Loving Lizzie March by Susannah Hardy

Author:Susannah Hardy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Published: 2021-05-12T00:09:43+00:00

Chapter 16

‘Lizzie, you haven’t even logged on.’

I look around from the lifeless screen of my computer to see Nathan, sitting behind me.

‘Yeah, right, better get started,’ I say, suddenly flustered. I just can’t stop thinking about how this week has unfolded, with Jake jumping so eagerly aboard my baby train. It almost seems too good to be true. And it’s certainly playing havoc with my wine sales.

Finally ready to start, I flick my eyes towards the supervisors’ podium where Jake is taking command, firing out instructions left, right and centre, looking like a superhero. He glances over and gives me a sneaky grin. Completely gorgeous. The combination of him and me will result in one pretty cute baby. Not that I’m quite as good-looking as Jake, but he will more than make up for any shortfall.

‘I bumped into Clem the other day.’

I swivel back to Nathan, my heart catapulting into my throat.

‘Really? Where did you see her? What did she say? Did she ask after me?’

‘Not really.’

‘Oh.’ Fair enough, I think to myself sadly. Why would she ask about me? I haven’t tried to contact her again since my email. She never responded, but I wonder now if I should have kept trying.

‘Did she remember you?’ I ask.

‘Yeah, we chatted.’

‘Is she okay?’

‘Yeah, pretty good. Busy.’

‘Oh.’ I feel so ashamed of my behaviour, I don’t know what else to say. Luckily the calls start dropping in so our conversation ends there. But I can’t get Clem off my mind.

Normally, I would have rung her immediately, to tell her that Jake finally knows about the baby and is into the idea. But I can’t. No doubt she wouldn’t even speak to me. Zoe is probably on high alert to block my calls no matter what. And anyway, I’m pretty sure I know what Clem would think about it all.

But I feel like I must talk to her and tell her how much she means to me. I’ve been a shocking friend and it’s time to try again. Now the Jake situation has been sorted and I’ve cleared the cobwebs from one corridor of my confusing life, it’s time to spring-clean another. Knowing there’ll be no way around Zoe, I ring Clem’s home number, which goes through to voicemail.

I listen to her happy recorded voice, which asks me to leave a message as though she really wants to hear from me. What will I say? Suddenly there’s a beep and a silence to fill.

‘Clem. Hi, it’s me . . . Lizzie, that is . . . Sorry I haven’t been in touch. Can we meet up for a coffee sometime? I really need to speak to you . . . I’m so sorry for everything. I would rather be telling you all this in person but you know how scared I am of Zoe . . . I guess I’ll just say it now – you really are my best friend, I love you and miss you so much and I couldn’t bear to lose you.

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