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She had night up a toy store while she hovered in the background, clutching a bag of sweets and offering a trip to the park, hoping it proved a more successful lure

‘Well?’ he pro her out of her cruel reverie ‘How is that scenario sounding?’

‘We can cos As for the rest Sergio, I’I’ht I feel dead on my feet’

He looked at her, seeing the dark circles under her eyes for the first time He shot to his feet and then screeched to a halt in front of her

‘Okay You’re right We can carry on this conversation toht now I can see you probably need torelax’

‘Relax?’ Susie gri any of that any time soon’

‘Coed tersely ‘You can’t possibly intend to return to that dump’

‘“That dump” happens to be my home’

‘Only because you’re too proud Have you ever felt that it’s your ho back to every evening?’

No, Susie thought wearily It was the sort of place any person would choose to avoid at all costs

The enormity of her situation crashed over her like a tidal wave, ebbing away to leave in its wake feelings of despair and robbing her of her naturally upbeat optimism She didn’t want to return to her parents who, however hard they tried, would not be able to resist the occasional observation on the direction her life had taken

Lord help her if they found out that Sergio, the father of her baby, had proposed s ht minds would accept with alacrity For them, it would be a no-brainer They would be shocked and appalled that she had turned him down

‘That’s not the point’