Someone Like You

Part Thirty Eight

Chapter Thirty Nine

Lilah was sat in the kitchen of Amelia's Notting hill house looking pale. Nina stood in the doorway staring at her trying desperately to gauge how her friend was feeling. She'd been happy when she'd flown of to Cyprus, but then she was never happier than when was modelling. That was her prime love. She hadn't done it for a long time, and she'd been looking forward to the trip. But something had changed.

"You ok?"

Lilah looked up her face a mask, "I didn't hear you come in."

Nina stepped towards her, "I wasn't quiet, you know me." She sat in front of her, "what's wrong? How was Cyprus?"

She leaned back in her chair, looking at her friend through dark expressionless eyes.

"Warm..."

She nodded, "and the shoot?"

Lilah nodded, "I delivered..."

"And you caught up with some old friends?"

Lilah bit her bottom lip, then nodded, "yes."

At no point did Lilah make eye contact with Nina, so she shuffled to sit in front of her, "Lilah...what is it? What's happened?"

She watched as Lilah shook her head, then reached for the cold cup of tea in front of is, drinking it without the flinch it probably deserved. And had replaced the mug on the table before she lifted her eyes, "I did it. Four days in the heat...and it was fine."

"And?" Nina was on pins.

"Two nights ago, we wrapped it up, and Leonora, do you remember her?" When Nina nodded, vaguely able to remember the woman she'd modelled with in the past. "Well, she asked me to stay on for a couple of nights...a little winter sun, and of course sample the nightlife; I mean Ayia Napa is quite the place she assured me."

Nina smiled, "so I hear."

"We were in this nightclub, it was really busy, I mean considering it's so late in the year. I didn't drink much...I'm not in the mood these days."

"You'll get your groove back. You were so much stronger when you left..."

"I collapsed...in the toilets. I was waiting for Leonora to finish up...thank god..."

Nina grabbed her hand, "collapsed? Jesus Lilah what the hell is going on?"

"I'm pregnant."

Theo watched Sadie playing with Melody through the one way window of the room in the contact centre. The liaison officer linked to them felt that Sadie was trustworthy and that she should increase her role, see Melody more often and for longer...maybe in another location. He couldn't think about that. He knew that he'd struggle to cope without the control over his daughter, Sadie could do anything and he couldn't begin to imagine what it would be like if she disappeared with Melody to somewhere unknown. The night he'd found her with Sadie unconscious still haunted his dreams, and he couldn't believe that people in authority honestly thought she was ready for more contact. Were they all mad?"

He turned to their liaison, a woman in her fifties called Cheryl, "I can't agree to it. I want random drug tests first. If she passes a few then, and only then will I think about it. After all she's a manipulator, and being a woman, the mother you all think she deserves specialist treatment. I mean what man would be treated the same way?"