Love Is a Losing Game

“Is it okay if I drop by later with lunch?” Brian asked Angie as she gathered her keys, phone and purse ready to head off to work.

“Of course it is babe.” She replied walking over to press her lips to his.

“Cool, I’ll see you around one then?” he said placing his hands on her hips to keep her in place.

“I’ll be waiting.” She replied with a smile as she pressed her lips softly against his.

“Have a good morning babe, love you.” he replied.

“Love you too babe.” She replied quietly with a smile on her lips.

She turned and headed out through the front door, stopping to grab the mail before getting into her car and driving off to work.

“Morning sweetie, I’m not late am I?” she asked Neil who was stood out side the bar waiting as she got there.

“Morning, no, I’m early. I had to get out of the apartment, Chrissie and her new boyfriend are starting to really annoy me.” he replied following her into the building.

“Always at it like rabbits are they?” Angie asked scrunching up her nose as she started the coffee machine.

“Urgh, it’s not just that. They’re the most touchy feely couple I’ve seen. They can’t be apart from each other for more than five minutes. It’s sickening.” He replied.

“Oh sweetie, I’m sorry.” She replied.

“It’s okay, but if it carries on for much longer I’m going to be apartment hunting.” He replied making them both a coffee.

“Well you know Stu still hasn’t got anyone to take over my old room. Have a word with him.” she suggested.

“Oh yeah, I didn’t even think about that.” he replied handing her the mug of coffee.

“Talk to him about it. I’m going to head to the office, call me if you need me.” she replied grabbing her things and heading towards the office.

*~*~

Angie had spent most of the morning in the office catching up on her paper work. She glanced up at the clock on the wall and noticed that it was nearing one o’clock. Knowing that Brian would be there soon with lunch she reached over to grab her purse and saw the mail that she’d picked up on leaving the house. She began to sort through it, dividing it into hers and Stuarts.

She stopped when she realised that one of them was from the court house. Taking a deep breath she opened the letter just as there was a knock at the door.

“Come in.” she muttered as she began to read over letter.

“Hey babe you ready for lunch?” he asked closing the door behind him.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, I was just on my way up to meet you.” she replied her eyes barely lifting from the page in her shaking hands.

“Babe are you okay? Babe you’re shaking.” He said walking quickly around her desk.

“It’s um, from the court house.” She said as tears brimmed her eyes.

“The injunction? What does it say?” he asked.

“It says, Further to your application on June fourteenth for an injunction to be served on David Begg, we are writing to inform you that given the evidence the injunction has been served. Therefore as of June twenty-third it shall be an offence for Mr Begg to be within five hundred yards of Angela Norton. And a lot more legal shit.” She said.

“So that’s it?” Brian asked quietly.

“Yeah, he can’t touch me anymore.” She replied with a small smile and tears in her eyes. “I can carry on with me life without…shit the fourteenth?” she said staring back at the letter.

“That’s what you said. Babe what’s wrong?” Brian replied worriedly.

“I’d been so caught up with everything that was going on I hadn’t realised. Eleven days late. Fuck no, this can’t be happening, this is the last thing we need right now, things are finally starting to go good for us.” She muttered to herself.

“Babe, please, calm down and tell me what’s going on.” Brian said calmly, taking a gentle hold of her shoulders.

“I’m late Brian, eleven days late.” She stated.

“Eleven days late? What do you….oh you mean?” he replied and Angie nodded silently, biting her lower lip.

“But how? I mean we’ve been so careful. I always wear a condom.” He replied.

“I know but I guess these things can happ- shit no. no, no, I can’t be no.” she said a single tear trickling down her check.

“Babe what? Tell me please.” Brian pleaded in a whisper.

“David, I don’t know if he used anything or not.” She told him, more tears spilling down her checks.

Brian let his arms drop from her shoulders, one hand reaching up to run over his hair.

“FUCK!” he yelled. “This can’t be fucking happening. I’m going to kill the prick if he’s got you pregnant.”

“Babe, calm down please.” Angie pleaded reaching for his hands.

Without another word Brian pulled away from her and turned towards the door. Angie dropped the letter she still had in her hand and ran after him, calling his name.

“Brian wait please, you can’t walk away from me, not now, I need you.” she called after him, everyone in the bar turning their attention to them. “You can’t do this to me. I love you.”

Brian stopped abruptly and turned back to face her, his eyes glazed with tears. “I love you too.” he whispered taking a small step towards her.

“Then don’t do this to me, don’t make me deal with this on my own.” she replied with tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Fuck.” He muttered taking another step towards her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug.

“I’m not going to be able to deal with this if I haven’t got you.” she muttered into his chest.

“I think we better head back to the office.” He said quietly, taking hold of her hand.

“I’m sorry, but I just can’t deal with the thought of his child growing in you. It still kills me to think that you slept with him.” he said once they were back within the privacy of her office.

“I know but I can’t lose you because of this. I won’t lose you.” she replied through tears.

“Fuck! Why can’t things ever be simple for us?” Brian yelled angrily.

“I know. It sucks. But before we go any further with this, I need to do a test.” She said calmly.

Brian sighed deeply and nodded. “I guess you have a point there, it would be pointless to make any decisions until we know if there is a baby or not.”

“Guess I better take a trip to the drug store.” She stated quietly.

“Shall I wait here or do you want me to come with?” Brian asked.

“No, it’s okay, just please still be here when I get back.” She replied quietly.

“I will.” He said sitting down in the office chair, his gaze fixed on something beyond the desk.

There was a drugstore just a few doors down from the bar so it didn’t take long for Angie to get back to the bar; quickly drinking the bottle of water she’d just bought as she made her way to the staff restroom next to the office.

With a deep breath she walked back into the office, thankful to see Brian still sat in the chair.

“Three minutes.” She said simply placing the test on the table.

“What are we going to do if it is positive?” she asked nervously.

“I really don’t know babe. I really don’t.” he replied lifting his gaze to hers.

“Will that be it for us?” she asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

“I really don’t want it to be. But it’s just the thought of it being his kid, growing inside you. I don’t think I could deal with that. I don’t think I’d be able to accept his kid in our lives after everything he’s done to you.” he replied.

“What if I got rid of it, so his baby never existed?” She replied.

Brian’s head suddenly snapped up, his brown eyes meeting hers. “Are you sure you want to do that? Would you be able to go through with it?” he asked his voice as serious as his expression.

“If it means not losing you then yeah I’ll do it. You mean more to me than anything Brian and if having an abortion is what it takes to keep you then that’s what I’ll do.” She said shakily.

Brian stood quietly from the chair and wrapped his arms around her, resting her head against his chest.

“I love you Angie.” He whispered kissing the top of her head.

“I love you too Brian.” she replied quietly. “It’s been three minutes.”

Brian took hold of her hand in his and walked her back around the desk. “Let’s do this together.” he said reaching down to pick up the test.