I'm on a bit of a roll at the moment and thought I would keep the momentum going with the next chapter as I suddenly have lots of ideas as to where I am going with it so it may end up being slightly longer than I said. Hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for all your reviews.
Hidden From View
Chapter 8
Harry decided she would get a pregnancy test on the way home and if it was positive make an appointment with her doctor. She stopped in a chemist where no one was likely to see her. The last thing she needed was to bump into someone she knew. She got home and read the instructions and waited for the time to elapse. It had to have a blue line across the window. As she had thought it would be, it was positive. She sat on the edge of the bath and cried. Part of her was happy, the other part was terrified. She loved her baby's father but she wasn't officially with him and wouldn't be yet. What a mess, she thought. What would Dempsey do when she told him? Would he freak out at the thought of becoming a father this early into their relationship? Relationship! What relationship! They didn't have one. She didn't want him to tell Georgia yet, he had to wait until she was better. But she couldn't keep it from him as it wouldn't be long before he would see the signs and Spikings would have be told soon too. No, now wasn't the time, she would wait until the time was right. She would need to sleep on it.
Georgia was making steady progress and was enjoying Dempsey's attention. Well the attention that he gave her which wasn't a lot but if that was how it had to be then she would live with it. He would come home and make her a meal and they would eat together and she wondered whether they could make a go of it. Thoughts of Harry had entered her head but she soon dismissed them. While he didn't mention her then she didn't exist. It was just the two of them she thought. No one else. He was hers and that's how it would be. Forever.
Harry made an appointment with her doctor after work that evening. Dempsey was being particularly grumpy today. It had been almost five weeks now and and he was finding it unbearable. She thought about telling him about the baby but realised it may make it worse. "What's the matter with you today" asked Harry, though she knew the answer. "Are you being funny?" he returned a gaze that made his green eyes turn black "Just thought I would make polite conversation. You've been moody all day. Infact you've been moody all week" He leant across Harry's desk and whispered "I can't kiss you, touch you or do anything, It's getting frustrating y'know Harry". This was the last place he should be saying this sort of thing "And don't you think I feel the same" she whispered back. It was killing both of them and neither could stand it. "I need to talk to you, but I can't come to you cos Georgia would be suspicious, you can't come to me and we can't talk here". Everyone started to look and them leaning across and whispering. "What are you two whispering about" laughed Chas. "It's none of your business Chas" snapped Dempsey and he got up and walked out. Harry went after him and found him down the other end of the corridor. "There was no need to take it out on Chas, it's not his fault" Harry said. " I know, I'm sorry. I'll apologise to him later but we don't seem to be able to talk". Harry looked up and down the corridor " Well there's no one here at the moment. You can talk now" she suggested. "I think Georgia believes we have a future together" Dempsey came straight out with it as he wasn't sure that this was the right place to be having this conversation. "What makes you think that" Harry was feeling uneasy "Even though I haven't really been paying her anymore attention than normal she's been on about going away when she gets better and maybe" he paused "starting a family". Harry's heart jumped. Should she tell him that he was already going down that road. No she would wait until she saw her doctor first, he was having to deal with enough as it was. "She's either forgotten what happened or is pretending to forget. I really think I need to tell her before she gets the wrong idea. I don't know where I am with her". Harry had never seen him like this and knew he had to do something. "Ok" she said. "Ok?" he replied "To what". "Telling her" Harry answered. "Maybe it's gone on too long. We wanted to wait but if this is what she's thinking maybe you should do the decent thing". Dempsey held her shoulders and smiled "I want you to be there when I tell her" he said. Harry was taken aback. "Do you think that's a good idea. She might think it's a conspiracy Dempsey. I'm not sure I want her having a go at me". Especially in my condition, she thought. "If she wants to speak to me afterwards then maybe" she suggested. "Well I could come round to yours afterwards as I might need somewhere to go!" he gave a nervous laugh. That was it. He would tell her tonight. Just then Spikings poked his head out of the door and suggested they come back in and do some work!
