“Hello, is this where Alex lives?”
“Yes… And whos asking?”
“Are you his mum?”
“Me?! His wife! What do you want, love?”
“Hes in hospital, and I dont know how hes doingthey wont tell me. Only family gets updates.” The strangers lip trembled. “Can I come in?”
“Fine, come in. I dont get itwhyre you so bothered about my husbands health? Who even are you?” Lucy gestured to the kitchen. “Go on, through there.”
The girl perched on the edge of the kitchen stool, fished a tissue from her pocket, and dabbed her forehead.
Lucy busied herself at the stove, waiting for the guest to spit it out.
“Fancy some water?”
“No… Just a bit, ta.”
“Gonna keep quiet, then? Or did you just pop round for a cuppa?”
“Alex promised to marry me,” she blurted, then added after a pause, “this autumn!”
“Oh, did he now?” Lucy scrubbed a saucepan. “That changes thingsexcept bigamys still illegal, last I checked.”
“Im not here for jokes.”
“Neither am I. Sense of humours in short supply these days.”
“You dont understandhes marrying me in autumn. Once he divorces you, then”
“Right. So why turn up now? Swing by in autumn. Whats your name?”
“Annie… Anna.”
“Im Lucy. Annie-Anna, why not summer? Cant see your feet past that bump. His doing?”
“Yes, as you can see, Alex and I are expecting. He said hed propose divorce after your birthday.”
“Ah, now it makes sense. Bloody typical. Leopard doesnt change its spots, does it?”
“What? I dont follow.”
“Course you dont. Wherere you from?”
“A village. Worked at the factory.”
“Ah, big city dreams. And my Alex cant stand a babys cry. Due soon?”
“Two months.”
“Ugh, no wonder hes dragging his feetwants to keep his nerves intact. When our first was born, he moved in with his parents. Work stress, he saidthough his jobs easier than a Sunday lie-in.”
“Can you just tell me how he is?”
“Why not? Stable, but poorly. Dont look so scaredhell live.”
“What should I do?”
“How should I know? Didnt ask my advice before hopping into bed with him, did you?”
“Im in my third year at uni, studying remotely. Mums got my little brothers at home. Nowhere to go. Alex said you two were strangersonly staying for the kids.”
“Did he now?” Lucys patience was hanging by a thread. “Leave your number and address. Ill be in touch.”
“What?”
“Once hes discharged, Ill call you to collect him.”
“Collect him where?”
“Your mums. Brothersll love a new playmate.”
“Shes got no space!”
“Well, wherere you living now?”
“Student halls.”
“Perfect. Dont eyeball my flatits from my nan, so divorce wont touch it. Why the blinking? Hes got no claim here.”
“Youre being cruel. We love each other.”
“Then a park benchll do. Time to go, while Im still civil. Remember the door? Good.” Lucy tossed the nearly scrubbed-through pan into the sink.
Three sleepless nights since her beloveds crash. Prognosis grim at first, but Alex pulled through. Exhausted, Lucy barely ate. Now theyd moved him to a wardtime for wifely nursing.
And then this pregnant scavenger shows up, flat-hunting. Oh, shed have loved to drag Annies thin hair down five flightsbut she was too knackered, body and soul.
Head down, Lucy trudged, mind racing. Like it or not, she had to gonurse him or give him hell. Oh, shed fix him right upjust wait. Birthday spoiler, this one.
Annie sat on the bench outside.
“Auntie Lucy! Auntie Lucy!”
“Persistent, arent you? What now?”
“You going to see Alex?”
“So?”
“Take me with you.”
Lucy said nothing. They walked in silence. On the bus, Annie sat beside her. Lucy stared out the window, pretending theyd never met.
At the hospital, Lucy passed Annie off as a niece.
“Wait here. Ill go first.” She marched in.
Alex was alone, leg in traction.
Lucy entered. He woke under her glare, grinningbut her face was stormy.
Puppy eyes. Pathetic. Bruised, scraped, plastered.
“Hello, Alex.”
“Lucy! You came! I missed you.”
“Missed me, did you? Pull the other one.”
She unpacked homemade food onto the bedside table. Cheeks burning, sweating.
“Spuds and gravy, just how you like. Eat up.” Her voice shook.
“Lucy, why so red? Coming down with something?”
“Worse. Waited for you through army postings, Alex. Defied my parents for you. Remember living on pasta? The boys, the sleepless nights… How could you forget?”
“Course I remember! Why bring this up now?”
“Not all of it, Alex.” A lump rose in her throat.
“Lucy, whats wrong?”
“This.” She flung oranges onto the table. “You stabbed me in the back.”
“Lucy, Im an idiot. Sorrywasnt my fault. Drove slow, like you always sayswear!”
“How could you, Alex?” She shook her head.
“Lucy, well get another carjust let me heal.”
“Ugh, you think its about the car?”
“Then what? That I nearly croaked? I look that bad?”
“Dont fretyoull heal by autumn. Wedding-ready.”
“Lucy, whatre you on about?”
“Annie. Didnt catch her surname.”
“Who?”
“Annie. The one carrying your kid.”
“What kid? Lucy, you hit your head?”
“Me? You found some teen to knock up, and Im the mad one?” She finally cracked, sobbing.
“Lucy, should I call a doctor? Its the stress” He struggled up.
“Stress? I brought her. Meet your shameless Annie. Shes moving into my flat after you divorce me post-birthday.”
Alexs hair stood on end. Gobsmacked.
“Cat got your tongue?” She yanked the door open. “Annieget in here!”
Annie waddled in, hand on her back. She scanned the roomthen froze at the sight of Alex.
“Wheres my Alex?”
“Whos this then?”
“Auntie Lucy, is this a joke? This bald bloke isnt my Alex.”
“Come again?”
“Mines young and fit. Lookphoto.” She fumbled with her phone.
“So… wrong Alex?” Lucy grinned.
Taking in Alexs near-heart attack and Annies horror, Lucy collapsed onto a spare bed, howling with laughter, tears streaming.
“Wait” She caught Annie fleeing. “Start from the top.”
Turned out, Annie had the wrong addressher Alex had faked a car crash to dodge her. No divorce plans.
Fates a funny thing. Soft-hearted Lucy helped Anniefound her a flat, collected her from the hospital, even sicced child support on the real Alex.
Deadbeat dad pays uphe knows Lucys got his number. She hasnt forgotten who gave out her address.
Annie calls her “Mum Lucy, my guardian angel.”
When Annies boy grew, Lucy set her up with a decent blokeeven danced at their wedding.
And so Mum Lucy kept her joyand gave some away, too.
