dan?” Lewis asks. I don’t have to explain because the front door bangs out in the hallway. I spring up to try to block Dan off before he comes into the lounge, all big and tattooed and scares the shit out of Tabitha, but I’m too slow.

“Hey.” I smile at him. Why does it feel so forced? “We’ve got visitors. I hope you don’t mind?”

Lewis has his gaze traced on Dan’s giant stature. Tabitha is close to snivelling again, her eyes swimming with another round of tears.

Dan rolls his neck, releasing a loud crack which makes him wince. “Shit that hurts.”

“What’s up? Why are you so tense?” I frown his way. “How was JoAnne?” I don’t know why I say her name like that, I just do. JoAnne.

Dan shakes his head and silently tells me to cut my shit. “What’s going on here? Have I opened a halfway house?”

“Uh, this is Tabitha Fairclough.” I wave my hands between them. “And Lewis who...” I trail off. I nearly said his name. “It’s just Lewis.” I shrug. “And this is Dan. He’s an old friend. We grew up together.” Lewis raises his eyebrows but stays silent. I want to poke my tongue out at him but then remember I’m supposed to be the adult here.

“So your brother is the arsehole who broke her heart?” Dan stares directly at Tabitha who shrinks and tries to make herself as small as possible.

“Hey, that’s not called for. Don’t bring your mood in here.” I push him with my hand but don’t manage to move him at all and he grins.

“I’m just stating the facts, Faith.”

“Well you can fact off. These guys need help.”

Dan walks in, his issue with Tabitha forgotten for the minute. “What’s wrong with them? Did they lose a credit card? Did Harrods stop them from shopping there?”

I scowl at Dan. Why’s he being like this? “Dan, cut it out.”

Tabitha gets up. “Sorry, Faith. I didn’t mean to make things awkward.”

I grab her arm and stop her from trying to walk to the door. “No, stay. Dan here is being a bitch because he’s had a row with his girlfriend, that’s all.” I glare at him, but his eyes when they land on me are full of a depth I can’t understand. “He’s as hormonal as a woman, ignore him.”

Lewis chuckles but quickly shuts up under Dan’s glare.

I turn to them all spreading my hands wide. “Guys, come on. I know it’s odd; everyone is from different places, but we all need to get on.” Can I get the likes of the Faircloughs and Dan to play nicely together? Can I play nice? “We need to work out what’s happening with this baby and then we need to make a plan.”

Dan turns to me, his eyes open wide, his gaze falling to my own flat stomach. “Who’s having a baby?” I watch as he tries to school his shock and snaps shut his open mouth.

“Not me, you bloody idiot.”

His face clears with understanding and then he inspects our two visitors. “Oh, right.” He palms a hand through his hair. “Shit.”

Lewis, for the first time, begins to crack under the strain. “Yeah, shit.”

And then Tabitha starts to cry all over again. I watch with a smile as Dan walks across to her and puts his hand on her arm. “Don’t worry. We will help, won’t we, Faith?”

I shrug. “Yeah.” Because really what else can I do? As much as I hate Elijah, I know he sent Tabitha here for a reason. He trusts me.

I leave them all and walk into the kitchen. Leaning my arms on the countertop, I breathe in a deep lungful of air and try to keep it together. What if it had been Elijah and I who got pregnant? Where would that have left us now with him engaged to someone else? How would I feel right now with his baby in my stomach? Is that how Tabitha feels?

A steady ache pulls from my tummy.

It’s ironic. He broke my heart to save Tabitha. To stay with her and not get cut off from his family. I know this was his reason; he always told me he’d choose her first. Admittedly, I didn’t realise he’d marry someone else as part of the deal.

But I knew. So it’s fucking ironic that she’s now sat in my lounge pregnant after running away from home.

It was all for nothing.

Him. Me. The hurt.