“I was trying to tell you...” She looked as coy as a young girl. “...Harold has asked me to go travelling with him. And I thought... why not?”
Matt found himself bemused by this unexpected turn in their friendship. “You’re right, Mum. Why not?” he reasoned. He’d preached not hanging on to the past and she’d been a widow for over three years now. If Harold’s companionship rounded out her life, she should take it.
His mother heaved a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad you don’t mind, dear.”
“It’s your choice, Mum,” Matt declared, hoping it would work out really well for her.
Her cheeks pinked up some more. “Since there seemed no point in wasting time—we’re not getting any younger—we’ve already decided on a tour and it’s only a month before we’re off.”
Matt had to smile at the repetition of his own argument about wasting her life. “Where are you off to...Europe?”
“No... no... I did that with your father.”
Apparently Harold was not to tread on that ground.
“We’re taking a boat down the Amazon,” she announced, her eyes lighting up at the thought of it.
“You’re what?” Surprises were coming thick and fast.
“It will be such an adventure, Matt.”
His mother... the adventuress! A little over a year ago, she could hardly be persuaded out of her own home!
“After that we’re planning a cruise to Alaska.”
“Alaska,” he repeated numbly.
“Then there’s a wonderful wildlife sanctuary in Kenya.”
“Okay!” Matt held up his hand. “I’ve got the picture. You now have lots of things to live for. You don’t need a grandchild.”
“Of course I need a grandchild,” she cried, not realising he was teasing her. “I’ll just love telling Tim about these marvellous places when he’s old enough to understand.”
“We’ll all be interested to hear about your adventures, Cynthia,” Peta put in warmly.
“Dear Peta...” His mother looked benignly upon his wife. “...You make a beautiful mother.”
“Thank you.” Another smile. “I don’t know if I could bear to leave Tim with a baby-sitter so don’t let Matt make you feel guilty.”
“It is hard to let go,” his mother said sympathetically and settled herself on the bed for a cosy chat. “Now you must give me your advice on my hair, Peta. I won’t be able to go to a hairdresser for weeks on end once I’m off.” She reached out and tenderly stroked Tim’s hand. “Oh, to have skin like a baby’s! Isn’t it glorious?”
Matt rolled his eyes and retired to the sidelines. Women, he decided, were definitely from another planet. Peta was glowing as though she hadn’t been anywhere near death’s door barely twenty-four hours ago. Her mother was probably mourning the fact that pink was not the order of the day, never mind the miracle that her daughter had survived. As for his own mother...well, he had wanted her revitalised, but how could she be rattling on about herself when she, of all people, knew what it took to bring a baby into the world?
She had to remember almost dying in childbirth. Matt certainly hadn’t forgotten what he’d so recently experienced. He now understood what his father had felt, watching his wife dice with death.
Megan arrived.
There were now four clucky women, drooling over his son and saying not a word about how he’d come into the world. Was it some kind of sisterhood conspiracy? They’d all had the experience of birth, in one form or another, so they instinctively agreed to forget it? Once survival and motherhood was achieved, that was it?
Then he heard the most incredible words he’d ever heard in his life. From Megan! Who was the one most recently to have given birth before Peta.
“Only twelve hours of labour and no stitches. You really got it easy, Peta,” she said blithely.
It was too much for Matt.
“Easy?” He climbed to his feet as his voice climbed upwards. “Easy? Are you mad, Megan?”
Four female faces turned to him in startled wonderment, as th