Heading across the Square, Katy spotted Tyler leaning against the wall of the Vic. He grinned as he spotted her and the girl changed direction slightly to go and talk to him.
"Where did you get too yesterday?" She asked raising an eyebrow. "I thought you wanted to meet up?"
He looked a little guilty. "Sorry… things got a little busy."
"Oh… with the junk shop and everything?" She asked, assuming that that was what he'd meant. "That's cool."
Before Tyler could answer, a female voice called over to him. "Hey, Tyler… Poppy had a great time last night. Maybe you should give her a call?"
Katy turned to fix Jodie with a ferocious glare. The beautician looked totally confused and a little bit scared by the expression on the pregnant girl's face. As she turned back to face Tyler, he took a step backwards.
"What does she mean?" Katy demanded.
"It was nothing!" Tyler told her, holding his hands up as though trying to protest his innocence. "I just had a couple of drinks with them and Darren."
"Oh… like a double date?"
"No! Well, I suppose! But what else could I say?" He asked.
"Umm… you could have said you were busy?" She snapped, hitching her bag back onto her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, alright… You said you wouldn't get jealous."
Katy smacked him on the shoulder, hard. "I'm hormonal! I'm aloud to change my mind. Just stay away from me."
She turned and stormed away across the street. Slamming her bag into the table, she glared at him until he disappeared into the pub. Whitney stared at her, slightly nervously, at such an entrance.
"You alright, babe?" She asked, concerned.
"No! I'm bloody not." The pregnant girl snapped, before bursting into tears.
Whitney hugged her tightly, unsure what the cause of Katy's outburst was. "Are you worried about you appointment later?"
Abruptly, Katy stopped crying. She'd completely forgotten that she had a midwife appointment that afternoon. Rubbing underneath her eyes to try and prevent her makeup running, she took several deep breaths.
"No… I don't know what's wrong." She lied with a weak smile. "It's just one of those mornings, apparently."
x-x
"So? No one with you today?" Anna asked as Katy put her cardigan back on. The midwife labelled the tube of the teenager's blood that she'd just taken and put it carefully into a holder. Then she turned her chair around to face her.
"Nope." Katy said casually with a smile. Tyler had left six texts, four voicemails and thirteen missed calls on her mobile but she wasn't in any sort of mood to read or listen to them. "My sisters are both busy."
"What about your friend? The one who came with you last time?" Anna asked, raising an eyebrow meaningfully.
The teenager could help smirking slightly. "You're nosy, ain't ya?"
"Alright, it's none of my business." The midwife agreed, holding her hands up. "But I was just hoping that you had someone you could rely on to help you out."
"Yeah, well… you can't rely on anyone else, can you?" Katy asked. "So… what's next?"
Sensing that Katy didn't want to talk anymore, Anna held up the sphygmomanometer ready to take the teenager's blood pressure. She took off her cardigan again and held out her arm so that Anna could reach properly. When this was done Anna sat back and crossed her arms over her chest.
"So? Anything you want to ask me?" She asked.
"She doesn't move around as much anymore… is that normal?" Katy asked. "I mean… she doesn't kick as much."
"Perfectly normal." Anna assured her. "She's got so big now there isn't much room for her to move. As long as you feel her sometimes everything is fine."
"OK… and…" Katy trailed off.
Anna smiled. "How are the dizzy spells? Any better since you got the stronger iron tablets?" Katy nodded and shrugged. "Have you been to any classes?"
"Nope." Katy said, shaking her head. "My sisters have been giving me tips."
"You really should go to some, only if it's to get some ideas about the birth and how you'll cope afterwards…" She shuffled through some papers and handed a card to the teenager. "Here… this is the number of an antenatal class in your area. Go and check it out."
Taking the card, Katy put it into her pocket. Anna smiled encouragingly, knowing deep down that the teenager wouldn't go to the class. She stood up and Katy realised this was her cue to leave. Smiling she put her cardigan back on.
"Thank you." She said honestly. "See you soon?"
"Yep, your next appointment is in three weeks; Wednesday August 24th at three o'clock. Don't forget!"
"I won't." Katy promised, heading through the door and into the waiting room.
She stopped, her eyes settling on a man sitting on one of the hard, plastic chairs that lined the small, stark room. He stood quickly seeing her walking towards him and smiled broadly.
"Hi." He said, walking forwards and holding his hand out to the midwife. "Anna, isn't it?"
"Yes… sorry, I can't remember your name?" She said smiling and shaking his hand warmly.
"Tyler." He told her. "So? Is everything alright with Katy and the baby?" Katy was still glaring at him furiously as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Absolutely fine, nothing to worry about. The baby is a little big for its stage, but that's nothing to be worried about. I'd be far more concerned if she was small."
"That's great." Tyler said enthusiastically. He grinned as Anna smiled and returned into her room, leading Katy out of the hospital. Outside, he went to Eddie's car, opening the passenger door for her to get in.
"I'm getting the tube." Katy said stubbornly, starting to walk in the direction of the station.
"Don't be stupid, sweetheart!" He argued, grasping her by the shoulders and turning her to face the vehicle. "Look… you don't even have to talk to me. It just makes sense that I drive you home, right?"
Katy gritted her teeth. She would much prefer to be driven than to catch the tube, but she was still furious. After a couple of moment's silent deliberation, she nodded and allowed herself to be helped into the car. Then she sat with her arms crossed and stared straight ahead of her as Tyler drove them back to Albert Square.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" He asked after about ten minutes of silence.
"You said I didn't have to." Katy pointed out. Tyler sighed.
"Well I can talk then and you'll have to listen."
"No I won't." Katy argued childishly.
"Just shut up for a minute." He said in exasperation. "Sure, I went out for a drink with that Poppy girl, but that's all it was; a drink. I didn't even care when Anthony came and asked for help with the stock. I mean, she's hot and all, but she's so thick!" Katy snorted angrily. "What? She is!"
"You're so insensitive."
"Why?" Tyler asked indignantly.
"Saying she's hot when I look like this!" Katy snapped, rubbing her stomach.
He shook his head, reached out and took hold of her hand. "Listen… in a couple of months that'll be gone and you'll be even hotter than she is."
"Are you saying I'm not hot now?" Katy demanded. She'd calmed down significantly and was ready to forgive him. Her hormones had played a massive role in her annoyance at the boy, but she could still make him panic.
"What? No! I didn't mean…" He said quickly, glancing at her. She grinned and he relaxed. "Listen… there ain't gonna be anyone in at ours. D'you… d'you fancy coming round and letting me make it up to you?"
Katy looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, reading the look in his eyes and pursing her lips. She smiled and nodded. "Sounds like a very good idea."