Harry went to her doctor and he told her she was six and a half weeks pregnant, just as she had thought. He was taken aback at the news, knowing Harry was not married and her background "Does the father know?" he had known Harry for years and was her fathers doctor when he was in town. "No not yet". Harry didn't really want to answer his questions as she knew what he was thinking. "Well I wouldn't leave it too long as you will start to show and with your line of work Harry your employer will need to know". He knew she was a police officer but that was all. "I know" was all she said. "You will be seeing the midwife on a regular basis and will need time off to do this. You will have to explain your absence". Harry hadn't thought about that. She made arrangements for her next appointment and said to herself that she would tell Dempsey as soon as possible.
Dempsey got home that evening to find Georgia in the kitchen. "Hello James, I thought I would try and rustle something up". She shouted out to him "Should you really be doing that" he questioned. "I'll be alright" she answered. "Can you come in here Georgia, I need to speak to you" his heart was hammering so hard he thought it would jump out of his chest. "I'm just finishing this" she said. "Oh will you forget that" he was getting annoyed now. She came into the front room and noticed his face. Georgia knew what was coming. "I'm not really sure how to say this" for once Dempsey was lost for words. "But I think we should go our seperate ways". God that sounded harsh, he thought. "Why?" she cried. "I don't love you the way I should and I think you deserve more" he replied. He wasn't just going to throw it at her, she needed to be told gently. "Do you mean you never loved me?" she asked, knowing what the answer was. "No" he replied. "Why did you marry me then, you must have had feelings for me. You knew how much I loved you, I still do and I always will". This was going to be the difficult part. " I loved someone who I didn't think felt anything for me and I thought you would get them out of my mind" he said. Georgia looked straight at him "Harry" she said. "Yes it is Harry and it always will be". Georgia was looking puzzled now "How can you love Harry if she doesn't love you". Dempsey looked at her and the penny dropped. "I have found out that she feels the same and I can't live without her Georgia. I didn't want to do this to you, I really didn't believe me". Georgia felt like a knife had gone through her heart and someone was twisting it and that her life was not worth living anymore. "Do you know what you've done to me" she was crying now and Dempsey felt ashamed. He had married the girl and now he was dumping her like an old rag and that's how it made him feel. He knew that marriage didn't necessarily mend anything or mean you would stay with someone but it was taken seriously and he hadn't done that. "You just want me to accept it and let you and Harry live happily ever after don't you". Dempsey thought she might have taken it better than she had "You must have sensed something was wrong" he said, he hadn't acted like the model husband. "I did wonder at our reception if something was between you and Harry but you gave me your word that there wasn't and I believed you! You got drunk and flirted with her and I was angry but I was prepared to talk about it when I returned the day I had my accident. I didn't realise you were trying to tell me something!" Dempsey hadn't thought of that, maybe subconsciously he was. "I knew the marriage was a mistake almost immediately" he confessed "but I wanted to make it work. I knew I had been stupid and I take all the blame for it. It was a crazy idea and I am sorry". It was barely eight weeks since they had made their vows and now it was all over. He sat next to her "You wanted me to be honest and I'm being honest. I don't want to hurt you anymore than I have. I can't be with someone who I know I can never love. It's not fair on anyone" he was trying to be as diplomatic as he could be but was finding it difficult "You mean you and Harry" Georgia was feeling bitter now. "No I don't" he was on the defensive now. "Do you want me to stay with you knowing how I feel. We would end up hating each other and I don't want that. I want us to part on good terms". Georgia was incensed by now. "Good terms, you are joking. You really don't understand my feelings at all. I can't just switch them off".They seemed to be going nowhere and Dempsey really didn't know what else to say. Georgia suddenly asked "Has anything happened between you and Harry". Dempsey was stunned by the question and didn't know what to say but his face told her all she needed to know. "It has hasn't it" she said and he nodded. "It's not what you think" he began to say but Georgia wasn't having any of it "I'll bet it wasn't". She didn't know what to think "Well if she was that good maybe you should go to your precious Harry. Maybe she won't want you now, now that your not married anymore" and she took off her wedding ring and threw it at him. "Maybe I should". He knew it was his place but he wasn't arguing anymore. He would make any necessary arrangements to find somewhere for Georgia to go tomorrow. He took his jacket and keys and went leaving Georgia in tears.
