Baby Be Mine

A cuppa!’
    I laugh. ‘Actually, that’d be great. Still no cook?’
    ‘No. In fact,’ she turns to Johnny, ‘I must talk to you about that.’
    ‘Later, Lennie,’ he replies.
    She crossly wags her finger in his face. ‘I mean it, Johnny, if you keep calling me that I’ll quit.’
    ‘You won’t quit,’ he replies with amusement.
    ‘Why are you so sure?’ she snaps.
    ‘You like me too much.’ He grins and leans against the back of the sofa.
    ‘Argh!’ she cries with frustration before storming off to the kitchen, which is behind a curved, frosted-glass wall.
    I give Johnny an inquisitive look. ‘I thought you told me you didn’t give her a nickname because her husband wouldn’t approve.’
    ‘I didn’t say husband,’ he replies with a smirk.
    ‘What do you mean by that?’
    ‘I’M GAY!’ Lena shouts from the kitchen.
    I look at Johnny with widened eyes. ‘Seriously?’ I mouth.
    ‘I CAN HEAR YOU!’ Lena shouts again.
    ‘She didn’t say anything!’ Johnny exclaims with mock outrage.
    Lena appears at the door of the kitchen with a mug in one hand and a carton of milk in the other.
    ‘I know what you’re saying,’ she says through narrowed eyes, brandishing the milk at us.
    ‘Did Johnny know you were gay when he hired you?’ I ask.
    Johnny gives me a wry look. Lena smirks. ‘No.’
    ‘No, I didn’t think so,’ I reply, giggling. Lena’s face breaks into a smile. ‘I like her,’ she says to Johnny.
    ‘Oi,’ he warns. ‘Don’t get any ideas.’
    I grin at Johnny. I thought she was nice before, but on this evidence, I think we could actually become friends.
    A few minutes later, Lena returns to the sofas with a tray laden with cups and snacks.
    ‘These are new.’ I reach back to stroke my hand across the dark-brown leather. Johnny had sofas before, but these are enormous and form a long V-shape facing the windows, so everywhere you sit you’re faced with a view of the city and pool.
    ‘Barney, come back here,’ I say as he starts to climb along one of them.
    ‘He’s fine, man, he’s fine,’ Johnny brushes me off.
    ‘Let me take off his shoes.’
    ‘He’s fine, Meg,’ Johnny reiterates, helping Barney climb over his lap.
    ‘Johnny thought this place could do with cosying up,’ Lena says with a knowing look at Barney.
    He got these in for our little boy’s benefit? That’s, well, kind of sweet. Didn’t think I’d ever use that word to describe the man.
    ‘Here, Barney,’ Lena says, getting up and going to a cream-coloured, oversized, golf-ball-type thing. She lifts off the lid and I see that it’s full to the brim of brand-new toys. My mouth drops open as Lena pulls out Buzz Lightyear.
    ‘To infinity and beyond!’ Buzz shouts. Barney climbs down from the sofa and makes his way towards her with as much enthusiasm as a five-year-old on Christmas morning.
    I turn to Johnny. ‘Been shopping?’
    He chuckles. ‘Lena.’
    She glances my way with a grin.
    ‘Thank you,’ I say sincerely.
    ‘It was fun!’ she replies, then her face falls. ‘Hey, I’m sorry we didn’t get the pool done in time.’
    ‘The pool?’ I look at her with confusion.
    ‘I mean, the pool gate.’
    ‘Oh!’
    ‘We’re getting the best guys in the business to do it, but they’re working on a Tom and Katie installation at the moment. They’ll start with us tomorrow, so we’ll just have to keep the doors locked until then.’
    ‘Of course! Don’t worry,’ I tell her, feeling bad that the beautiful infinity pool is going to be marred by a ghastly vision of iron bars.
    Johnny pulls his phone out of his pocket. It’s vibrating.
    ‘Hey,’ he says into the receiver, getting to his feet and going to the outside door. He slides it shut behind him. I see him reach back into his pocket for his fags. He lights up while talking to the person on the other end of the line. I have a feeling it’s Dana.
    ‘Well,’ Lena says, interrupting my thoughts. ‘You don’t need a tour of the house, but do you want to see Barney’s room?’
    ‘Ooh, yes!’ I gush, jumping up. I try to ease Barney away from Buzz Lightyear, but he’s having none of it, so we bring the Space Ranger with us. I follow Lena up the stairs, giving Johnny a reluctant glance over my shoulder as I go.

 
  Chapter 28  
    ‘Now, you’re still in the white room,’ Lena says, turning right at the top of the stairs.
    ‘Brilliant!’ I reply.
    She smiles at my delight and takes me on a detour to my room first.