Nathan's NEW GAME

Could playing with her little nephew really help Rose to make a life-changing decision?

I 've made a new one!' my nephew shouted at me as I stepped into my sister's hall.

'A new one?' I repeated, before conjuring up a smile. 'Wow! That's brilliant, Nathan. You only made the last one a few days ago.'

'Yeah. But this one's really amazing.' He grabbed my hand. 'Come and play with me.'

'In a minute,' I replied. 'I want to talk to your mum first.' 'But I want you to play with me,' Nathan said, doing that thing kids do with their bottom lip.

'Auntie Rose will play with you soon, my sister Lily said.

'Anyway, you need to colour in the rest of the green squares.

Nathan sighed. 'But I don't want to, Mum.' 'The game will look much better if you do, Lily told him.

'I'll get you some juice and you can colour in until Auntie Rose is ready to play. 'OK' Nathan sighed again.

'I won't be long,' I assured him, wondering how I was going to talk to Lily about my problem in just a few minutes. And then we can play.

'Yeah, right, Nathan muttered, disappearing into the living room.

Lily and I went into the kitchen.

'OK. So what do you want to talk about?' Lily asked me once she had taken Nathan his juice and made us both a coffee.

'I'm pregnant,' I blurted out, knowing I didn't have time to beat about the bush.

'What?' Her eyes opened wide. 'Wow! I never thought I'd hear you say that.' And I never thought I'd say it,' I muttered. 'I'm still on the pill, but I must have forgotten to take it or something.' 'So what did Luke say?' she asked.

'I haven't told him, I admitted as I sat there at her kitchen table and stared into my coffee.

'I only did the test a while ago, and I'm still in shock, and... well, I haven't told Luke yet because he'll get all excited, and I don't know if I want to be a mum.'