Dempsey got to Harry's in ten minutes. He just needed to see her and tell her what had happened. It hadn't gone well, he knew it wouldn't be easy but he sensed something was wrong with Georgia, almost like she was deluded. He couldn't stay with her and she couldn't see it. She was making it harder for herself as he saw it. He had told her the truth now and he could not change it. When Harry answered the door he was understandably upset . "Dempsey are you alright" she had a look of concern on her face. " I told her Harry, I told her the truth. About how I felt about her and you" the words just tumbled out of his mouth. "How did she take it" Harry wasn't sure if it had gone as well as he'd hoped. "Badly, but I'm not sure why". By this time he was sat on Harry's sofa with a cup of coffee. "I don't understand" she asked "You didn't really think she would take it well did you!". "No I suppose not, but it was her reaction" he continued to talk "she knew that I had feelings for you at our reception and was expecting me to tell her just that but she doesn't accept that we cannot be together. She believes we can stay together even though I don't love her. I really believe she's deluded Harry. I can't stay with her and I'm worried". Dempsey was visibly shaking and Harry sat by him and hugged him. "If I asked for a divorce I don't think she'd ever give me one and" his voice trailed off "And?" Harry asked "She knows that we slept together" he continued. Harry looked horrified. "How does she know". Georgia knowing this would make things more difficult for them. "I hope you didn't just come out with it, I know what your like". Dempsey couldn't believe that Harry thought he would "C'mon Harry as if I would, she asked me and my face said it all, believe me it was the last thing I wanted her to know. She knows I'm here too". Harry started to feel very uneasy. "Told me I should go to you, I didn't want to go under those circumstances as I had a strange feeling. What if I can't get her to leave. It's my flat, but she is my wife. This is a mess. Telling her was going to make our lives easier Harry, but it's made it worse". Harry kissed his forehead and knew that they were in this together. "What would you say if I told you I was pregnant". Dempsey suddenly sat up and looked straight at Harry. "What!". She smiled at him and said "Dempsey I'm pregnant". He was stunned. "Really?" he asked "Yes, our night of passion has resulted in a new life, OUR baby" she was beaming at him now and he was beaming back at her. "Your pleased?" she queried, it had come as a shock to herself so she knew it would to Dempsey too. "It's quick" he admitted "but wonderful news Harry. It might have happened when we weren't really together, but maybe it was meant to be". He was crying and laughing at the same time and was hugging Harry tight. "I wasn't going to tell you until I had been to the doctors. I went on the way home". Dempsey looked disappointed "What's the matter" she looked at his face "Would've like to have come with you that's all. We are in this together you know" he said. "You'll have plenty of times to come to appointments, it's the first of many. I am six and a half weeks" she replied. "Why have you told me now if you were going to wait" he questioned. "Need to tell Spikings don't I. He would be suspicious if I suddenly had to go off on lots of apppointments silly". Dempsey hadn't even got his head around the pregnancy let alone the practical side of things. "Oh yeah that's true. Well I want to be there when you do as we will have to explain things too". Harry realised it would be awkward telling their boss that they were having a baby together! Mmm, thought Harry, that was going to take one helluva explanation! Dempsey was relaxed now and hadn't given Georgia anymore thought. He encouraged Harry to cuddle into him as a big grin surrounded his face. Harry saw this. "What's with the face" she laughed. "Oh I've had it for years" he joked. She dug him in the ribs "No the big grin" she said. "Can't believe I'm going to be a dad that's all". Harry smiled. Dempsey spent the rest of the evening making sure that Harry was comfortable and had plenty to eat and drink. He decided he would sleep on the sofa that night thinking Harry needed all the rest she could get. He slept soundly himself letting himself believe that life was finally going to be good.
Georgia meanwhile had hobbled into the kitchen and grabbed a glass and Dempsey's whisky. She knew she shouldn't really drink but she didn't care. Her life was in tatters. She was married to someone who didn't love her and despite knowing this and accepting it that didn't mean that she was going to let him go that easily either. In fact she was going to make Dempsey and Harry's lives much harder than they could ever imagine.
