Chapter 10

After Liz and Patsy had had their chat, Liz and Marty had thought that the mood at the Spoon was going to lift and for a while, it did. But then, the time that the boys had been gone went on for a while and a cloud begun to descend again - and it did so around Patsy.

It was enough to make Marty begin to wish the boys hadn't come and started all this trouble in the first place.

Still, Liz seem to be coping with it all a bit better… yet Marty was aware that Jim had so far had been very good about keeping in touch with Liz. He was not sure if Dan had been doing the same with Patsy. Marty did not think the value of that contact could be underestimated. So, as far as Marty could see Jim was the sort of man he could get behind. Dan he would wait and see about.

However, as the days went by, Patsy seemed to get more and more fractious. It came to ahead on the day they had a head the day a customer was rude to Patsy. It was not as if they got that type of customer every day that, but both of the girls had been there long enough to know how to someone who was a bit mouthy. And if it was so bad that they felt they could not cope; they knew all they had to do was call Marty. Therefore, there was not too many scenes in the cafe. Which was the way Marty liked it.

But that day, there was one.

"Well, if you do not think that your bread is toasted enough then you can bloody well do one!"

That was the first Liz know of something going on. Her eyes met Marty's and without the two of them so much as exchanging a word, she knew what to do.

Marty was to look after the customer and if he was being a rude dick then he was going to be out before his feet could touch. But if this was a misunderstanding, he would give them a free breakfast and have a would have a word with Patsy. It was entirely possible this was down to her the way she had been of late.

Liz meanwhile was charged to deal with her best friend right away.

"I think it is time for us to go into the kitchen," Liz said and Patsy could see Marty give a nod of approval.

"I was only -"

"Now."

Patsy stopped her protest. The truth was she did not have a leg to stand on.

"Ok lady, now I know there is something wrong with you and I do not think for a moment it is just Dan being away. So now you have to options. Either you tell me what is the matter or I can drag it out of you."

Patsy grimaced. It had been a while since she had felt as if someone had tried to take her to task. She would tell most people to go and get knotted but there was a lot in Liz's eyes which said she was not to be missed with right then. Patsy could tell her what was going on or they were not leaving the kitchen. The redhead growled in frustration. But anger was not the overriding emotion for her right then.

"Oh Lizzie," she said at last as she ran her hands through her hair.

Tears came into her eyes.

Liz knew she was going to have to go a bit more softly. At least she was no longer denying that there was something wrong with her. That was progress.

It was clearly time for her to take a gentler approach.

"What it is, Pats?"

There was a pause and Liz could tell her friend was trying to gather herself and she did not think she could see that as a good sign.

It was clear she needed a bit of courage to say what she would next.

"I told you that Dan and I had spent time together – we had a bit of time on our own before he left."

Liz gave a nod, though she had to admit she was not sure where this was going.

"Well - well and this is the first time I have said this out loud - and please be on my side because you are my best friend and I need you on my side."

Liz sighed as her heart went out to her. "Of course, I am going to be on your side." Where else would she be - that was the whole point of them being best friend. And if Patsy did not know that then Liz thought her friend was a right plonker.

But then it was easy to be a plonker when you were upset.

It was clear Patsy needed Liz right then, so she took her hand.

"I am late Liz - really getting on for very late..."

"Late for what?" Asked Liz, dreading the answer. She did not understand for a minute. The two of them were both more than on time for work that day.

And then she did understand, and she could not say how sad she was for her friend. A million things went through her mind, not least what her parents were going to say. She did not know how they were going to take it, but she was not going to ask what her friend was late for again for she knew. That had been a silly question.

She pulled her in to her arms. That was what Patsy needed right then – a hug, more than anything.

"Liz, what is it I am going to do? I can't have this baby."

Liz shook her head. "We are getting way ahead of ourselves here."

She did not know the right thing to say but she knew they had to base all of this on fact a bit more than her friend being late.

"Are you normally late?" she asked. As for herself she was as regular as clockwork, but she knew that was not the case for all the girls. It was a subject which they had explored more than once when they had been in the school common room and as her friend had been there at the time then she did not know how she had forgotten that but once more it was easy to do so when you were panicking.

Patsy sighed, "Well I have been in the past…" – but in the past there had been no chance she was anything but late. Knowing she was late when the two of them could be – something else – was different.

"And were the two of you careful?"

Liz had to say for a woman who had not had all the experiences which her friend had, she felt as if she was rather grown up right then.

Patsy nodded her head. It was for that reason she was so afraid.

"Dan said he did not want to have children – if at all – until he was back on civvy street, so I do not know how he is going to react if he finds out…"

Liz swallowed. She did not know Dan well enough either to know that she thought to herself, though she prayed he was going to do the right thing and stand by Patsy. And until they knew what her parents were going to say – if she was going to have a baby – they could not discount Dan being her main support.

"I am sure he would support you." She lied, a comforting lie such as it was.

"And what if he didn't?"

"Well, let's just see if he needs to first. But if he does not then I am your best friend and I am going to make sure we kick his arse. But let's do a test first, hey? You haven't done one yet have you?" Patsy shook her head. She wanted to know if they had anything to worry about too much before they began worrying.

"No, and I was going to but then I thought – what if I was seen and it got back to my folks?" she did not want the two of them to feel as if they had any justification in the way they had been treating her of late – that would almost be worst for her than all the rest of it, she thought to herself though she knew If she were to say it out loud then Liz was going to think 'yes – this is the time that Patsy has really gone mad,' she thought as she looked at her friend.

"Right, then I am going to have to go and get it for you," Liz said to her in all seriousness.

For her sins she did not think she wanted to be caught buying that sort of thing either but she knew even if she was, then her and her parents were going to be able to have a sensible conversation about it all and she was going to be able to explain. She was not sur if that was the case for Pats.

In fact, she knew it wasn't.

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