The Guest List by Melissa Hill Page A

and she tried to fight back a sob. This was supposed to be her day, it was supposed be all about
her
big news.
    For once.
    She glanced across the room at her sister-in-law. Kim looked perfectly relaxed and carefree, tickling Lindsay and tossing the little girl up and down in exaggerated jumps. She didn’t seem pregnant at all, and if she was she certainly wasn’t being careful enough.
    ‘You’re pregnant again?’ she asked Kim in a small voice. She had had no idea Kim and Ben were hoping to add to their family. If she’d had known that, then of course she’d have made sure she and Paul got there first . . .
    Kim grinned. ‘I know, a bit of a surprise for us too, to be honest. But it’s great news, and I’m feeling fine so far – touch wood.’
    ‘No fear of you from what I saw over lunch the other day!’ Cara laughed. ‘Already she’s using the old eating for two excuse.’
    Heidi was so disappointed she could barely move. None of them cared about her, or her news. They only cared about Cara and Kim. What’s worse is that they had all obviously been talking to each other about everything that was going on before today. Cara seemed to know all about Kim’s pregnancy and knowing her sister, Kim would have been the first person she told about her engagement. Heidi was wounded afresh. The two of them were thick as thieves and rarely included her in their outings. Of course they had so much in common too didn’t they? Both career-obsessed and selfish to the last.
    Damn. Now, Heidi was sorry she hadn’t phoned up her mum and dad to tell them about her pregnancy immediately after she’d found out.
    She looked at Cara, who had the usual self-satisfied expression on her face; she looked thrilled to be the centre of attention as always.
    Heidi felt ill. Now the day was completely tarnished. None of this was turning out like she planned, far from it.
    ‘Heidi? Are you going to congratulate Cara and Kim?’ her father asked, having noticed that she’d barely uttered a word.
    No, she damn well wasn’t
.
Not at least until she got some congratulations sent her way first.
    ‘Actually, I have some news myself,’ she said, raising her chin once again and trying to regain her posture. She looked at Paul. Yes, she would include him in the announcement. It was more than she could say about the other women in the family, who as usual had made it all about them alone. ‘Rather,
Paul
and I have some news.’
    Her husband smiled, and gently put a supportive arm around her shoulders.
    ‘Oh. What is it?’ her mother asked, pausing a little.
    ‘We are going to have a baby. Our
first
baby,’ she reinforced, as if anyone had questioned whether this was their first or fourteenth.
    ‘Oh my goodness! Oh Heidi!’ Betty rushed forward once again and threw her arms around her youngest daughter, pulling Paul into her embrace at the same time. ‘Oh I can’t believe this. So much good news in this family these days! We are all so lucky!’
    Heidi pushed away. ‘Please Mum, you have to be careful, you can’t be so rough with me.’
    ‘Oh for heaven’s sakes sweetheart,’ Betty laughed happily. ‘I think I know what you can and cannot do when you are pregnant.’ She enveloped her daughter in another hug.
    ‘Yes I know it can feel bit like that, especially with your first, but really, you’re not breakable,’ Kim added, and Heidi looked daggers at her.
    ‘I’m six weeks, Kim. The early days are especially delicate,’ she informed her.
    Kim waved a hand. ‘Seriously, don’t stress about it. Most women wouldn’t even know at this stage, and babies are hardy.’
    ‘Kim’s right, love,’ Betty agreed. ‘Women have been having babies for thousands of years, there’s no need to be fragile.’
    Heidi reminded herself that this sort of attitude was exactly what you’d expect from Kim. She breathed a sigh of relief when Paul stepped forward to take a protective stance in front of his wife. ‘Well Kim,’ he said,