lunch.
‘Thanks for always being so understanding about all this,’ he said, then draped his arms over her shoulders and kissed her cheek. ‘And I meant to say earlier, it’s so good to see you looking happier recently.’
When Dana put down her knife and turned around, she was crying. She wasn’t used to her husband being so tender.
‘Hey, what is it?’ Mark asked lovingly.
‘Hormones, I guess. No baby Knight again this month, I’m afraid.’ She wiped her hands on a tea towel. ‘I don’t think I can bear it any more – every month thinking I’m pregnant. My boobs hurt, my tummy swells and then there’s always the disappointment of the false alarm.’
‘Oh love. I’m sorry.’ He held her to his chest tightly. ‘Actually, I meant to tell you that John Hoskins – you know, the new senior accountant I mentioned before.’ Dana nodded. ‘Well, his wife had IVF – and she’s pregnant with twins now. If you wanted to go down that route, I’d be more than happy to support you.’
She was taken aback once more by Mark’s thoughtfulness. Recently, they had seemed to be growing apart. She knew that his job was busy and he was under a lot of pressure, and yet, as much as it was annoying that he didn’t want her to work and she had to keep Rosco’s a secret, she did really love him and was happy that he had mentioned the IVF and not her.
She herself had been reading up about it in a magazine just last month and had intended to give it a little longer trying before suggesting it herself. They obviously could produce a healthy child; but for some reason now needed a little extra help. Evidently, this was not uncommon.
Mark continued: ‘The Hoskins went to a clinic in Chelsea, said it was like a hotel, not a hospital. If you do want to go for it, that’s where we shall head. Only the best for my little Czech angel.’ Mark kissed her again and headed back towards the play room. ‘Just say the word and I’ll book us an appointment.’
Dana carried on peeling the potatoes as she looked out over the perfectly maintained garden and Tommy’s trampoline. Old Malcolm the gardener noticed her and blew her a kiss as he cleared the recent leaves with his special garden vacuum cleaner. She laughed to herself, wishing that she could invite the LWL round for tea just to see their faces at all that was hers.
Minutes later, she walked into the play room – and smiled at the sight of Mark, Sidney and Tommy all shrieking in delight as their cars sped around the track at top speed.
Mark looked up at her and grinned widely.
‘Let’s do it,’ Dana said loudly.
The children squealed their appreciation as their dad’s car span wildly out of control and on to the floor.
Gordon waved to Inga from the flat window. She had been such a great help at the party. The girls loved her young energy, and she had left the place spotless.
He flopped back on his comfy cream leather armchair and flicked on the television. The girls had decided to go back and stay with their real dad’s sister for the night, so Gordon and Chris had the sofa, X-Factor and a whole evening to themselves. Bliss.
It had actually amused him that certain mums took offence if their dear little ones weren’t invited to the various Year Two birthday parties. In fact, Gordon had not invited anyone from the school. It was just family and his friends. He found it easier that way. Nobody had ever discussed his situation, but he didn’t want to have the girls trying to explain that they lived with their gay uncle and his boyfriend, hence the reason they called him Dad at school. He decided that when they were a bit older he would address the situation with them and they could choose what they wanted to do. Maybe he was being paranoid, but he knew how cruel kids could be.
Lily and Lola had been just three when their parents had died, and although they had missed them initially, especially their mum, with all the love and fun he threw at them, they soon
‘Thanks for always being so understanding about all this,’ he said, then draped his arms over her shoulders and kissed her cheek. ‘And I meant to say earlier, it’s so good to see you looking happier recently.’
When Dana put down her knife and turned around, she was crying. She wasn’t used to her husband being so tender.
‘Hey, what is it?’ Mark asked lovingly.
‘Hormones, I guess. No baby Knight again this month, I’m afraid.’ She wiped her hands on a tea towel. ‘I don’t think I can bear it any more – every month thinking I’m pregnant. My boobs hurt, my tummy swells and then there’s always the disappointment of the false alarm.’
‘Oh love. I’m sorry.’ He held her to his chest tightly. ‘Actually, I meant to tell you that John Hoskins – you know, the new senior accountant I mentioned before.’ Dana nodded. ‘Well, his wife had IVF – and she’s pregnant with twins now. If you wanted to go down that route, I’d be more than happy to support you.’
She was taken aback once more by Mark’s thoughtfulness. Recently, they had seemed to be growing apart. She knew that his job was busy and he was under a lot of pressure, and yet, as much as it was annoying that he didn’t want her to work and she had to keep Rosco’s a secret, she did really love him and was happy that he had mentioned the IVF and not her.
She herself had been reading up about it in a magazine just last month and had intended to give it a little longer trying before suggesting it herself. They obviously could produce a healthy child; but for some reason now needed a little extra help. Evidently, this was not uncommon.
Mark continued: ‘The Hoskins went to a clinic in Chelsea, said it was like a hotel, not a hospital. If you do want to go for it, that’s where we shall head. Only the best for my little Czech angel.’ Mark kissed her again and headed back towards the play room. ‘Just say the word and I’ll book us an appointment.’
Dana carried on peeling the potatoes as she looked out over the perfectly maintained garden and Tommy’s trampoline. Old Malcolm the gardener noticed her and blew her a kiss as he cleared the recent leaves with his special garden vacuum cleaner. She laughed to herself, wishing that she could invite the LWL round for tea just to see their faces at all that was hers.
Minutes later, she walked into the play room – and smiled at the sight of Mark, Sidney and Tommy all shrieking in delight as their cars sped around the track at top speed.
Mark looked up at her and grinned widely.
‘Let’s do it,’ Dana said loudly.
The children squealed their appreciation as their dad’s car span wildly out of control and on to the floor.
Gordon waved to Inga from the flat window. She had been such a great help at the party. The girls loved her young energy, and she had left the place spotless.
He flopped back on his comfy cream leather armchair and flicked on the television. The girls had decided to go back and stay with their real dad’s sister for the night, so Gordon and Chris had the sofa, X-Factor and a whole evening to themselves. Bliss.
It had actually amused him that certain mums took offence if their dear little ones weren’t invited to the various Year Two birthday parties. In fact, Gordon had not invited anyone from the school. It was just family and his friends. He found it easier that way. Nobody had ever discussed his situation, but he didn’t want to have the girls trying to explain that they lived with their gay uncle and his boyfriend, hence the reason they called him Dad at school. He decided that when they were a bit older he would address the situation with them and they could choose what they wanted to do. Maybe he was being paranoid, but he knew how cruel kids could be.
Lily and Lola had been just three when their parents had died, and although they had missed them initially, especially their mum, with all the love and fun he threw at them, they soon
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