𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄

12

Lucy takes a deep breath as she puts her coat on, waiting for John who's getting changed in the other room. "John! Can you hurry up?" Lucy calls out, fixing her hair.

"Right, okay I'm coming!" He shouts, stumbling out of living room trying to fit one shoe on. "Are you sure the kids are gonna be okay?"

"Yes, they will be fine. I got a babysitter!" She groans. "We are gonna be late!"

"Right, I'm coming!" John stepped out and gave her a smile before hugging her. "Do I look okay?"

"You look fine!" She laughs. "Don't think Tommy is gonna be impressed if your late to the horse races, do you?"

John and Lucy gather around the horse track, John seems to be in his own world while the rest of the group are looking at the horses.

"The coppers aren't moving, stood there like fucking gargoyles" John groans. "Keep ya wits about you, alright boys? Lucy, go and watch the races, yeah?"

"Ok" she stammers, sitting down on a seat as the tannoy calls out.

"Ladies and gentleman, the race will begin in four minutes!" The tannoy began "please make your way track side"

Lucy looked over at John who was looking at a group of coppers, she noticed that Grace was sat down next to her and let out a gasp.

"Grace?" She said confused.

"Hey, what's going on?" She asked.

"I don't know, John brang me here on some idea of a date" she laughed, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it "You want some?"

"No, I'm pregnant" she whispers.

"What? Is it Tommy's, is that why your here?" Lucy gasped.

"Shh!" Grace whispered angrily.

"Ladies and gentleman, the runners and riders are coming to order. Please take your seats!" The tannoy called out yet again. As the horses came out one by one and the show started Lucy couldn't help but overthink the situation, she was scared for John as he looked agitated around his fellow friends, Lucy let out a gasp as she saw a group of police officers go in one direction and then Arthur say something, John gave her a smile before a group of men came out holding guns.

"What are you doing?" She mouthed.

"Protecting you" he mouthed back to her, giving a wink before walking off, as Grace left Lucy followed john behind closely. Not noticing that he was planning to cause yet another crime.

Lucy ran to the phone booths, calling the woman who was babysitting her children, not out of fear but out of protection. Once she had spoken to her children she followed John who was with Lizzie, her dress was tattered and her hair was messy.

"Lizzie what happened?" Lucy ran over and hugged her tightly. "Oh my god!"

"You need to stop doing this Lizzie, you need to stop" John sighed, he pulled her into a hug and then fixed her hair. "Have you seen Polly, Lucy?"

"Uh, I saw her like 2 hours ago. What's Grace doing here?"

"Grace is here?" John said confused, Lizzie also gave her a look of confusion and sighed. "She's got a husband, she better not be sniffing around our Tommy"

"I think that's what she's doing" Lucy sighed.

"Fucking hell, well ain't he stupid"

"John, I'm gonna get home to see the kids" Lucy smiled. "I'll talk to you about it later"

"Okay, have a safe journey yeah?"

Lucy got in the car and drove to the babysitters house, by the time she got there the sun began to set. She placed the kids in the car and drove them home, making supper when she got in as they played with their toys. Katie walked over to her step-mum and passed her something she found in the letterbox, Lucy's face dropped in shock as she read the letter.

Dear Mrs Shelby,

It appears that we have found something unusual from your last exam, we don't want to scare you but we think it could be pregnancy. If you could please book an appointment as soon as possible.

All the best
Doctor Hanes.

Lucy felt her stomach drop, she was scared not for her safety but for her children's.

"Are you okay mum?" Lola asked, staring at her mother with fear.

"I'm okay, yeah. Just go and play some more okay? Teas almost ready" she smiled falsely, placing the letter on the counter and finishing tea, once she had plated it up and fed the kids, she bathed them and then sent them to bed - still worried about the letter. She read it over and over again until she just couldn't anymore.

She paced around for almost 2 hours after putting the kids to sleep and once John got back in she hugged him tightly.

"Hey, are you okay?" John stammered, stroking her hair. She slipped him the letter from the counter as she bit her nails.
"What's this?"

"They think I'm pregnant John, we can't look after another kid!"

"Look, they are probably just being stupid. And we can always abort it"

"Abort it? John, I don't wanna abort our baby!"

"Calm down, we will book an appointment Tomorrow and hope that your not" he sighed. "Just breathe, okay?"

"Okay, okay" she stammered.

"Get some sleep"

John and Lucy walked into the doctors the next day, Lucy felt her self agitated while John was trying to reassure her that everything was okay. When the doctor called her name and they walked in, she couldn't help but almost cry.

"Okay Mrs Shelby, now I think your aware that we think your pregnant" the doctor began. "We did run a few more tests which did conclude that you are in fact pregnant John looked at Lucy who went pale with fear. "Now I know you probably don't wish to keep it as you already have 2 children and are struggling but there are other options.

"No, I want to keep my baby" she stammered.

"Okay, we will have you back in for a scan in a few weeks"

John and Lucy walked out of the doctors with both shocked faces, Lucy looked at John who was glowing with joy, while Lucy was emotionless. She stormed off towards the betting shop leaving John on his own outside the hospital.

"Polly!" Lucy cried out. "Please, can you read me?"

"What, Lucy are you okay?" Polly said while washing her hands.

"I'm pregnant, I want to know if it will go well" she sighed.

Polly turned around and looked at Lucy with a shocked expression. "Your what?" She choked.

"Just read me okay?"

Polly placed her palms into Lucy's, she stared at Lucy who was clearly agitated and smiled.

"Your gonna have a boy, red hair just like you and blue eyes like Johns. Name him Dean, Dean Shelby" she smiled.

"And the pregnancy it's self? Will I be okay?"

"Yes, I see a smooth pregnancy. A little small bump but it'll be okay"

"Thank you so much!" Lucy sighed with relief, and hugged Polly.

"I hope it goes well for you Lucy" Polly smiled.