27



Laura woke up feeling very sore, a little tired but very, very happy. Both to be alive and to see David’s beautiful, kind, concerning face gazing tenderly down on hers.
‘Hi.’ she smiled weakly up at him.
‘Hi.’ David replied, soothing some hair away from her face in a tender motion.
‘How did it go?’ she whispered.
‘The doctor said it went perfectly.’ David smiled.
‘I’m a woman…?’
‘You’re a woman.’ David agreed, nodding.
‘Oh….WOW!’ Laura whispered in amazement.
‘You’ll be a little sore for a few weeks…’
‘But we’ll be able to…?’ Laura asked.
‘Yes.’ David nodded.
‘I can’t wait.’ Laura grabbed hold of his hand.
‘Me neither.’ David returned the squeeze Laura then gave.
And it was true. He couldn’t. For he really, really did love Laura oh so very much and wanted her to be happy and he knew, by them making love would make Laura the most happiest David would ever see her to be. He had hidden the tape recording he had found. Not wanting to get rid of it until he knew what exactly Cydalia had been playing at. David had tried phoning both Cydalia and Carlos while Laura had been in recovery but hadn’t managed to get through to either of them. But he would try again later if he remembered.
But first of all, and more important than any of that was for him to be taking care of the one woman he did love more than life itself. For he did. Love Laura. To David she was what a woman was meant to be. And she was all his. And soon they would be able to make proper tender love and show each other just what they meant to each other. A day David was so looking forward to.

Roberta hated being sick and what being pregnant bought with it morning sickness. Her new ultimate hatred. Every morning she had to dash out of bed, straight to the toilet, but then, after she had done that she was, thankfully, alright for the rest of the day. Until the next morning came around. Because of this Seb could never bring Roberta breakfast in bed. She was always up before him. This morning, after her bout of sickness she was making plans. Planning her and Seb’s forthcoming wedding. It was to be a small, private affair with just certain friends there. Roberta had family members but didn’t get along with them except for one person. Her older sister named Karen. Karen was her most favourite person in the whole wide world. She was the only person Roberta knew who was more crazier than she herself was. Karen understood Roberta’s need to experiment when it came to sex for Karen did it too occasionally. Karen was currently dating another woman named Stephanie. In the past, Karen had also experimented with threesomes, foursomes even.
‘It gets a little hectic, sleeping with more than three people at a time.’ Karen once told Roberta, making her laugh.
‘Think, in that case, I’ll stick to two people at a time.’ Roberta replied.
‘Mm. But of which sex?’ laughed Karen.
‘Men. Woman. Whoever I’m attracted to at the time!’
‘Like me then!’ Karen had confessed.
That is why Roberta and Karen got on so well.
The wedding was to be the next weekend, just before IL DIVO were due to go on tour. It would only be a small tour. Promoting their new single. Doing a few interviews and TV shows. Nothing too major. IL DIVO wanted to wait a while. David in particular didn’t want to travel too far because of being worried about Laura who was still recovering from her major operation. She, along with Fara would, hopefully, be Roberta’s bridesmaids. Laura was keen. It was just Fara Roberta needed to convince. Not ask - convince. Fara didn’t particularly want to be anywhere near Urs which was going to be a problem considering Seb wanted him as his best man. But it was Roberta’s special wedding day. Surely Fara wouldn’t, couldn’t, disappoint her! That was what Roberta was hoping. It was a happy occasion and Roberta needed all her loved ones around to help her out in anyway that they could. That meant even putting aside their worries and arguments for one day then so be it. Roberta would get her way. Of that she was determined off.

