<b>There had been telling signs for a couple of weeks. But it was not that Tammy herself had consciously sought to become pregnant. The truth was that since puberty she never got on with the variety of contraceptive methods and had chopped and changed between hormonal patches and pills, diaphragms and cervical caps, and even trying coils and injections. It was always going to prove fatal to depend more upon divine intervention especially in seeing how ignoring the issue had destroyed the lives of so many teenage girls, who she came across in her jobs. It was no surprise that her feelings of nausea and fatigue, coupled with extra tenderness in her breasts and heightened sense of smell was quickly officially confirmed that indeed she was with child and going to be a mother. Her pro-life feminist principles were always going to rule out any thoughts of having an abortion.<br/>
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Although she hadn't had the right opportunity yet to tell Carl that she was going to have his baby, she was hypersensitive that he may somehow deduce it for himself or develop a natural perception of her situation. After his sister finally released her from her rather zealous embrace, again a bell rang in Tammy's mind that maybe she would somehow automatic know too. Her suspicions had not yet reached the level of being paranoid but were already becoming regular suppositions and performing somersaults in her brain.. She just wished that the best news in the world for her was open and out in the public for everyone to know. The size-plus raven haired could only think that the boyfriend's celebration party could not have come at a more unfortunate time. How much she wanted him to know but felt compelled to remain tight-lipped until their future together was clearer.<br/>
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Coming up behind the guest-of-honour and his possible future bride was their potential home-wrecker, though Tiffany did not visualise herself at all as such nor even aware of the daunting prospect. As she got of her father's car not quite being as lady-like as her  mini would otherwise allow, she was completely oblivious of Carl's secret relationships or really anything about his private life. There was no reason why she should know. His sister did confide in her but not much about her brother.  It wasn't that the music undergraduate disliked him particularly, rather the reverse but he was never her type at all though she was unsure who really was. All but one of her boyfriends had been fairly short-lived and most had not even reached the bedroom stage. Of those that did she did not want particularly reminding of them. None would qualify for a romance novel, more as black comedies.<br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff99">"Never seen you looking so girlie since your 18th or was it your 16th? Boys won't even be able to resist you. Looks so ravishing, my dopplerganger twin, or should it be dopplebanger?"</span><br/>
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It was not just her brother, who ribbed Sammy about the unfamiliar way she was dressed. The two best friends caught up with one another as they walked with their arms linked around the outside of the house into the garden.  Tiffany was unable to refrain from joining in their accustomed jokingly teasing. Her former classmate was an aberration to her. At least temporarily, she was no longer a camionneuse or a nominal truck driver. It must have been about five years ago she confided  her uncertainty about her sexual orientation that made no difference in the closeness of their relationship. They were like sisters or more.<br/>
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Ahead the chestnut hued brunette caught sight of the guest of honour, who her father seemed to have a fixation for her to get hitched to. Over the years, they had been often seated with each other primarily at social functions and events organised by his father.  There had never been any real romantic involvement between the two of them though Tiffany could admit that she maybe had a schoolgirl crush on Carl once upon a time on but that was before puberty. It was rather disconcerting for her to be associated as the victim of an attempted arranged marriage if that was what it was. Was anyone else part of such a devious plan, she wondered. Her progenitor was less than clear about it. He seemed obsessed about leading her life for her and had become such a battle for her to retain much independence.<br/>
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<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ffff99">"Tamara, you said. Tammy. You don't live that far away from me then. I'm at Durham uni, though maybe only for another couple of months. Unless I stay on for a postgrad since I'm in the local orchestra and a string assemble."</span><br/>
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It was an unexpected turnaround for Tiffany being introduced to Carl's apparent girlfriend, who was making her first appearance at the Parkstone household. She sighed an air of relief hoping that would be the end of any suggestions that she should wed Sammy's brother, who seemed besotted with Tammy even if understandably he also appeared distracted by the day's events.</b>