Karaoke Kids Part Sixteen `I've been working hard. But I feel dreadful. And the club's really busy. Poor Mickey's been…' Susanna's doctor interrupted. `Mickey is?' `My right hand. He runs the bar, takes care of any trouble…' `Any other symptoms?' `I feel worse in the mornings. Sick.' The doctor smiled, turning from the test she had been doing. `You know, we have a name for women who feel sick in the mornings. They're called `pregnant.' Susanna said quickly: `I can't be pregnant. I'm forty. And I haven't… Oh, no.' The doctor came and sat back behind her desk. `I take it this was not a planned event?' Susanna tried not to cry. `We only…once.' The doctor smiled. `Once is all it takes. Look, don't make any decisions right now. You have time. Think about what you want to do.' `What's to think about?' Susanna was panicking. `I'll have to take time off. Mickey will have to…' The doctor got up and walked round. She sat on the edge of her desk, taking Susanna's shaking hand. `Perhaps the baby's father might…' `I can't tell him.' The doctor said gently: `You should. How do you know how he'll feel about this?' `I don't. But I know how his wife will feel.' `He's married?' `Well, his ex-wife.' Susanna looked at the doctor. `And it was my idea that they get back together.' The doctor reached Susanna's coat off the rack for her. `Come and see me in a week. That will give you time to sort things out.' ********************* Leo hadn't been near the club since he and Jen had started seeing each other again. But he wanted Jen to meet Susanna, and he decided to book dinner at a restaurant just around the corner from the club. That way, if he managed to convince Jen that it was a good idea to go to the club, they were near enough to walk. And if she didn't want to go, they could just go home. He remembered the conversation he had had with Jen earlier in the week. `Shall I pick you up?' Jen said quickly: `No, I'll meet you there.' And he knew why she had refused his offer. There's no excuse for me to come in when I drop you home. Hiding his disappointment, Leo said: `Okay. Nine o'clock?' `See you then.' ******************* I had arrived early, and spent ten minutes sipping at my over- priced drink while waiting. Then I heard her voice in the doorway. I got up, leaned across and kissed her gently. `Hi.' `Leo.' All through the meal, it was obvious that we both wanted to say something, but neither of us apparently wanted to go first. Eventually, Jen said: `Leo, I'm sorry, I don't think we should see each other again.' I'm just staring at her. She looks away. `I'm not happy, and neither are you. We're doing this for the wrong reasons. And we can't. It's not fair on either of us. Thank you for trying.' She got up, and I watch her walk to the door, find her coat and leave. I don't try to stop her. I don't go after her. I just let her leave. The waiter hurried over and I ask for the bill. I don't even look at it, just hand over my credit card. I have to get out of here. And I know where I'm going. If she'll let me in. ******************* Josh is happiest. I'm not sure why. `We should celebrate. With Margaritas.' I had a feeling that was coming. It's a variation on Josh's `Drink to avoid War' idea. He believes, really believes, that if the warring nations of the world were to sit around a table and get drunk together, there would be no more global conflict. Of course, he only believes it when he's on his second drink. As he is now. Hence his `cocktails all round' suggestion. As if that will make things right. `We're having a baby, love.' His voice is slightly slurred, and I don't bother correcting him. I just take the drink Mickey is handing him and move it out of his reach. But there's more. `We're gonna be great parents. You can be the strict one, and I'll let the baby sleep in the bed. We'll decorate the spare room. Yellow. In case Catherine's a boy.' Susanna and I look at each other. Only I know that the imaginary baby Josh sometimes talks about in his dreams is a girl called Catherine. `Don't ask.' She smiles. `He would be a great Dad.' I know. But I also know that, barring a medical miracle, Catherine will remain forever in Josh's dreams. Then I hear her say: `So would you.' Just then, Susanna sees Leo walking across the floor towards us. And, before I can reply to her comment, I saw him too. I looked up as soon as I felt the tension in her arm. She hadn't said, but we both guessed it was Leo's baby. And her reaction to his sudden appearance after all these weeks confirmed it. Josh had somehow managed to reach over and drink some of the cocktail before I took it off him. That would be why his first thought on seeing Leo coming towards him was to say, rather too loudly: `Susanna's pregnant.' I couldn't see Susanna's face, but I could see Leo's. I dragged Josh from his seat. `What?' `Shut up J!' `But Catherine…' `Shut up!' **************** `Congratulations.' Leo is standing a few feet away, his face wary. And he looks tired. `I was beginning to think you'd forgotten me.' `Jen and I…' `I know. The kids told me.' `How do they know? I only just left…' From the look on his face, we were obviously having two different conversations. `They told me you were back together.' `We were. Now we're not.' I'm not sure why, but I'm pleased. I don't want Leo to feel obligated or anything, but it's good to know I'm not going to be the source of any problem for his relationship. `I'm sorry.' Leo drops onto the bar stool next to me. `I really tried…I guess it just wasn't meant to be.' I try to find something suitable to say. `Some things aren't.' As he brings Leo's drink round the bar, Mickey, as always, is a thought ahead of me. `I'll close up, Susanna. You go on up.' `Leo, we need to talk.' Leo sighs. `Yeah, we do.' He takes my outstretched hand and follows me across the room. Continued and concluded in Part Seventeen Home