Page 72 of Bluebird

“I’ll just have to convince Luke to get rid of some of his old junk. I mean, that piano takes up an entire room and he doesn’t even play it.”

“I can’t believe how quickly this is happening.”

“It’s not that quick,” Marni defended. “We’ve been hooking up casually for years. But after Mum died, he saw me differently. I guess he wasn’t ready to settle down before.”

I let go of my shoulder and grasped my chest, for it ached so much more. I clenched my jaw and squeezed my eyes shut, but it was no use. The pain endured and tears spilled down my face.

“Well, it’s all happening now. It won’t be long before he pops the big question.”

I abruptly spun around and vomited into the toilet.

The girls went quiet and started giggling.

“Someone peaked early,” Marni said, with a snigger, as the restroom door opened and their laughter faded away.

I spent the next fifteen minutes heaving my guts up, until there was nothing left.

* * *

“Natalie?” Amanda whispered, tapping lightly on the door. “Are you in there?”

I reluctantly leant forward and flicked open the lock, before wiping the tears from my blotchy face.

Amanda slid in and locked the door behind her. She crouched in front of me and ran her hand over my back. “Nat, what’s wrong? Luke asked me to check on you.”

“She’s moving in with him,” I stated, numbly.

“Oh…you mean Marni and Luke? Yeah, we just found out too.” She scrunched up her nose. “Bit premature if you ask me.”

I nodded slowly, and lowered my gaze. “Do you think he loves her?”

“I don’t know. I guess so…why do you ask?”

I peered up at her through my grief-stricken eyes.

Amanda blinked several times, before her eyes grew wide. “Oh.”

Overwhelmed with heartache, I dropped my head into my hands and burst into tears.

“I’m sorry, Nat, I…I didn’t know,” she winced. “Nate never—”

“Nate doesn’t know,” I said, shaking my head. “Nobody does.”

Amanda sighed, and remained quiet for a moment. “That actually explains a lot.”

“I thought we could work it out…but he hates me,” I sobbed.

Amanda’s shoulders dropped. “He doesn’t hate you,” she said. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you, and that is definitely not hate.”

“But he will,” I whimpered between sniffles.

Her forehead furrowed. “Why would you think that? Luke doesn’t hate any—”

“Because I’m having his baby.”

Amanda sucked in her breath. “Oh…”

I pressed my lips together, trying to hold back my endless tears, but another surge of pain hit and I cried out.