“Are you alright Anne?” asked Vyn. Anne looked up to see her Mum’s concerned expression and replied, “I’m fine.” Vyn sat down next to her daugther and continued, “You never were a good liar when you were a little girl and you haven’t improved with age. Come on; tell your old Mum what’s wrong. Is it morning sickness?”

Anne could see that her Mum wasn’t going to give up and replied, “No, that’s not too bad so far, it’s just being pregnant. I hadn’t planned this for now. There were things I wanted to do first.” She hoped that would be enough for her Mum, she couldn’t tell her that one of her main worries was that Harry wasn’t the father of her baby.

“I can see that, your job is just taking off isn’t it? But it will still be there after you return from maternity leave. Whether it was planned or not, it’s happening, you’re going to be a mother.”

Anne smiled, she hadn’t really thought of that, she had been too busy worrying to realise that she was going to be a Mum. For a few seconds she forgot all her worries and enjoyed the thought of holding her baby. But then the worries crowded back in and she realised how amazing this would be if this had been her and Harry’s first child, rather than the mess she was now in. She sighed and got up. Her Mum looked at her searchingly “Are you sure that’s all that’s worrying you?” she asked.

Anne looked away and answered “Yes, I better get ready, see you tonight.”

But that day at work she thought over her conversation and part of her wished she had shared with her mother her real worry. She knew her mother would be disappointed and yet if anyone could give her good advice it would be her. It would be a relief for Anne to tell someone, carrying this around inside her and trying to pretend to be happy was so draining. By lunchtime she had decided that she would tell her Mum when she got home.

She came home, her heart pounding in her chest, she still wasn’t sure if this was the right course of action, what if her Mum told Harry? But she felt she needed to tell someone and her Mum would love her no matter what, maybe she would even understand?

Walking into the house she was surprised that her Mum wasn’t watching television, but she walked through to the annexe assuming that she must have gone to have a lie down. Opening the door to the bedroom she walked in and found her.

Three hours later she was sitting at the kitchen table staring ahead. Harry walked in the room and sat down next to her. He spoke quietly, “I have spoken to the doctor, they are going to want to do an autopsy, just to clarify the reason she died. The doctor thinks it was her heart but they want to be sure as she had been in such good health.” Anne nodded slowly still staring ahead, but she felt the tears silently rolling down her face. Harry pulled her close and held her tight. “I will look after you Anne, I know I have been so busy and preoccupied lately, but I do love you ever so much and I will be around more often now, I promise.” The tears increased, what was she going to do now? Harry was all she had left; she would have to keep her secret.

http://wintersmith.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/chapter-76-%e2%80%93-a-new-home/