Three weeks later
Kate was sat on the sofa in her flat, dimly aware of Jayne and Rich and the trouble they were having in deciding what take away to get that night. Their troubles seemed very insignificant to her potential problem.
"Actually," said Rich, "what about Chinese. I really fancy some crispy duck," he suggested, adding another type of cuisine for their deliberation.
"Ooooh, that sounds good," agreed Jayne. "What about Chinese, Kate?".
"For fuck's sake," retorted Kate, finally letting her frustration at how long this decision was taking being known, "just choose something and I will have whatever you are having!" she snapped as she got up and exited the room leaving Jayne and Rich a little surprised at her outburst. She wasn't really very hungry at present either. A constant feeling of nausea was stopping her eating much.
"What's wrong with her?" Rich asked his fiancée as they heard Kate's bedroom door slam behind her. It was quite unusual for Kate to be so moody.
"I don't know," Jayne replied, "but she's been like it for a few days now. Maybe I better go and see what the problem is," she decided as she got up and headed to Kate's room. "Are you ok, Kate?" She asked as she tapped on Kate's door.
"Yeah," can Kate's unconvincing reply.
"Can I come in?" Jayne asked.
"Yeah," Kate replied and Jayne slowly opened the door and peeked inside. She saw Kate curled up on her bed. "What's wrong?" She asked. "You haven't been your usual self for a few days Kate. Have me or Rich done something?".
"No," replied Kate.
"Then what is it?" Jayne asked as she sat down on Kate's bed beside her.
"I'm late," Kate said, finally unburdening herself of her secret.
Jayne didn't have to ask what Kate was late for. There was only one thing it could be, and it was pretty life changing.
"Back in a minute," Jayne said before leaving Kate alone. Soon after, Kate heard Rich being shown out of the flat. "I'll give you a call tomorrow babe," Jayne said before the front door was shut and Jayne reappeared in Kate's room.
"I didn't mean to spoil your evening with Rich," Kate said.
"Nonsense," Jayne said as she waved Kate's apology away. "He can spend the evening with his mates. We're not joined at the hip, besides I think you need me more than him right now," she said as she sat down beside Kate again. "How late are you?".
"A week," Kate replied.
"Is that usual?" Jayne asked.
"No," replied Kate. "I'm usually like clockwork. Every twenty eight days,".
"Have you taken a test?" Jayne asked.
"No," admitted Kate. "Too scared to,".
"You need to know, Kate," Jayne pointed out. "One way or the other. You might be worrying about nothing,".
"Will you come with me?" Kate asked.
"Of course I will," Jayne replied as she squeezed Kate's hand.
"Bloody hell!" Exclaimed Kate the next day as she stood in front of the vast array of pregnancy tests on sale in the local supermarket with Jayne. "How much?!" she scoffed. She hadn't realised they would be so expensive.
Jayne picked up a box and studied the information on the back.
"Do I need to take three tests?" Kate asked seeing the box Jayne had chosen contained three tests.
"Don't know," replied Jayne as she replaced the box. "Never had to take one,".
"I thought these things were pretty accurate nowadays," Kate said.
"That one just contains one," Jayne said pointing to another box. It was a lot cheaper than the others.
Kate picked it up and studied it. "I don't know," she said. "Maybe three is better," she decided as she put the box back and picked up the box Jayne had just been looking at. "Take the average in case one gives the wrong reading," she explained.
"Sure?" asked Jayne.
"Yep," Kate said before heading to the tills and paying for it.
The two flatmates quickly headed home where Jayne took charge. She opened the box and began reading. "Looks like you just pee on the stick," she told Kate.
"On all three or just one?" Kate asked.
"Up to you," Jayne said as she looked at her friend.
"I'll do all three," Kate decided. "Just to be sure," she said as she picked up the box and headed to the bathroom. She was back a couple of minutes later.
"Done?" Asked Jayne.
"Couldn't pee," Kate said.
"Bloody hell, Kate!" Jayne said as she got to her feet. Rummaging in a cupboard she found a pint glass and filled it with tap water. "I'm on tenterhooks here!" she informed her friend.
"How do you think I feel?" Kate retorted. "I'm too nervous to pee!" she continued.
"Get this down you," Jayne instructed, handing the full glass to Kate who chugged it down in one go.
They sat down to wait for the urge to hit Kate.
"You said you were safe so this is probably going to be negative," Jayne concluded.
"I really hope so," Kate agreed. "But condoms aren't 100% guaranteed are they?".
