“Oh, come on Ellis, we both knew what this was. Neither of us wanted the baggage. Now you’re knocked up and want to lie to my face and tell me it’s mine! You must think I’m stupid.” His venom blasts against my skin, as much as I want to believe he’s lying, I don’t. Tears spring to my eyes, I feel so small on the sofa in front of him.

“It is yours! I’m not sleeping with other people. Tell me you’re lying, please.” I beg. “I thought what was between us meant more to you.”

“Get rid of it.”

I sit up in bed. The nightmare still fresh. The memory making me feel ill.

When I was pregnant with Jack, I had recurring nightmares of that day constantly. I didn’t realise how bad the relationship was until I was alone. Completely alone. When Michael kicked me out I had no one to turn to. When we first started dating I had some friends, but Michael didn’t like them. He hated how they would update me on Liam’s career, said that they were disrespecting him and our relationship by bringing up my ex. I understood his grievances, so I tried to make him comfortable. When I chose to start distancing myself from them, I didn’t realise I was going to lose them completely.

I don’t blame my friends, though. They got a hundred no’s when they invited me places. I would have stopped trying too.

The only thing that kept me from going back to Michael was Jack. On the day I was closest to calling him again, Jack kicked for the first time. Those little flutters pushed me to stay away. I wanted my son to have a good life, not one where he had to tiptoe around his father’s emotions.

I lie in bed looking at the moon through a crack in my blinds. I have to do it all over again – tell someone I’m pregnant – and not know what I might get in return. Liam is expecting me tomorrow but I didn’t tell him anything more, I couldn’t do it over the phone.

For now, I push my nightmare to one side, preparing myself to face it once again.

Chapter Six

Liam