"Is this some kind of a joke... because Florence it isn't that funny"

He thought it was a joke, he actually thought she would joke about something as serious as being pregnant.

"No Cole" all the excitement had faded from her voice, all she felt was slightly sad and stranded like he had boarded a ship and left her behind on a remote island.

"Wow, well this is alot to take in..."

She didn't let him finish before hanging up the call, she didn't know where her fury had come from but suddenly her whole body was alive with such anger that she was sure her face had turned bright red, a mean thought entered her head.

Andrew would have handled this situation way better, he would have a plan and excitement in his voice as they discussed their future.

And it all came back to one thing, the thing that had kept she and Cooper up many nights having hushed conversations in the bathroom, Coops thought she was being irrational and paranoid but the fact that Cole hadn't called her back almost proved Florence's point, she was scared that Cole didn't love her anymore.

Okay, they lived together and they were happy most of the time, but it had been two years and every time she brought up the subject of their future he seemed to skirt away from the subject hurriedly, everything had to be new and moving at a fast pace with the two of them, like he never wanted to just sit back and take a long think about where they were actually going in their relationship.

Florence didn't cry nearly as much as she used to do but now she felt the familiar tears pricking her eyes, what if she was losing him?

She didn't think she could bear it, having a child was meant to be a shared responsibility, all she had felt when she'd seen the positive outcome on the pregnancy test was happiness, like she was a balloon filled with laughing gas, a thousand images had come to mind, she and her child holding hands, Cole lifting it up into the air and smiling and all of those images had made her feel like perhaps this was her purpose, she was twenty-three that was a normal age to start a family, nothing would make her happier than giving love and giving life.

But she needed Cole by her side, she didn't even notice the people milling round her on the busy street.

Her phone began to ring and she started, quickly wiping at her eyes even though the caller couldn't see her face.

"Hi" Cole sounded slightly less shell-shocked.

"Hi"

"I'm sorry Flo, I was just totally floored by that and something big happened today at work so I was already distracted, but you know I couldn't be happier, I'll be back from work at around six today I have a meeting, but we'll go out and celebrate afterwards, please don't think I'm not happy I really am, I'm actually in the store cupboard now but someone will notice I'm gone soon, love you"

And then he hung up again and Florence was left feeling utterly abandoned, he'd had to keep repeating that he was happy, people who were happy didn't have to reassure you that they were happy, she hadn't heard any delight in his voice, it had sounded more like hysteria, and the way that he had said that something big had happened at work.

Like some stupid meeting was bigger news to him than the fact that she was carrying his child.

Cooper picked up on the third ring.

"Hey Flo, did you tell him then?"

"Mmm yeah"

"And how did it go"

"About as bad as it could have done Coops, I'm outside Trent's office and I was on such a high because I got that job, and then I called Cole ready to tell him everything, and it was terrible he sounded practically hysterical like I''d totally ruined his day"

"He did what?" Cooper sounded like she was already assembling a gun to go and assassinate Cole.

"Maybe he was just shocked, it's quite big news to spring on someone, were going to go out for dinner when he gets back"

"No your not" her friend sounded fierce.

"Your not going to dinner with Cole until he starts treating you how you deserve to be treated Flo, I know you try and hide it but I can tell that your trying to be this perfect girlfriend with crap like your breakfast in bed, but let's think when was the last time he did something for you? You just found out your pregnant he should be leaving work this very instant to share this experience with you not giving you some bloody cop out about it all coming as a shock to him, I like the guy but his behaviour has been out of order these past few weeks"

"Cooper that's not fair, works really been stressing him out and we do spend time together..." 

Florence knew her protesting was slightly pointless, her friend was only trying to help her, and some of her words really resonated.

Had she been crafting some fairytale romance with Cole that didn't even exist?

"Cut it out Flo, your not staying at home alone and moping all day today, we have something to celebrate my best friend is having a baby! I'm going to kick Sam out and you, me and Ambs oh and your little one can have a night in, why don't you cancel on Cole for once? He lets you down all the time, we'll have ice cream and watch soppy movies"

That did sound tempting, way more tempting than crying into a bottle of wine and waiting for Cole to come home, had she really become this much of a pushover?

Florence pulled up in Cooper's driveway an hour later, stopping herself from running out and fixing the mascara streaks around her eyes, she didn't need to look like a depressed panda.

She knocked on the door miserably thinking about the fact that she'd been dealt with such a rough deal in life, she wished there were so many things she had done differently, her ears pricked up as she heard what sounded like laughter and hushing noises.

Cooper arrived at the door looking far too made up for a simple girl's night in, she was wearing a black mini dress and a red-lipsticked smile.

There were balloons littered all over the floor and behind her best friend she could see what looked like a crowded room of people all beaming at her.

"Surprise!" Cooper took her hand and dragged her into the room.

"Now you didn't think we were going to let you have this moment all to yourself, were all here to celebrate with you!"

But there was one person inexplicably missing from this little party, the lack of his presence cause her to wither slightly, in this room was everyone she loved, her Mother, Father, Natalie, Cooper, Amberly, Lucy, Aneeta, Sam and even Andrew all beaming at her, because they thought she was in a happy relationship and was perfectly content.

She couldn't take it all the expectant stares and happy faces, her Mother was dabbing at her eyes, that set Florence off with a howl she began to weep and not delicate I'm so happy you threw me a surprise party tears, these were great fat tears that made her gasp and shudder like there was another Florence inside her, a smaller girl who was weeping at the fact that she had been abandoned yet again.

"Sweetie!" Cooper immediately wrapped her up in a protective hug.

"I think she's just a bit tired it's been a long day" she addressed the shocked room.

"I'll just take her upstairs to calm down and we'll be right back, No Mrs Clarke it's fine she's okay just her emotions playing up"

Florence let Cooper guide her up the stairs and sat down on her bed.

"Thanks" she sniffed "This was really nice of you Coops, I didn't expect it all your the best friend ever"

"Flo, I wouldn't be your best friend if I didn't put my foot down now, your parents don't have a clue about what's really going on in your life, which is why your not going back to their house, they'll just panic and that's not good for your dads blood pressure, but your not going home to Cole until he gets his act together and starts playing a proper part in your life. We didn't go through all of this for you to be reduced to a sobbing version of yourself, he fought for you and he better do it again because I won't allow this any longer, were going to go and get your stuff from your flat, your going to text him and tell him your staying with me for a while, okay?"

She didn't even try to protest, right now all she wanted was for someone else to make the decisions for her, and she did want to stay here in this room safe with Cooper and able to hide away from the world for just a little while.

"But before we go to your flat were going to fix your makeup and your going to go downstairs and we're going to have an amazing time with your friends, you have to try and reclaim your old life back, get a bit of spirit back into you! Those people downstairs love you unconditionally Florence, and having a baby is definitely something to celebrate"

"I love you Cooper"

Florence realised just how much Cooper meant to her at this very moment, without her she would be utterly lost.

"I love you too Flo, probably more than I've ever loved anyone, though don't let Sam or Ambs here me say that!"

Cooper expertly began to remove her makeup leaving Florence feeling warm inside.