After Nicholas' departure

I buried my face in my arms as Nick shuffled to and fro, packing the holdall of clothes that Malinche had brought for him. Neither of us spoke, even as he left. Not even a goodbye from him. For an instant I wildly hoped that this was all a bad dream; that I would wake up to find him asleep next to me. But I didn't wake up as I heard the outside door slam.

Nick's left me, he's going back to his wife, he's gone forever were all the words I could think of during the next hour. I was madly in love with him despite the trouble we'd caused, yet I hated him with a vengeance. Even though this was all my fault. I was the one who deliberately drove him wild with desire for me at work, I first stole him home to my flat, and I played those deceitful tricks just to keep him. And then I found out that he was still in love with his wife, and vice versa. So instead of me walking up the aisle to my adulterous lover, Nick and his wife would now be living happily ever after. At this thought I howled, just as Malinche did when I went to convince her to let me marry her husband.

Two hours later the buzzer sounded. It's Nick I thought excitedly, he's come back to beg for forgiveness, he's changed his mind!

'Sara it's me. Can I come up for a bit? I've...I've got some bad news,' I pressed the door button and within seconds Amy had appeared at my doorstep. Her face was tear-stained too.

'Where's Nick?' she asked tentatively.

'G-gone,' I spluttered, and burst into tears again. Amy moaned 'Oh my God' and put her arms around me. Then we both went inside. Amy opened an M & S bag and pulled out a huge bag of Doritos and some Haagen Daaz.

'T'was good that I brought a little sustenance,' said Amy. 'So when did it happen?' I stopped crying.

'Couple of hours ago,' I whispered. 'I saw his wife this morning. She obviously wanted him back, and gave me this huge talking-to. About how I'd smashed her daughters' childhoods and taken away the happy home she'd wanted for her children. And she wasn't going to stay with that man Trace after all,' I fumbled around for a tissue.

'Oh no,' moaned Amy. 'Well, at least she didn't attack you physically.' That wasn't much consolation to me. 'So, what about the baby?' The baby. The non-existent baby whom I'd stressed over so much.

'There isn't a baby. Turned out that my period is three and a half weeks late,' I mumbled. Amy looked shocked.

'Does Nick know?' she asked. I nodded. We were very silent for a couple of minutes.

'So what about you?' I asked. It was Amy's turn to look pale now.

'It's Terry,' she murmured. 'He came over last night and told me it was over. He and his wife are moving to Ireland.' I gave Amy a hug, though I always knew that some day her relationship with Terry Greenslade would end.

'So,' I sniffed. 'We're a right pair. Both being ditched by other women's husbands and left with nothing but regret. Well, maybe not a lot of regret.' There was more silence, and then I picked up the remote control. 'Shall we see what's on telly?' Amy nodded.