It had been a long afternoon, and both Maria and Lucy were hot, sweaty and covered in mud.
“Remind me again,” asked Maria, standing up and wiping the sweat from her forehead. “Why are we digging this hole? Where is Marcus this weekend? Why isn’t he digging it?”
Lucy took a long drink from her water bottle.
“Marcus had to go to Barcelona on business, and I thought it would be a nice surprise for him to at least have the pond dug for when he got back.”
“Why did I agree to help you?” Maria said with a laugh, “this is not a fun way to spend a Saturday! I’m exhausted!”
“Oh, stop moaning!” Lucy answered with a smile, “you offered to help and, besides, later on I’ll buy you a beer.”
The two women continued to dig the hole for the pond in friendly silence. They had been friends since they were at university, and shared everything. At university they had been on the same courses and had studied together, gone on dates together, and Maria had been a bridesmaid at Lucy’s wedding to Marcus. There wasn’t a weekend when they didn’t at least speak to each other. But most Saturday nights they would go out for dinner, go to the pub, or simply stay in and watch a DVD. At first Marcus hated having Maria in his house all the time, as he felt he didn’t spend enough time alone with Lucy. But he soon realised that the two friends were not going to be separated, so he accepted that she was a part of their life.
It was natural for Maria to help Lucy dig her garden. Lucy didn’t really have anyone else she could ask, and it was also a chance for them to spend some time together without Marcus in the background. Both women had been looking forward to the weekend for some time. However, they had been working on the pond all afternoon, and had nearly finished the digging, but they were very hot and tired, and were both getting a little irritable.
“I think this will be a beautiful place for the pond,” said Maria, looking around the garden, taking a break from the hard work.
“I agree! It has the shade of the tree, and you should be able to see it from the house as well,” answered Lucy, making the hole a little wider.
“Your garden is beautiful, it’s ideal for kids to play in,” said Maria with a smile. Earlier they had discussed Lucy’s and Marcus’ desire to have a baby. They had been married for a year and were hoping to start a family soon. Lucy stood up, and stopped digging, but she didn’t put the spade down. She looked at Maria with a very serious and inscrutable expression on her face.
“I hope you don’t think for one second that your child will play in my garden!?”
Maria looked at her friend in confusion. “What child? I haven’t got any kids!” Maria did not like the way that Lucy was looking at her. There was a very strange look in her eye.
“Not yet!” she snapped.
“Not for a while, I wouldn’t have thought. Not unless I find a boyfriend soon,” Maria said with a sigh. She had been single for two years and was beginning to feel a little depressed about it.
“But what about that one,” Lucy answered, gesturing towards Maria’s stomach with her gloved hand. “I know about your affair with Marcus, and I know you are pregnant.”
The colour drained from Maria’s face: “Oh, my God! How did you...? Who told you? I’m so sorry Lucy but I can explain. It’s not really an affair. We just… ”
“Save it. I am not interested in your excuses!”
“They’re not excuses, I just want to explain. You are my best friend, and I don’t want to lose you over something as stupid as this.”
“I won’t lose you. You and your child will always be a part of my home,” Lucy said, as she raised the spade above her head and swung it downwards, slicing through the top of Maria’s head, knocking her into the hole they had spent the afternoon digging. For the next two hours Lucy slowly shovelled the soil back into the hole.