car, Mum,' Owen said, and gave Annie a pointed look.
'Sorry,' Annie felt she had to reply.
'Then we've made up a list of smaller, but nonetheless important actions,' Owen went on. 'Always turn everything off properly, don't leave it on stand-by. Fit low-energy light bulbs everywhere. Recycle much more. Give old things to charity. Then everything else relates to Mum.'
'Does it?' Annie asked in surprise.
'Yes, we've identified you as the number one household polluter,' Owen told her solemnly.
'Me?' Annie sat up in her chair, while Ed gave a chuckle at her expense.
'Yup,' Milo came in on Owen's side, 'there's a list of things just for you.'
'Mum to spend much less time in the power shower,' Owen read out, 'Mum not to go by taxi so much, Mum to use her mobile less, Mum not to buy so many new things, Mum not to drink so much water out of plastic bottles. Mum to give more things away to charity—'
'All right!' Annie broke in, 'I think that's about enough lecturing for one night, isn't it? Why don't I make up for my terrible, terrible crimes by buying some raffle tickets from you?'
'Excellent!' Owen had to agree.
'Too tired for fun then?' Ed asked quietly, letting his finger trace gently down Annie's side as they lay together in bed.
She pulled his arm until it was warm and tight around her, then moved her back so it was snugly fitted against his fuzzy chest.
'Too tired,' she confirmed.
'Alas,' he said with a sigh.
'A lass?' she teased, 'which lass? Is this something I should know about?'
'Don't be silly,' he said into the hairs on the back of her neck, 'you're the only lass for me.'
This caused a shiver to travel down her spine which made her wonder for a moment if she really was too tired. She wriggled her buttocks against his warm, naked body and felt him stir slightly against her. But then came the question which made her change her mind completely.
'I know you're very busy and this is a big new thing you're taking on . . .' Ed began gingerly, 'but have you at least given just a little thought to my question from the other night?'
There was silence. A big, deafening silence between them. The last thing Annie wanted to do right now was have this conversation.
'It's OK,' Ed was the first to speak. 'It's OK. You don't have to give me any sort of answer now. I don't even know if I want an answer now, I just want to know that you're thinking about it.'
'Ed . . .' Annie began. She turned over so that she was facing him but still in his arms.
His eyes were on hers. Light blue eyes searching her face very seriously. She pulled him close, so that her mouth was against his soft, pale shoulder and she didn't have to feel the eyes on her face. Then, in a quiet voice, she told him: 'You know how I feel about this. I haven't changed my mind and I really, really don't think I'm ever going to change my mind. I've got a fantastic girl and a brilliant boy, and we are so lucky to have you. That's my family, Ed.'
Taking a deep breath, knowing how much disappointment she risked causing him, she added, 'I don't want to have another baby.'
Chapter Seven
Svetlana on the small screen:
White and blue plunging day dress (Issa)
Purple leather and python bag (Francesco Biasia)
Blue suede heeled sandals (Jimmy Choo)
Two-carat sapphire ring (third husband)
Total est. cost: £86,400
'Bin bag!'
'Cath? Cath, vhat is dis?!' Svetlana, looking too impossibly sexy and glamorous for this neat beige bedroom in one of the pleasantly green corners of south-west London, had opened a cupboard drawer.
She was not at all happy with what she had found in there.
With a flick of her manicured fingers, Svetlana hoisted out a large, saggy pair of beige underpants. Next a worn-out bra, its straps curled up into spirals, dangled helplessly from Svetlana's long, pink fingernail.
The 52-year-old woman who owned the shapeless underwear did not look happy either.
'Sorry,' Annie felt she had to reply.
'Then we've made up a list of smaller, but nonetheless important actions,' Owen went on. 'Always turn everything off properly, don't leave it on stand-by. Fit low-energy light bulbs everywhere. Recycle much more. Give old things to charity. Then everything else relates to Mum.'
'Does it?' Annie asked in surprise.
'Yes, we've identified you as the number one household polluter,' Owen told her solemnly.
'Me?' Annie sat up in her chair, while Ed gave a chuckle at her expense.
'Yup,' Milo came in on Owen's side, 'there's a list of things just for you.'
'Mum to spend much less time in the power shower,' Owen read out, 'Mum not to go by taxi so much, Mum to use her mobile less, Mum not to buy so many new things, Mum not to drink so much water out of plastic bottles. Mum to give more things away to charity—'
'All right!' Annie broke in, 'I think that's about enough lecturing for one night, isn't it? Why don't I make up for my terrible, terrible crimes by buying some raffle tickets from you?'
'Excellent!' Owen had to agree.
'Too tired for fun then?' Ed asked quietly, letting his finger trace gently down Annie's side as they lay together in bed.
She pulled his arm until it was warm and tight around her, then moved her back so it was snugly fitted against his fuzzy chest.
'Too tired,' she confirmed.
'Alas,' he said with a sigh.
'A lass?' she teased, 'which lass? Is this something I should know about?'
'Don't be silly,' he said into the hairs on the back of her neck, 'you're the only lass for me.'
This caused a shiver to travel down her spine which made her wonder for a moment if she really was too tired. She wriggled her buttocks against his warm, naked body and felt him stir slightly against her. But then came the question which made her change her mind completely.
'I know you're very busy and this is a big new thing you're taking on . . .' Ed began gingerly, 'but have you at least given just a little thought to my question from the other night?'
There was silence. A big, deafening silence between them. The last thing Annie wanted to do right now was have this conversation.
'It's OK,' Ed was the first to speak. 'It's OK. You don't have to give me any sort of answer now. I don't even know if I want an answer now, I just want to know that you're thinking about it.'
'Ed . . .' Annie began. She turned over so that she was facing him but still in his arms.
His eyes were on hers. Light blue eyes searching her face very seriously. She pulled him close, so that her mouth was against his soft, pale shoulder and she didn't have to feel the eyes on her face. Then, in a quiet voice, she told him: 'You know how I feel about this. I haven't changed my mind and I really, really don't think I'm ever going to change my mind. I've got a fantastic girl and a brilliant boy, and we are so lucky to have you. That's my family, Ed.'
Taking a deep breath, knowing how much disappointment she risked causing him, she added, 'I don't want to have another baby.'
Chapter Seven
Svetlana on the small screen:
White and blue plunging day dress (Issa)
Purple leather and python bag (Francesco Biasia)
Blue suede heeled sandals (Jimmy Choo)
Two-carat sapphire ring (third husband)
Total est. cost: £86,400
'Bin bag!'
'Cath? Cath, vhat is dis?!' Svetlana, looking too impossibly sexy and glamorous for this neat beige bedroom in one of the pleasantly green corners of south-west London, had opened a cupboard drawer.
She was not at all happy with what she had found in there.
With a flick of her manicured fingers, Svetlana hoisted out a large, saggy pair of beige underpants. Next a worn-out bra, its straps curled up into spirals, dangled helplessly from Svetlana's long, pink fingernail.
The 52-year-old woman who owned the shapeless underwear did not look happy either.
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