A TRIAL SEPARATION
Becca clicked the play button, waited for the music to start and leaned back in the bath, closing her eyes. She let out a sigh and drifted away, the two weeks at Mum's had been bliss but this morning's phone call from the solicitor had undone all her mother's good work. It had been easy to pretend that none of this was happening, Justin was just a distant memory and all she had to do was look forward to the birth of this baby. Now she was back, due in court in the morning and desperately hoping a hot bath would restore some of the balm being away had given her. She'd arrived back to an empty flat, Nancy obviously absent for days as the milk souring in the fridge could attest to. She let her mind wander over the last couple of weeks trying to rebuild the peace she'd felt there but she couldn't help feeling this was the calm before the storm. She felt a shadow and sat up suddenly, pulling the earphones out in a panic. The bathroom door was open, had she left that way? She couldn't remember but suddenly felt vulnerable and shivered. She climbed out of the bath ponderously and wrapped herself in the thick white bathrobe, a parting gift from her mother. She walked out into the kitchen, dimly lit and glanced around. Everything appeared to be as she'd left it a half an hour earlier; she walked through to the bedroom, flicked on the light and looked around, her case still sat by the bed unpacked. Satisfied she was alone, she switched off the light and walked back to the kitchen. She filled the kettle and switched it on and turning to retrieve the milk she had bought earlier from the fridge, she stopped in disbelief. Sitting on the counter top in plain sight lay a single red rose. That, most definitely hadn't been there when she returned, hadn't been there when she went into the bathroom. "Nancy? Foz?" she called, the flat was silent. She rushed to the door and checked it, it was still locked. She sat down heavily on the sofa her heart racing, she reached for her handbag and rummaged till she found her phone. Her finger hovered over the speed dial, he was playing with her, toying with her head like a cat with a mouse. Suddenly decisive she pressed the button and waited for it to connect, she jumped as it went to voice mail and the familiar voice asked her to leave a message. Angry, she spat with venom into the phone. "Enough!! Meet me in the morning, be here by seven or else!" She snapped the phone shut and flung it down next to her; this was war and she had nothing to lose by playing dirty.