‘A Rough Patch’ By Rosemary Macleod It started in Sainsbury’s with Lara hunched over in the toilets. She was staring at the little blue line and she couldn’t quite believe it. Pregnant. She let out an audible squeak. Were these things ever wrong? She didn’t think so. A sickening feeling entered her consciousness and she became all too aware that she had just made a bizarre noise in a public toilet full of people she didn’t know. Lara would have to leave. Quickly. But not too quickly so as not to arouse suspicion. She got ready to depart and then got into an awful lot of bother about what to do with the test. Was this something one carried in one’s handbag? Or should she just stick it between the tampon bin and the wall? She decided that she’d need the actual test as proof so wrapped the plastic rod in the last of the toilet paper and slipped it into her bag. After gathering her things together, Lara tentatively let herself out of the cubicle and was shocked to see a queue of unhappy pensioners in front of her. It was then that she saw that the other two cubicles were out of order and she hadn’t left any loo roll. Neither had she flushed the toilet. With another peculiar sound, Lara scuttled out of the ladies and was glad to be away from all those accusing eyes and ears that had seen and heard her make some distressing noises. She would have to stop doing that. She hadn’t washed her hands either. Sod it. Suddenly Lara’s embarrassment passed and was replaced by the feeling of dread that she had felt just moments ago. A feeling that the bottom half of her body had fallen down a very deep hole and the only sensible thing to do was stay perfectly still. She was pregnant. There was a life form growing inside of her. Like some sort of parasite. What was she to do? Lara was beginning to slump to the floor to take a moment when the toilet door swung open and the convoy of pensioners started to make their way out. She would tackle the pregnancy problem later. Turner Maxwell Books Free Publishing Free Books Free Literature Free Writers Turner Maxwell Books are an independent co-operative of new writers, committed to publishing inspirational literature. Turner Maxwell Books has over one hundred writers, producing original stories not seen in any other bookshop, Turner Maxwell Books has established itself as a successful and viable publisher. This achievement lies in its innovative and daring approach to establish a shorter supply chain that is simply focused on the requirements of the reader.

‘A Rough Patch’

By
Rosemary Macleod

                                   1

    It started in Sainsbury’s with Lara hunched over in the toilets. She was staring at the little blue line and she couldn’t quite believe it. Pregnant. She let out an audible squeak. Were these things ever wrong? She didn’t think so. A sickening feeling entered her consciousness and she became all too aware that she had just made a bizarre noise in a public toilet full of people she didn’t know.

    Lara would have to leave. Quickly. But not too quickly so as not to arouse suspicion. She got ready to depart and then got into an awful lot of bother about what to do with the test.

    Was this something one carried in one’s handbag? Or should she just stick it between the tampon bin and the wall?

    She decided that she’d need the actual test as proof so wrapped the plastic rod in the last of the toilet paper and slipped it into her bag. After gathering her things together, Lara tentatively let herself out of the cubicle and was shocked to see a queue of unhappy pensioners in front of her.

    It was then that she saw that the other two cubicles were out of order and she hadn’t left any loo roll. Neither had she flushed the toilet. With another peculiar sound, Lara scuttled out of the ladies and was glad to be away from all those accusing eyes and ears that had seen and heard her make some distressing noises.

    She would have to stop doing that. She hadn’t washed her hands either. Sod it.

    Suddenly Lara’s embarrassment passed and was replaced by the feeling of dread that she had felt just moments ago. A feeling that the bottom half of her body had fallen down a very deep hole and the only sensible thing to do was stay perfectly still.

    She was pregnant.

    There was a life form growing inside of her. Like some sort of parasite. What was she to do?

    Lara was beginning to slump to the floor to take a moment when the toilet door swung open and the convoy of pensioners started to make their way out. She would tackle the pregnancy problem later.

    She grabbed her bag and ran out of the shop. She moved rather fast. It must have looked like she was a shoplifter. The last time she recalled moving that quickly was when Aunty Mabel’s dog was chasing her up the stairs. Dear old Mabel. It was a shame that Uncle Derek left her. That’s what put her in the home. Lara was sure of it.

    Still running, she unlocked the car and jumped into the driving seat. She felt like someone from a film. A criminal on the run. From some pensioners. Maybe not. She started the ignition and pulled out of the car park. Lara couldn’t bear 20 minutes thinking in silence so turned on the radio and spent the drive home listening to Greg James. Who was always on the radio.

    Lara was still on this particular muse when she got home. She opened the door and dropped her keys in the little bowl on the table. She hung up her coat next to Alex’s and made her way along the hall. She was still procrastinating. It was only when she walked into the kitchen and saw Alex making breakfast that she remembered why she had gone to Sainsbury’s.

    Alex was a wonderful man and didn’t deserve what she was about to say. She loved him so much and had never looked back since they’d tied the knot in Cyprus. Best day of her life. Only close family made it there (out of duty more than anything) so they didn’t have to put up with Aunty Dawn bigging up her precious daughter, Nicole (Nicole was actually a crack addict and had been for two years but of course, Dawn didn’t know) or Uncle Mark pretending he was totally cool with Jude when actually, it was clear that he resented the fact that there was a homosexual in the family.

    “Alright? You get the soap you wanted?” Alex asked brandishing a spatula with a little bit of egg stuck to the end.
His voice brought her back to the room with a nauseating thud. Lara was trying to think what to say next but hesitated a little too long.
“What’s happened? Is there something wrong?” His face had dropped to a look of concern with pangs of worry.

    She couldn’t spring this on him now. They had just got on their feet and he was so happy. She’d sit him down later after Eastenders and tell him then.

    “No…I’m fine. Just a bit tired. That’s all,” she said too cheerfully. He must suspect something.
“Well we’ve got the whole weekend ahead of us to relax”

    Apparently he didn’t. Typical male.

    “So how about me and you just stay in and take it easy?”
He walked over to her and took her in his arms.
“Sounds great,” she murmured through his embrace.

    But it wasn’t. And they wouldn’t spend the weekend relaxing; they would worry about what to do. They would argue. This could break them.

    Lara was not in for a good weekend.

Published by Turner Maxwell Books

First published 2009.
Copyright © Rosemary Macleod 2009

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in a retrieval system in any form or by any means without permission in writing by Rosemary Macleod or Turner Maxwell Books.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which this is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

The purchase of this book is a private sale between the reader and the publisher; at no stage will indemnity be claimed against the publisher. The moral right of the author has been asserted.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental and may be more the work of your own imagination. Why not write a book yourself? Turner Maxwell Books are an alternative co-operative of new writers, working towards publishing inspirational literature.

Printed and bound in the United Kingdom for Turner Maxwell Books.