Page 126 of How We Began

“Uh, at Uni, I left it behind by mistake when I packed up,” I offered.

“No. It’s not. It’s in my pocket, after I found it abandoned on our bed.”

“What are you doing here, Ben?”

“I came to find you. I lost my phone in the States and couldn’t remember anyone’s number to tell you. Basically, I was worried, so I came home.”

“You were worried about me? You came home for me?”

Nope, I don’t get it.

“Yes, remember? We promised we would speak every day? That was until I left my phone in a cab.”

“I thought you’d forgotten me.”

My voice was small and pathetic even though I didn’t want it to be. I wanted to be strong, powerful, independent, but I started to cry.

He really does love me! Loves me enough to fly all the way home because he couldn’t contact me.

Then I remembered that he thinks I might be pregnant. “Ben,” I sobbed, “there’s no baby…”

Before I could say anything else his lips were on mine. Mum gave a little gasp. Yep, Mum. My boyfriend is a hottie and he likes to kiss me a lot.

“I know. Meredith told me. Are you okay?”

I shook my head at him, unable to answer. His eyes sparkled just a little too much until Dad gave one of his interrupting coughs and said quite loudly, “What baby? Would anyone like to tell me what the hell is going on?”

I pushed away and grinned a watery smile at Ben, and then I turned to face my dad.

“Dad this is Ben Chambers, my boyfriend, and I’m completely and utterly in love with him.”

“That’s nice, Delilah. Jack McCannon,” said my dad, holding out his hand.

Mum stepped forward, not to be left out. “Valerie,” she said, holding out her hand.

From the look on her face, I reckon he’d already won her over, much like he has me.

(3.00 p.m.)

I’ve eaten five chocolate Easter eggs in one sitting. That’s a whole new Lilah McCannon record. We’re sitting in the lounge in front of the fire. Ben is rubbing my feet.

“Why are you here?” I asked Ben.

“I told you five times.”

“Tell me once more.”

“Because I love you.”

I can’t get my head around that.

When Ben realised his phone was lost, he spent two days trying to remember any number that he could, which was none. Freaking out that I’d be freaking out, he told his band mates that he was happy with how things were going, the studios were awesome, blah, blah, blah, but he felt that he had to do something else. And fair dues to them, they let him leave with little argument.

“So did you leave just because of the baby and wanting to know?”

“No. I left because I couldn’t get in contact with you, and I was worried.”

“You wanted the baby, didn’t you?”