LITMIR.BIZ

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a heart, Dolly. When I woke up this morning I was in a terrible state, so wet with sweat that I had to have a bath. I may be a bit late, but I still turned up for work.’

      ‘All right, don’t go on about it, and get on with your work.’ Dolly’s eyes flicked to Pearl, ‘and that goes for you too.’

      As they scuttled back into the dining room, Madge threw Pearl a wink. ‘Dolly missed her vocation. She should have been a bleeding sergeant major.’

      Pearl managed a small smile but her heart wasn’t in it. In truth, tears were just below the surface but she fought them as she tackled the breakfast rush. How had it happened? She’d only slept with Kevin once, yet she was pregnant. Please let him want me. Please let him want our baby.

      Derek came in at eight thirty but she could hardly look at him, just murmuring that she needed to talk to him later. He looked puzzled, but seeing how pushed she was he didn’t ask questions.

      At last the café emptied, and at ten thirty Bernie called out, ‘Pearl, you still look awful. Madge can manage now so why don’t you have a break?’

      Pearl picked up a stack of crockery and went to the kitchen. ‘Dolly, I’m just about to take a break. Is it all right if I pop out for a while?’

      ‘What for?’

      ‘There … there’s something important I have to do.’

      Dolly heaved a sigh. ‘All right, but don’t be long. Madge has to be at the doctor’s for half-past eleven.’

      ‘Good luck,’ Mo called.

      ‘Why does she need luck?’ Dolly asked.

      Mo and Pearl looked at each other, both stuck for words, Pearl’s face now livid with colour. It was Mo who managed to stutter an answer, ‘Er … she’s going to sort out the wedding date with Derek.’

      Without giving Dolly a chance to speak again, Pearl swiftly left the kitchen, still wearing her apron as she made for Derek’s stall.

      He saw her coming and grinned. ‘Watcha, love.’

      ‘I … I need to talk to you,’ she stammered.

      Frank’s voice rose raucously from the next stall, ‘Apples – Bramley apples. Come on, ladies, only sixpence a pound.’

      Derek glanced at Frank and said sadly, ‘I still can’t believe that Frank’s leaving the market. He’s been pitched next to me for donkey’s years. Anyway, love, what do you want to talk to me about?’

      ‘Alone … we need to be alone.’

      ‘There ain’t much chance of that. Can’t it wait until tonight?’

      ‘No … it must be now.’

      ‘Frank,’ Derek called, ‘can you watch me stall for a while?’

      ‘Yeah, all right.’

      ‘We’ll go for a walk, will that do?’ Derek asked as he took Pearl’s arm.

      She nodded, feeling sick inside. She may not be in love with Derek, but was very fond of him and if this hadn’t happened she’d have married him. Unbidden, a thought popped into Pearl’s mind. Yes, but would you really have gone through with it? Pearl shook her head against the question. She’d been enjoying life, loved living with Emma and Mo, and had been relieved when Derek offered a long engagement. A year was a long way off, and she had avoided thinking about marriage. Now everything was going to change and stark reality was staring her in the face. She was going to lose Derek, lose his friendship, his protection. Tears gathered, but she managed to hold them back. She had betrayed this lovely man, she was going to hurt him badly, and however bad his reaction, it would be no more than she deserved.

      They walked to the end of the market, and along Shuttleworth Road, Pearl’s head low. There was a pub ahead and as they drew alongside it, Derek stuck his head inside.

      ‘The snug’s empty. Come on, we can talk in there.’

      With her head still low, Pearl sat at a table, and when Derek asked her what she wanted to drink her throat felt as if it was closing. She managed to speak, a croak, ‘Nothing, thanks.’

      He walked to the bar, soon returning with half a pint of beer to take the seat beside her. ‘Now then, what’s this all about?’

      She couldn’t look at him, she just couldn’t, her voice still a strangled whisper when she finally was able to spit out the words. ‘I … I’m having a baby.’

      There was a moment of silence, but then Derek’s voice was loud in protest. ‘Don’t be daft. Talk sense, Pearl. You can’t be having a baby. We ain’t … well, done it, if you know what I mean.’

      ‘Yes, I know, but I … I’m definitely pregnant.’

      There was another moment of silence and finally Pearl was able to glance at Derek, a swift look that showed his face white with shock.

      ‘Who was it, Pearl? I’ll bloody kill him.’

      ‘I can’t tell you. He … he doesn’t know yet.’

      Derek seemed to slump in his seat, his head shaking in denial. ‘I can’t believe this. Here, wait a minute, did he force you?’

      With all her heart, Pearl wished she could say yes. At least that might ease this lovely man’s pain, but with a sigh she said, ‘No, he didn’t force me.’

      ‘I’ll still kill him.’

      ‘No, Derek, please don’t say that. I’m so sorry, I really am. It only happened once, that was all.’

      ‘Huh, it only takes once. Bloody hell, Pearl, we’re engaged. I was gonna marry you.’

      Pearl looked at him at last and, unable to bear the hurt she could see in his eyes, tugged the ring from her finger. She then laid it on the table and rose to her feet, choking back tears as she ran out of the pub, leaving Derek slumped in his seat, looking like a whipped dog.

      ‘Here, Pearl, where’s Derek?’ Frank called as she hurried through the market.

      She couldn’t answer him, couldn’t speak. It had been awful, dreadful, Derek’s pain terrible to see. He would never forgive her and she didn’t blame him.

      The café was almost empty when Pearl stumbled through the door and sank down at the nearest table. Head buried in her arms, a huge sob rose, a dam of tears bursting as she finally broke.

      ‘Pearl, what’s wrong?’ Madge asked, hurrying to her side.

      Unable to answer, she was aware only of Madge tugging her arm, urging her to the kitchen. ‘Come on, girl, let’s get you out of here.’

      Somehow Pearl managed to drag herself up and as they entered the kitchen Madge said, ‘Dolly, I’ve got to go now, but Pearl’s in a right old state.’

      ‘All right, get yourself off.’

      Madge patted Pearl’s back before hurrying out, Dolly then saying, ‘Now then, what’s all this? Mo’s told us that you’re pregnant and I must say I’m shocked. Still, it ain’t the end of the world and I can’t see why you’re so upset. Surely Derek has said he’ll marry you as soon as possible.’

      Pearl knew there was no way out. She took a deep shuddering breath, struggling to bring herself under control. ‘The … the baby isn’t his.’

      They were all gawking, faces stretched with shock, but it was Dolly who voiced their thoughts. ‘My God, you look such a little innocent, but now you’re telling us that you’re pregnant by another man. Who’s the father then?’

      ‘I … I can’t tell you.’

      ‘Why not? Is he married?’

      ‘No, he isn’t, but he doesn’t know yet.’

      ‘Well,

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