Thanks for all the views/reviews, I really appreciate it! Sorry this is short - I have my finals coming up on Monday so am drowning in revision, but I wanted to get the second part up before tonight's episode. Again, I hope you enjoy and please R&R if you do! (Also, sorry for the shitty ending but I couldn't figure out where else to leave this chapter)
Her head was spinning, she could barely make out Maria's voice floating somewhere nearby as the blood rushed to her head. How had she not realised earlier? Although seconds ago it hadn't even registered in her mind, already she was convinced it was happening; it'd definitely explain a lot. The jumble of thoughts was making it hard for her to focus on anything at all.
"Not since what, Carla? Are you okay?" The concern was evident in Maria's face as she attempted to get an answer from her friend, but to no avail. Carla was near catatonic – Maria was sure she hadn't moved a fraction in the past minute or so, and it alarmed her as to what realisation could cause such an extreme reaction.
The only thing Carla could think was that she had to leave, now. She stood abruptly, almost pushing Maria over in her hurry to get away. "I'm sorry, I have to go, I have to leave now," the words tumbled from her mouth unconsciously as she flung her bag across the shoulder and fled, not even giving the other woman chance to take in what she'd just heard.
Maria sat, shell-shocked, for a couple of seconds until she realised what had just happened. "Shit," she thought to herself, "I can't leave her alone in this state!" Clumsily tossing a fiver at Anna and murmuring an apology, she hurried out of the café in the direction of her friend. Carla hadn't managed to get far - she could see the brunette approaching the entrance of Victoria Court, and quickened her pace. "Carla, wait!" she shouted, but Carla made no indication of even hearing her. Instead she was too busy fumbling frantically in her bag for what Maria could only presume were her keys.
"Carla, you can't just run out on me like that without an explanation! What on earth is going on?" Maria reached out and touched Carla's arm, and it was this action that finally brought Carla out of her frenzy. As she turned around, she furiously tried to swipe away the tears sliding down her cheeks, but it was too late.
"Oh Carla, come here," the younger woman sighed, pulling her friend into a hug. She was surprised at how willingly Carla broke down in her arms – she wasn't usually one to show emotion in public if she could help it, so whatever this was, it must have knocked her for six. Once she'd calmed down a little, Carla pulled away and cast her eyes down.
"Are you going to tell me what that was all about, then?" Maria asked. She knew Carla hated people knowing her business, but she also knew that right now the stubborn woman needed somebody to be there for her, and she was willing to take the fall. A beat of silence passed, and then Carla spoke in a hoarse whisper.
"I think I'm pregnant."
Whatever Maria had been expecting, it certainly wasn't this. From Carla's kneejerk reaction she'd assumed something terrible had happened; but then, she reasoned, for Carla, pregnancy was a delicate subject. Yet another tragedy the two of them had shared. She took a deep breath and gathered herself – Carla needed support right now, that's what she had to focus on.
"Okay… I'm guessing you only just figured it out then, so you're not completely sure?" Carla shook her head fractionally, still looking anywhere but at her friend. "Right, I think you should come back to mine for a little while and we can figure out what to do next, okay? I'll make us a cuppa and we can talk, you shouldn't be on your own right now." Carla grasped Maria's hand and nodded, and the two began to make their way across the street.
