Ready to Run

Chapter 13

She was just slightly plump, with dark blonde hair, pale skin, and rosy cheeks. Lexi had noticed that this was a definite 'type' in England. Pretty, in a common way, as her mother would have said.

As the two groups approached one another, another girl piped up, "Ooooh, Jack, you're home!" She ran and hugged him, saying, "Why didn't you let me know?"

"Hello, Sadie." He kissed her soundly on the cheek. "It's just a quick trip, tonight and tomorrow night, and you know how Mum is about sharing me."

"I suppose I'll forgive you. Hello Mary, Daniel, lovely to see you."

"Hello, dear. You look well. How's your gran?"

"Still feeding the chickens and collecting eggs every day. You'd never know the old girl was almost ninety." She looked at Lexi for a moment. "You're Lexi West, the backup singer, aren't you?"

"I am," Lexi extended her hand, "nice to meet you, Sadie."

As Sadie and Emily's party gathered around, Mary took her younger son by the hand. "Why don't we leave you all to catch up. Come along, Daniel." Lexi thought Jack looked a little wistful, as though he wished his mother had taken them all home.

Emily's scowl deepened when Sadie asked if Jack and Lexi would like to join them for a pint. Lexi thought it might be interesting and nudged Jack, nodding her head.

The pub was small, and they had to push three tables together to accommodate the group of eight. Emily managed to sit next to Jack, Sadie on his other side. Lexi was across the table from Sadie, who introduced her in a sweeping gesture.

"Everyone, this is Lexi West. Lexi, that's Martin on your left, then Pooja, Emily, and Jack of course, Molly on my other side, and Prish, he's Pooja's twin brother, on your right. So, Lexi, we're all desperate to know just how you got to be in the band."

"Well, the thing is, they're a boy band and I'm definitely not a boy, so I'm not in the band. I'm their background vocalist at the moment, and I'm working with them on some music videos, but I'll be starting to record my own album in the next few months. I guess I'm on temporary loan to the boys, or, as Jack says, well-nigh band." She was relieved to see a very slight nod and smile from Jack. She'd said the right things.

For the first time since meeting in the street, Emily spoke, to the table in general, "She's awfully... American, isn't she?" Her disparaging tone and forced laugh didn't seem to amuse anyone but herself.

Lexi considered a scathing reply but chose to take the higher ground and remain silent. As conversation picked up around the table and pints were set before them, she stole the occasional glance at Jack. He looked miserable. Emily was either whispering in his ear or pouting when he didn't respond to her satisfaction. He finally just turned his back to her and began chatting with Sadie and Molly.

Martin and Prish demanded most of Lexi's attention, although Pooja leaned across the table now and then to join the conversation, leaving Emily with no one to talk to. Lexi got quite a bit of guilty satisfaction from the petulant look on the young woman's face.

After the second round of pints Lexi began to feel tired, and a little queasy. Strong stuff, she thought, as she rose from her seat.

"Jack, I think I'm going to call it a night. I can find my way. Stay here with your friends. It was so nice to meet you all," she looked pointedly at Emily, "Goodnight!"

The men all stood as she left the table. She loved England.

As she rounded the corner from the high street onto the lane where Jack's house stood, Lexi began to feel even worse. Seriously? she thought. That stuff must have been more potent than most for two pints to make her sick.

And she was sick. Hoping none of the neighbors could see or hear her, she vomited in a hedgerow along the road. As she waited to see if she was done, Jack came jogging up.

"You're ill?"

"I guess I'm not used to the English stuff yet. It's a lot stronger than watery American beer, you know."

"You poor thing, come on, we'll get you home."

"I never even felt drunk. Just sick. I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize, it happens to the best of us."

In the house, Jack poured her a large glass of water from the pitcher in the fridge before they tiptoed up the stairs. Once in his room, Lexi whispered, "I feel perfectly fine now. That was really odd."

She brushed her teeth, then changed into the 'visiting the boyfriend's family' pyjamas she had purchased especially for this trip. Jack came back from the bathroom just as she was pulling on the flower-sprigged cotton shorts.

"Oh, no, don't do that..." he sounded so sad that she had to chuckle. She let them drop.

"What about your mother and Daniel?"

"I can be quiet as a dormouse, can you?"

"I have no idea how quiet a dormouse is. I'm more worried about the bed than us."

He laughed, "I bet the beanbag's quiet. Come here..."

Some time later they sat, still joined, until their hearts stopped pounding and their breathing slowed. Putting her mouth against Jack's ear, Lexi whispered, "I think I need a beanbag chair in my house."

*****

Lexi woke with a start the next morning and dashed for the bathroom. Sick again, she wondered what on earth made the beer last night different from any other she had ever had. She'd only drunk enough to make her sick twice in her life, and both times involved tequila.

Not particularly liking beer, it wouldn't be a problem for her to abstain, but she liked the English tradition of going out for a pint with friends now and then. Maybe she'd just have to be the designated driver. If she could ever get the hang of doing it on the wrong side of the road.

Mary was in the kitchen when she went down a few minutes later. The boys were nowhere to be seen.

"Jack said you were sick last night; I hope it wasn't dinner"

"Of course not. We all ate the same thing. But I was sick again just now. I don't think my body likes the beer around here."

Mary looked her over, laying her hand across Lexi's forehead. "Well, you look a bit peaked, but you're neither warm nor clammy. Of course, you're the nurse, not me." She smiled.

"I was feeling a little off at the end of the trip last week. The stress has been pretty intense since I met the boys. I haven't even gotten my... Oh no."

Mary tilted her head questioningly. "What? You haven't... Oh. Oh my."

"It's not possible. We've been careful. So careful."

Just then the boys came in from the garden. Jack could see right away that something was very wrong. "Daniel, I need you to go up to your room, right now." His brother looked at Mary, who nodded.

"We need to have an adults only discussion. Upstairs, now, and stay until we call you. No questions asked."

Recognizing his mother's most serious tone of voice, the boy went.

As soon as they heard Daniel's bedroom door shut, Jack turned to the women. "What's happened? Mum? Lexi?"

"I... I think I'm pregnant."