A hard rap was heard on Mark's door; he rolled off the sofa and jogged over to answer it. There slumped against the door frame was his ex-girlfriend Maureen.
"Maureen?" he questioned, cocking an eyebrow.
"Hey Mark," she smiled sweetly, yet Mark was sure there was a hint of seduction.
Mark sighed, "Come in," he knew what was coming.
"Thanks," she smiled and sat down on the sofa, picking up what Mark had been doing previously, "Were you drawing?"
"Yeah, I -," Mark stuttered, snatching the drawing away from Maureen and folding it into his back pocket.
"Who're you drawing?" she asked, her eyes gleaming devilishly.
"Oh, no one," Mark scoffed, "Just a little doodle,"
"Let me see," Maureen giggled, getting up off her seat and approaching Mark playfully.
"No, I don't think -,"
"Come on," she poked his sides, trying to make him obey.
"Maureen, stop it," he instructed her.
"Mark I wanna see it," she pouted, wrestling with him till he was backed up against the front door. They stood there breathing for a moment and Mark was afraid he would let his feelings take over and he'd do something he'd regret.
"Don't do this," he whispered, so close to her lips they were almost touching.
"Do what?" she mouthed, her voice barely audible, sending shivers down Mark's spine.
Mark suddenly pushed Maureen away, storming into his bedroom and ripping up the drawing and scattering the pieces on the floor.
"NO!" Maureen cried, darting after him but it was too late, the ripped paper scattered the floor like confetti. Maureen bent down and picked one up, turning it over and seeing a pencil female eye staring up at her from the paper. She walked over to the mirror slowly and placed the piece of paper over her left eye, a complete match with her real kholed eye, "It was me wasn't it?" she breathed, looking over at Mark who nodded.
"Yes," He replied, Maureen gulped, "You shouldn't have come," he told her, shaking his head, "Joanne… you… her… risky…" he mumbled to himself, scratching the back of his head.
"Me and Joanne are over," Maureen mouthed, making sure he got the message, they both stood there in silence for a moment.
"So that's why you came?" Mark asked, "Now that you and Joanne are over you just come crawling back to me, is that it?"
"No, Mark, No!"
"GET THE FUCK OUT!" Mark bellowed, "How dare you come back here after all those things you said to me when we broke up?"
"Mark, I,"
"I don't want to hear your bullshit, Maureen, I put up with it for 2 years and I'm sick of it, I don't want you around here anymore, go and sort your deal out with Joanne, you'll be back together by tomorrow anyway!"
"Listen to me!" Maureen cried
"No, Maureen, I am done with you, I wash my fucking hands with you, you whore! I am not your bitch that you can just pick up and put down when you like! I am sick of being used and I am sick of being second best! I DESERVE BETTER!" Mark roared into Maureen's stunned face.
The silence was painful, tears were overflowing from Maureen's eyes as she stood there shaking gently, silent for once. She gave a throaty moan and sniffed.
"I'm pregnant," she whispered.
Mark's eyes grew wider, "What?"
"It sure as hell ain't Joanne's," Maureen wiped away her tears, "and we're not getting back together, she won't mother someone else's child,"
"It's not mine!" Mark refused.
"It's yours," Maureen told him, "You're the only man I ever…" she stopped, unable to go on, "I may seem like I'm a whore, but I never…" again she stopped, wiping away her tears, "No one but you,"
Mark gasped gently, understanding what she was trying to say and suddenly the realisation hit him. Mark fell to the floor clasping his hands around Maureen's stomach and cried harder than he ever had before.