"Did you see if it had split?".
Kate looked annoyed at her friend. "No!" She snapped. "I was pissed and it was in the dark!".
"Sorry," retorted Jayne before she turned to a topic that had been on her mind. "If you are pregnant, you'll still be my bridesmaid won't you?" she asked.
"Yes," replied Kate. It wasn't something she'd really thought about.
"We can alter your dress easily," Jayne added.
"If I keep it, I'll be a couple of weeks! I won't be showing," Kate replied incredulously.
"I know but just in case," Jayne replied.
Thankfully the need for pee registered with Kate so she didn't have to reply to her friends comment.
"Success?" Jayne asked when Kate reappeared holding the three tests on a bit of paper.
"Yes," she replied. "How long do we have to wait for a result?".
"Two minutes," Jayne said as Kate put the tests on the side and sat down.
It was the longest two minutes of Kate's life, but finally they were up.
"Can you look?" Kate pleaded. "I'm not sure that I can,".
"Of course," said Jayne. She reached over and grabbed Kate's hand. "Whatever the result you know I'm here for you, don't you?".
"Yeah," replied Kate as she squeezed her friends hand in gratitude.
Jayne got to her feet and went over to the tests on the side. She didn't say anything and Kate couldn't guess from her features what the result was. "Well?" She eventually asked.
"Positive," Jayne said.
"All three?" Kate checked in the vain hope that one might say negative.
"All three," Jayne acknowledged before bringing the tests over for Kate to check.
"Fuck!" she said annoyed as she saw the word 'positive' on each stick. This just reinforced that nothing good ever came from a one night stand. She was so annoyed at herself for succumbing under the influence of alcohol.
"What are you gonna do?" Jayne asked.
"I honestly don't know," Kate answered.
"Is it Steve From the Met's?" Jayne asked.
"Of course it is!" snapped Kate. "I haven't exactly been with anyone else, have I?".
"You need to try and speak to him," Jayne pointed out.
"I know I do," Kate said, "but how do I do that?" she challenged her friend. "We already know I don't know his full name. I can't exactly go around all the police stations in the South London area asking if a Steve works there, can I?" she continued, getting angry. "It'd be so humiliating," she finished before getting up and storming off.
Jayne let Kate go, knowing she needed time by herself to get used to the idea that she was pregnant. She winced as the front door slammed shut behind her friend.
There was perhaps a way of contacting Steve from the Met, Jayne realised. She was thinking clearly whilst Kate was understandably not. Grabbing her bag, phone and keys, Jayne headed out the flat. She would do everything she could to help her friend.
"Hi Babe," Rich greeted as he opened his door to his fiancée and gave her a peck on the lips. "You didn't mention you were coming over, did you, only I'm watching the match,".
"It's fine," Jayne said as she entered Rich's flat. It would soon be her place as well. "Have you still got all the admin stuff from the charity day?" She asked. Rich's friend had been the main co-ordinator but Rich had helped.
"Sure," Rich said as he pointed to a whole heap of paper lying in a corner of the living room. "Knock yourself out," he said as he retook his seat, reclining on the sofa to watch his team.
Jayne picked up the papers and made herself comfortable in one of the armchairs. She perused the names of the players from all the different teams that took part in the charity day in silence whilst the TV commentators and Rich cheering or swearing at ref decisions were the background noise.
"Is Croydon considered South London or is it just Croydon?" Jayne asked, out of the blue.
"Dunno," replied Rich. "Why do you ask that?" He enquired, suddenly interested in what Jayne was doing.
"Doesn't matter," Jayne replied. Croydon didn't have anyone called Steve playing in their team anyway.
The team from Greenwich did though and using Google, Jayne confirmed it was in South London. She was fairly sure she had found who she was searching for and congratulated herself. Jayne was interested in a career in witness protection and would make sure her clients wouldn't be as easily traceable as Steve from the Met appeared to be.
"I'm just gonna make a call," Jayne informed Rich as she took the paper with Steve's phone number on it and headed outside.
"Sure," replied Rich, his attention firmly back on the TV.
Dialling the number Jayne didn't have long to wait before someone answered.
"Hello?" said a male voice. He sounded a little wary as he probably hadn't recognised the number calling him.
"Hi," replied Jayne. "Is this Steve?".
"Yes," was her reply. "Who are you?".
"You don't know me," Jayne said. "I'm Jayne, but I think you know my flatmate, Kate,".
