Page 27 of Only ever you-Ana & Byron (Blindsided #2)

T he notification lit up Ana's phone like a slap as she wearily unlocked the door to her apartment.

***

@RugbyInsiderUK

Byron Robertson spotted at the Crown & Barrow last night with mystery woman.

***

The photo wasn't grainy.

It wasn't ambiguous.

Byron's back was unmistakable, leaning against the bar, pint in hand, his face hidden. The woman beside him had a hand on his shoulder, her cropped dark hair catching the light. They looked comfortable, like they knew each other well.

Ana stared at the screen, her pulse pounding in her ears. A text popped up.

Byron: Where are you? Need 2 talk

She tossed the phone onto the bed and paced .

They'd just broken up hours ago. Was that all it had taken? Had he texted her before or after booking a pint and a warm body? Could she blame him? She was the big fat liar.

She wasn't sure which part cut deeper-the betrayal or the fact that she could still feel his hands on her hips. Still hear him in her ear. Her fingers were tingling and her neck ached.

You don't trust me yet... but you will.

She needed air.

Cadi looked like hell.

Pale and exhausted. Her hoodie was too big for her, sleeves over her hands. Cadi grinned as Ana pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, smelling faintly of hospital antiseptic, strong coffee, and trouble. She looked like she had gone a couple of rounds in a bear fight, and the bear had obviously won.

"You look alive," Cadi noted, cynically assessing her.

"Barely," Ana sniffed. "I spent almost two months in the fucking hospital, which was like getting trapped in an episode of Casualty written by sadists... They airlifted me to the nearest tertiary centre. A helicopter, Cadi. Like I'm some kind of VIP patient."

"You were a VIP patient."

"Damn right, I was. You should've seen me, strapped to a gurney, demanding someone let me tweet before I lost consciousness."

"And what exactly happened to you again?"

"Ah, just a tiny incident involving a rebel stronghold, a poorly placed landmine, and my general lack of self-preservation."

"Ana."

"Fine. I got caught in the crossfire during an op... Not even a cool bullet wound. Just a dumb, painful, can't-walk-for-six-weeks wound where the bullet grazed me."

"And you already know all about my unexciting marriage crisis. "

"Oh yeah. The fucking saga."

"Ana."

"Hear me out. First, we drop Callum into a shark-infested lagoon for being a useless twat. Then we pop by Gray's, give him a little friendly encouragement, you know, a gentle reminder that if he ever pulls this shit again, he'll end up in the same lagoon."

"Right. Because threats of murder always mend marriages."

"It's worked before."

Cadi was thoughtful before she looked down at her hands. She got up and reached for her coat.

"But the trust is hard to rebuild, Ana. I don't know how to fix that. And I love him. God, I love him so much."

Ana couldn't help but think of what had been happening between her and Byron.

She didn't say anything. She just couldn't.

Later, the apartment felt like a hollow shell-unlived and unloved. The silence rang.

She went into the bathroom, hands trembling slightly as she opened the cupboard behind the mirror. The box was there. She checked the expiry date... still good.

She took it out and ripped the foil. Then she put the top down on the toilet seat and downed another glass of water while staring at the hook on the back of the door.

She peed on the stick, missing it the first time and hitting her fingers before getting it right.

Her fingers shook as she sat on the closed toilet, holding her breath while time dragged its feet. 10 minutes felt like a century.

One line.

Then a second one... it wasn't light or inconclusive. It was solid pink .

She just stared for long minutes, taking it in. She could take another one... but she knew. SHE KNEW.

Disbelief could not will the result away.

Her hands began to shake again.

Then came the first breathless sob, tight and painful, like it was torn from her.

She crumpled forward, arms across her knees, forehead resting on her arm.

The tears came hard and fast. Guttural sobs wrenched from her throat.

Because this wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

How was she going to tell Byron?

Because she would have to tell him EVERYTHING!

Half an hour later, she sat alone on her bedroom floor, the pregnancy test clenched tight in her hand and her phone lighting up again beside her. The doorbell had rung again and again until it went silent. Byron was blowing her phone up.

Cadi: Please call Byron. He is losing his mind. He's not okay.

Gray: I don't know what happened between you two, but Byron's losing it. Where are you?

Another one, a few minutes later.

Gray: Seriously, Ana. Call Byron. He is tearing the place apart. He said he tried your apartment, but there was no one there.

Gray had never ever messaged her before. Byron was blowing up her phone. Ana powered off her phone and threw it onto the bed.

She couldn't deal with this. Not while her chest felt like she was on the verge of a panic attack and her brain felt like sludge.

Her colleagues didn't call her the queen of procrastination for no reason.

And she had dragged her feet on this conversation for five years. A few more hours won't matter .

So instead, her mind wandered.

***

They'd gone walking at the Dovestone Reservoir, all five of them-Byron, Gray, Cadi, Ana and the Tasmanian devil that was Tomos.

It had been chaos. Pure, joyful chaos.

"Unca' Bywon! Did you see my side-step?" Tomos barrelled up to them, face flushed, grinning widely with a cheeky grin. "That's a full pivot, that is! Coath says I am a pro at it!"

Byron cocked a thick eyebrow, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Is it now? Full pivot, eh? I bet your coach's dead impressed with your pro skills. Wanna show me again?"

"Yesssssssss!" Tomos bolted off, legs pumping like a wind-up toy, leaving Ana laughing.

"Kid's got lungs like a moose," she said, falling into step beside Byron.

"Kid's perfect, that one," he muttered, watching Tomos with soft eyes. "He's a right little big man."

Ana tilted her head. "You saying you're proud of your godson?"

Byron smirked.

"I'm sayin' I'm terrified of him. He's gonna outrun me by Year Two."

Tomos was back before either of them could breathe, tugging on Byron's hand.

"Chase me, Unco' Bywon! You gotta chase me!"

Byron let out a dramatic groan.

"Alright, alright. You asked for it."

He took off at half-speed, pretending to huff and stumble while Tomos screeched with glee. Then, in one smooth move, Byron caught him under the arms and swung him up onto his shoulders, high above the path.

"I AM THE WUGBY KIIING!" Tomos bellowed, his little fists raised to the sky.

Byron steadied him with one hand.

"You weigh a ton, lad. A safety hazard is what you are," he complained, shooting Ana a look.

Ana couldn't ignore the way he looked at her, Tomos still laughing on his shoulders. If things were different, they would be running after their firstborn right now.

She knew he was thinking about having a kid of their own.

Her stomach had twisted-half warmth, half terror. She'd bent to retie a perfectly fine shoelace just to avoid his eyes.

Now she sat alone on her bedroom floor, trying to decide what to do. She switched on her phone.

Cadi: Ana. Please. Byron has been calling every few minutes.

Gray: Byron's losing it.

She covered her face with both hands and finally whispered.

"I am as well" ,she whispered to the empty room.

***