Nari faces reality

'When did you say they're getting here?'

'Shouldn't be long.'

'It's nice you've been spending more time with Seth recently.'

'Yeah, I'm glad. Glad he patched things up with Roza, too, despite everything. Wasn't expectin' that to happen.'

'I'm surprised he's allowed to.'

'Me too. I don't see Blake bein' happy about it. But fuck him.'

'Hey, Stan. Hope we haven't kept you too long.'

'Hey, you guys! Nah, we ain't been here long ourselves.'

'Hi. We're not staying all night. Feli's at a friend's house, and I don't want to keep her too late. Sorry we can't stick around.'

'Don't worry about it. I know you've got other responsibilities. Just make the most of what little break you can get.'

'Thanks, Seth. Um, Jude? Do you think I could talk to you, away from everyone else...?'

'Oh, yeah, sure.'

'No Landon tonight?'

'He's tied up at the garage. Besides, he hasn't got a lot of love for this place.'

'Can't imagine why.'

'Sorry to bring this up, but I heard about your mum and Austin.'

'Oh, right. You used to be his girlfriend, right? Sorry, that's pretty rough.'

'Thanks. It's just... well, you can see where I'm going with this, can't you? I want to talk to your mum about it.'

'I'd like to as well, but I'm no longer welcome there. I wish I could do something, but if she won't believe me, I can't see her believing you.'

'Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if she didn't, but I still feel like I should try, you know?'

'Thing is... she's not a nice woman, to be honest. That doesn't mean she deserves it, or she shouldn't be helped, but I'd be concerned about her being nasty to you. I don't want her to upset you over it.'

'Mmm... Even if I do get a hostile response, it's worth telling her the truth, in my eyes. Maybe she'll believe it, coming from more than one person?'

'I dunno. Look, I'll take you there, if you want. You don't have to do it alone.'

'It's fine. I don't want to make you deal with all that again. I can handle it, honestly.'

'Well, if you're sure... Stan did express an interest in keeping her safe. Thanks. That's really kind of you.'

'Ah, it's not about me. I just want to do the right thing. Having been there myself, I can't just do nothing. If I try and she tells me to piss off, well, at least she'll have all the information she's entitled to.'

'Thanks. I really hope it works.'

'Thank you for coming, anyway. I'm glad you are taking interest.'

'Well, of course I am. That's my daughter you're having. I don't want her growing up without a daddy.'

'Many men wouldn't care.'

'I'm not many men, and besides, many other men would. We're not all awful, you know.'

'...I know. Sorry. I have just met a lot of scumbags, in my life.'

'Particularly in Sunset Valley, if what Stan tells me about the various local gangbangers is correct.'

'They're not all bad. There's Seth, and his friend Landon. Those two are both good. There are others as well.'

'Well, that's good to know.'

'And of course, all the girls who work for me.'

'Mmm, I was under the impression we were talking about men.'

'We were, but I do like an opportunity to vouch for my girls. I love what we have, in our little business.'

'And you built it all up on your own, didn't you? Stan told me you took a few women with you when you left Blake.'

'That's right. I was not the only one wanting to leave. It is not a pleasant environment for women. So we did it on our own. He wasn't pleased, but fuck him.'

'You are a formidable woman, Roza. I'm confident our daughter will turn out just as strong, with you.'

'Awww, thank you.' 

'…..There is... something...'

'What?'

'Something I should confess.'

'Well, what is it?'

'….....My girlfriend is pregnant too.'

'...Really?'

'Yes, really.'

'Really, Nari?'

'The timing is pretty awful, but yes, unfortunately!'

'Another woman is going to have our daughter's sibling, that is what you are saying, yes?'

'Yes.'

'For fuck's sake, Nari! How fucking fertile are you?'

'I don't even know! I thought I'd used adequate protection with both of you! Faulty condoms, maybe? Who even knows.'

'The same ones? How pregnant is she?'

'About the same as you.'

'Fucking fantastic. Where does she live?'

'Midnight Hollow.'

'…...Great.'

'I live in Italy, Roza, think how harder it'll be for me when I have to keep travelling back and forth between you-'

'No sympathy. You chose to nail two women simultaneously.'

'Okay.'

'Honestly... How did you manage to get in this mess?'

'I don't know, but I'm seriously considering a vasectomy.'

'I think that would be wise.'

'I'm sorry.'

'Me too. What is her number? I would like to talk to her.'

'Oh, shit, you can't.'

'Why not?'

'She... um, doesn't know about you yet.'

'…Tell her, Nari. Tell her right now.'

'Do I have to-?'

'Yes, or I will stab your balls and nail them to my wall, and then call her myself.'

'Okay, okay!'

'Hello.'

'Hello, beautiful.'

'How are you?'

'Oh, I'm okay... you?'

'Okay, thanks. I have an ultrasound booked soon, since I've officially hit the six months mark now.'

'Aww, good. I'll go with you. Listen, baby... I, um, I have to tell you something.' 

'Oh God, that doesn't sound good. What is it?'

'So... you know I was seeing another woman casually before you and I were official...?'

'Yes? ...Are you and her becoming official...?'

'What? Oh, no, we're not. It's just that she's... um... she might be pregnant too.'

'Oh! Oh. How far along is she?'

'About the same as you...'

'Bloody hell, Nari! So you got two of us pregnant at virtually the same time?'

'Yeah... I don't know how I managed it.'

'So I imagine this means that our already limited time together will be cut down further so you can look after the other child as well. I mean, I wouldn't want you to be a deadbeat to any of your kids, but...'

'I promise, I will absolutely still be there for our child. I can make it work!'

'Okay, good. Sorry, this is a lot to take in.'

'I know. It's really unfortunate. I'm really sorry, Juli. I thought I was careful.'

'Mmm. Well I thought I had been too... I'm going to go and lie down for a bit. I'll talk to you soon.'

'Okay, tesoro. Speak soon.'