Sorry about the delay! Here's Chapter 4, hope it's still ok!

Chapter 4

The next morning, Karen awoke to find an empty bed. Stan had left early then, she thought. As the sun flooded into the room through a gap in the curtains, Karen lay back into her pillow, marvelling in the serenity she had at that moment. If only she could stay like that all day. But Karen knew she couldn't, she knew what she had to do today. Her eyes darted over to her drinks cabinet. That had to go for a start! How was she supposed to give up drink with all these temptations around her? After a few moments of quiet contemplation, Karen threw back the bedspread and reached for her robe from the edge of the bed. The white, silky material gave her silent comfort and let her mind drift from the thoughts she had concerning the day ahead. To ease her mind, Karen drifted over to the nearby stereo and picked up the first CD she found. As the CD loaded, Karen lay back on her bed, waiting for something to help her.

Now, you work all week just to make that money, yeah
A-waitin' for the weekend to finally come, yeah, heah
So, now that the weekend is finally here
There's nothing but music in the atmosphere
So, come on everybody, let's live it up, yeah

The music sounds good and the beat is so groovy, yeah
It really sounds good 'cause it…

She pressed the forward button for the next track. Somehow, today she didn't feel like dancing and 'living it up'.

I don't mind spending everyday
Out on your corner in the pouring rain
Look for the girl with the broken smile
Ask her if she wants to stay awhile
And she will be loved
She will be loved

Tap on my window knock on my door
I want to make you feel beautiful
I know I tend to get so insecure
It doesn't matter anymore

What was this CD? She couldn't think of a compilation around that offered Dusty Springfield and Maroon 5! But then it hit her and she smiled as she remembered. It was the CD Grace had made her one day, telling her to listen to it. Intrigued more than anything, Karen listened on skipping to the next track.

I'm every woman, it's all in me
Anything you want done, baby
I'll do it naturally
I'm every woman, it's all in me
I can read your thoughts right now
Every one from A to Z

This choice of Grace's made her laugh out loud. She could just imagine her dancing to this in her apartment, using a hairbrush as a microphone and having the player on full volume. This mental image cheered Karen up considerably and left the song on as she dressed and prepared herself for the long day ahead.

When she finally made it into work at 10.00, Karen sat down at her desk expecting the usual comment from Grace about her punctuality. However, today, when she sat down, she heard nothing. Instead, she could feel Grace's eyes watching her every move.

"What?"

"Erm…nothing." Grace looked back down at her work and pretended to be busy with something.

Karen went back to looking through her bag but stopped and looked up when she felt Grace's eyes on her again.

"Grace?"

"Yeah?" she muttered as innocently as she could, acting as if she wasn't doing anything unusual.

Karen looked at her a second but then shook her head, not daring to press Grace andy further. She could see the concern in her friend's eyes and it pained her that she knew Grace was too afraid to talk to her. This ice queen façade she spent so long building up was now frozen solid. Grace was too afraid to even ask if she was ok. Maybe she though that everything had to return back to normal, the moments they shared on the stairs of the clinic was in the past and had to be forgotten. Little did Grace know, Karen needed more moments like that. She was aching for the moments that showed her that she was loved. Sure Jack was her 'poodle', but she knew the basis for that relationship was Karen's ever-flowing back account. Just once she wanted a real friend, someone who didn't want her for her money, body or both. Yesterday she thought she had found it in Grace, now she thought…she didn't know what she thought. Maybe she got it wrong, maybe Grace didn't want to be her friend, maybe she just felt obliged to help her employee. Yes, that must be it.

Karen went back to doing her nails, adjusting her hair, doing the things she usually did whilst at work, while Grace silently wept for her at the other side of the room. Not openly of course, but inside. Grace knew, or thought she knew, that Karen didn't want a friend. Yesterday was just a one off; she would surely want to forget the whole thing. Perhaps, when her due date grew nearer, she would ask Grace for help now and again, but never friendship. Karen just wasn't like that. Was she?