When a stranger calls

2.

Lou had been living with Stephen and his wife Suzie for 7 months now. With Suzie ready to give birth anytime now, Lou was both excited but she knew both Stephen and Suzie would be grateful for the extra space and one less mouth to feed when the baby arrives.

"Lou honestly it's fine. Take your time we honestly don't mind you staying with us. You haven't out stayed your welcome at all has she Suzie?" Stephen protested when Lou pressed him about her moving out.

"Well the thing is sweetheart, is we could do with the extra room. The baby will be here soon and we have nothing ready for it, no nursery as Lou is taking up the spare room and heaven knows where my parents are going to stay when they come and visit shortly" Suzie puts her hand to her head and she looks to become flustered. Stephen rushes to her side and helps her to sit down. Lou has always thought that Stephen could do so much better than Suzie, but for some reason,  she makes her brother happy and that's all Lou could ever have asked for.

"It's OK love. Just breathe and try to keep calm. Think of the baby." Suzie began to take deep breaths in and out before turning to Lou and continuing.

"I'm sorry Lou. We just won't have the space. And now you're settled in your job maybe you SHOULD be looking at getting your own place. I don't want to upset anyone but we just can't live like this any longer!" And with that Suzie starts to burst into tears and storms off upstairs. Stephen puts his hand to his face and let's out a big sigh.

" It's her hormones- she's been all over the place lately. Don't worry Lou, I'll have a word with her. " Lou put her hand out onto Stephens arm. And smiled gently, "Please. Don't. Suzie has a point. You're about to start your own family and you don't need a burden. I'll start looking tomorrow Ste. Honestly please don't make this a bigger deal than it has to be." Stephen threw his hands up in the air and agreed. He wasn't keen on his baby sister being out of his sight. They had had such an horrendous start to life and Stephen knew it had affected Lou and that was a huge worry for Stephen.

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Following a further 3 months of walking on eggshells, sleeping on Stephen and Suzie's sofa and being kept up at all hours with a newborn (not that Lou didn't love being an Auntie - she loved her new Auntie duties) Lou finally got the call she had so desperately needed.

"Hello is that Miss Atkins?" the voice on the other end of the phone inquired.

"Yes it is," Lou replied half asleep. She looked down at her watch and didn't realise the time. s**t s**t s**t! Lou thought. She really needed this woman to deliver her some good news but she also needed to be at work in 30 mins.

"Sorry Miss Atkins is this a bad time?"

"No no it's fine. Sorry I was just unaware of the time that's all." Lou said as she started scattering around for her belongings.

"Oh fab! OK Miss Atkins, we have just had a nice new flat come onto the market last night and before we start advertising, I thought I would offer you first refusal. It's just want you are looking for and well within your price range. I can have our agent, Michael, meet you there tonight say around 6.30. How does that sound? " This woman was far too happy for this time of morning for Lou's liking.

" Yeah... Yeah.... That's erm... Yeah that'll be great thank you. " Lou had started wrestling with her socks.

" Excellent. So that's all booked in with us Miss Atkins and I'll email you all the details of the flat. You should expect a call from our agent Michael around 5pm just to double check everything is still ok to go ahead. Enjoy your day Miss Atkins. Goodbye"

"Yeah OK thanks bye. f**k sake where is it?!" Lou shouted unaware that she was still connected to the estate agent. Lou looked at her phone and realised she was still on the connected call.

"Bollocks... This just sums my day up!" she muttered as she hung up. 

Lou didn't mind her job usually. She got to meet a lot of different people and generally they were all really good customers. She was always polite and helpful with them and would often offer to bag their shopping up for them. Lou usually got her regulars come to her checkout and today was no different. A young lady who would always arrive at Lou's checkout around 10am didn't fail her today.

"Oh hi Lou! I didn't see you there. How are you today?" She chirped. Lou knew she realised she was there because she caught the lady looking at the different checkouts until she spotted her.

"Yeah here again haha. I'm great thanks. You?" Lou smiled.

"You seem extra bright today. Have you got some good news for me?" Lou and Becca had become quite close over the past few months and would on the odd occasion go for a hot drink together. When Lou had opened up to Becca and confessed about her sofa surfing on her brothers sofa, Becca jumped up and informed Lou she knew quite a lot of landlords due to her husbands line of work. Becca made quite a few enquiries but nothing had come up within Lou's budget.

"I certainly do..." Lou beamed. "I have a date tonight with the estate agent for a brand new flat."

"Oh Lou!! I'll come with you. Honestly its not a problem. Ian is off work tonight so he can look after Benji and I'll come with you! Make sure they aren't ripping you off. Some company's will do that."

Lou appreciated the offer and knew that Becca knew her stuff when it came to private renting. Lou explained that she would text Becca the details of the flat and they arranged for Becca to collect Lou at 6.15 from work. 

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Becca pulled up outside the supermarket at dead on 6.15 and waited for Lou to appear. Lou came out of work a little later than usual and watched Becca as she checked herself in her rear view mirror. Lou could see why Becca's husband, Ian, was so quick to propose to her. Becca was a vision of pure beauty with her slim frame, stunning green eyes and thick shoulder length red hair. Her skin was a lovely light tanned colour and her freckles delicately decorated her nose and cheeks. She was a reasonably good height too for a women which is just as well as Ian was well over 6 feet tall. Lou wished she could have had Becca's confidence and beauty, even if was only an ounce. Lou was a mere 5ft 5 inches, curvier than Becca and had waist length, wavy brown hair with bright blue eyes. 

Becca waved over to Lou and beeped her horn. Lou rolled her eyes and giggled to herself. Lou found herself waving back and pulling funny faces.As Lou crossed the car park towards her friend, someone bumped into her knocking her phone and bag out of her hand. 

"Oh s**t! I'm so sorry!" 

"No it's ok honestly. It was my fault I walked straight into you. I should have been looking where i was going instead of...." Lou was caught out as she looked up at the person who had bumped into her. Lou had tried to gather her thoughts and string a simple sentence out. Nothing. Nothing would enter Lou's brain or even leave her mouth. 

"Are you ok?" He asked with a soft and gently tone and placing one hand on Lou's shoulder.

BEEP BEEP "Come on Lou Lou lets go go!" Becca shouted from the car.

"Sorry I..." Lou began, picked up her things and brisk walked over to Becca's car. Becca peered over her sunglasses at Lou. Lou tried not to make eye contact with Becca because she knew what would follow.

"Hmmm. So..." Becca quizzed as Lou shut the car door and scrambled for her seat belt. 

"So what? Come on I'm ready to go, we'll be late otherwise" Lou said a little out of breath. Becca rolled her eyes and put the car in gear and drove off.