Chapter 12 - 'Pink is Pink...'

Clara's PoV

What a crappy birthday this had turned out to be.

I was just so annoyed that he had come back and already he has pissed me off. I picked her up much to the hurt in my hand and answered the front door when the door bell rang.

Not too shockingly enough it was Nina and her son Jack.

'Hey Clara. Glad to see your still alive' she said. 'What do you mean?' I asked.

'After all the shouting last night, I'm surprised Autumn actually got any sleep.' She said.

Nina lives next door to me in this building now, so she's always close by. She understands what I'm going through with having a baby, because she's been there.

The only difference is that she had a husband.

'There wasn't that much shouting' I grumbled. 'Sure there wasn't. Anyway happy birthday' she said beaming and handed me a bag.

'Nina what have I said about birthdays?' I complained rolling my eyes.

'That you hate them. Which is why I'm all the more determined to make you love them' she said. I sighed.

'Let me have here' she said and Jack jumped on my sofa. I slipped Autumn into her arms and opened the present anyway.

It was a new bag, which I needed desperately and she had been complaining about for ages, but with the bills coming out my ears, things like that haven't had a chance to happen.

'Thanks Nina' I said hugging her and she smiled.

'What happened to your hand?' She asked worried. 'Oh' I said and she knew straight away something was up.

'What happened here last night Clara? She then asked. 'It's a long story' I said and sat back ready to explain to her.

Thankfully she doesn't judge and she just listens carefully.

'How many more shopping trips to we have to go on?' Angie whined when we got to the baby store.

'Not too many. I just need a few things from here and then we're going to buy the pink paint' I said.

She was excited about that because I had promised her that she could decorate the baby's room for me.

I had a lot of the furniture which my dad had bought, like a wardrobe and a basket... Mainly because I can't actually afford it.

As far as I'm concerned I'll literally have to work right up until the day she's due. I won't be able to afford to go on maternity any early than my due date.

I'll only be on maternity for about 5 months because that's as much as I get full pay for.

Then I'll have to go back because I can't afford to go on any less. It's only the end of July but thankfully one of the perks of being a school teacher is that you get the whole of August off so I can chill and sort things out then. '

'What shade of pink do you think will work best?' I said to her.

'I don't know. Pink is pink' she said shrugging. In the end I went with a baby pink, that was quite light and would complement the white furniture.

My dad was against me painting the room. Because he didn't want me to find out the gender, but as with all of his advice. I practically ignored it.

'So where is he now?' She asked once I had finished explaining.

'I threw him out. I swear I broke my hand on his chest' I admitted. Now I actually feel a bit bad about that, because he has just as much right as me.

'You need to bring him back Clara. If he really is the father, you need his help' she said.

'I just don't want him taking over' I complained. It was true because I don't want to end up loosing her because he's here.

'At least let him give you some money. She's his kid too, so that at least you deserve' she said and I knew she was right. 'Just keep it to yourself.

I just don't want my dad finding out before he really has to' I begged her.