‘I’ve told you, I can’t.’ Fara attempted yet again to explain to Roberta exactly why she couldn’t attend her friends wedding even though she so badly wanted to.
‘Yes you can.’ Roberta insisted, not at all listening.
‘You’re not listening…’ Fara sighed.
‘I am listening.’ Roberta insisted again, ‘I am. And OK Urs will be there but…’
‘There is no but.’ Fara interrupted, ‘I can’t be there if he’s going to be there.’
‘I don’t see why not…’
‘He broke my heart!’ Fara cried out.
‘From what I learnt, you broke each others hearts.’
‘I gave him the opportunity and he threw it back into my face.’
‘He wanted to marry you.’ Roberta reminded her friend.
‘Yes, I know that…’
‘But, for some reason you couldn’t say yes, or no.’ she then interrupted Fara.
‘I…I don’t know how I feel about him.’ Fara lied.
‘Yeah, right.’ Roberta snorted.
‘So I’m not coming to your wedding.’
‘Oh yes you are! You can’t disappoint me now. Not now.’ Roberta warned her.
‘But…’ Fara tried.
‘No buts Fara. You, along with Laura are my bridesmaids. You will be there. Even if I have to kidnap you and handcuff you to me all day.’ Roberta warned again, meaning every single word.
‘OK.’ Fara eventually sighed, ‘I’ll be there.’
‘Great. Knew I could change your mind.’ Roberta pulled her into a hug, almost strangling her friend in the process.
Fara coughed and hugged her back. OK, it would be hard to see Urs again. To be near Urs again and not be able to reach out and touch him. To kiss him. But Fara would cope. She must cope. She couldn’t go crumbling now. Not now. Fara didn’t need anybody. She could do anything herself and she would prove that. To Roberta. To Urs. To herself even. She had to. Just had to.

Cydalia, after a lot of thinking and re-thinking and of changing her mind over and over again had finally come to two major decisions. One - her career and where it was going. How she felt about it. And two - her relationship with Carlos.
First of all she decided to sort out her career. She carefully typed her letter of resignation and left it on her bosses desk then sorted out and cleared out her desk. In the middle of packing up her stuff her boss stormed angrily towards her, shaking, in his fist her letter of resignation.
‘What, is this?’ he demanded going a funny purple colour in the face, glaring down at her.
‘Exactly what it says.’ Cydalia shrugged, continuing with her packing.
‘You’ve resigned.’ he shook the letter.
‘So you can read.’ Cydalia sarcastically muttered.
‘I wasn’t really going to fire you!’ her boss nervously laughed.
‘I don’t care. I’m leaving anyway.’
‘What do you want?’ he then demanded, ignoring her.
‘Eh?’ Cydalia looked blankly at him.
‘What? Money? Time off? More holidays? What??’
‘Nothing.’
‘You can’t leave.’ he told her.
‘Yes I can.’ Cydalia replied, picking up her now full box.
‘Where…are you going?’ her boss blinked at her.
‘Home.’ she shrugged.
‘You can’t leave.’ her boss repeated.
‘Tough. I’m going.’ Cydalia replied.
‘You’ll not get a reference from me!’ her boss then shouted after her.
Cydalia stopped, turned to face him and said, ‘I don’t want one.’
‘You’ll never get another job in journalism!’ he then warned.
‘Good. Because I don’t want one!’ Cydalia replied. She then turned and carried on walking away. Leaving her boss, staring after her in shock. Muttering under his breath, wondering what had happened to her to make her act this way.

Next stop Cydalia needed to see Carlos. To come clean to him. To tell him what job she had. Correction, to tell him what job she had just resigned from. She knew what she was doing was a dicey thing. She knew in telling Carlos al she could end up losing him but it was a chance she had to take. She needed to make a complete clean slate. To have no secrets. She understood that now. If after Carlos found out he didn’t want her anymore then Cydalia knew she would get over him. Eventually. Would be a lesson she had to learn. She would move on, get on with her life. Eventually met someone new. Someone who she would hold no secrets from. She would survive.
Cydalia arranged to meet Carlos in a local café thinking then if he got angry with her he wouldn’t be able to act too much on it. Wouldn’t be able to smack her should be want to. She would be safe. But not safe from his tongue. One nasty comment from Carlos would be enough to wound her enough for life.