She’s never been shy about what she wants – and now she wants them both…
‘They’re going to want to know about grandkids, if I know Mum.’ Lyle doesn’t sound happy. I thought he’d be the one keen to discuss everything. He’s the one who usually brings this shit up.
‘Tell them nothing.’ Charlie’s even less happy.
‘That’s not going to help,’ I point out. ‘We have to give them some kind of an answer.’
‘Like what?’ Charlie rests his chin on my head. ‘How can we answer something we don’t know?’
‘We say something like, “At the moment we aren’t ready for kids but unconventional families are pretty much the norm now days, so I’m sure we’ll work something out.” Would that work?’
Charlie’s nod is gentle and felt through my scalp. Lyle looks at me intently. ‘That’s good, Hannah. You’re good at this.’
‘I’ve had all day to think about it.’
Each must be lost in their thoughts because no one says anything for a long time.
‘We should sleep,’ I say softly. ‘You guys have to be rested before you go.’
Charlie hums but doesn’t stir. Lyle, frowning, looks at us both. ‘We need to have this talk tomorrow, otherwise it’ll hang over us.’
I nod. ‘I’ll talk to Irene and Lauren first thing.’
‘Should we?’ Lyle asks quietly.
‘If I organise it, neither of you will be cornered by your mother.’
‘I’m voting that Han’s our spokesman.’ Charlie, the big scaredy cat, is quick to agree with me.
Lyle nods. ‘I’m in complete agreement.’
I’m having a bit of trouble coping with the role reversal. I’m usually the one running from relationships and families and feelings. Who’d have thought I’d be doing this?
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