Seven
Rachel had just popped the chicken casserole into the oven when Steph and Chloe arrived. It had been a surprise to her when her younger daughter told her she was in love with the girl who had been her best friend through school, but Rachel had immediately realised how well suited they were. Now the pair were happily settled into married life.
After the usual round of hugs, and when the two women had made a fuss of Molly, Steph handed Rachel a bottle of prosecco. ‘What are we celebrating?’ Rachel asked.
‘Later,’ Steph said, giving Chloe a secret smile which made Rachel wonder what it was about. They’d only recently returned from Tasmania. She hoped they hadn’t decided to move there.
Putting the prosecco into the fridge on Steph’s instructions, Rachel poured three glasses of chardonnay and they went out to sit in the courtyard, Molly following and choosing to plop herself down at Steph’s feet.
‘So,’ Steph said, ‘what do you think about Alexander? I spoke to Jess, and it seems he sent the same message to all of us… no details, just a surprise.’
‘He’s met someone,’ Chloe said. ‘What else can it be?’
‘I think you’re right,’ Rachel said, but it irked her she’d been unable to contact him for more information.
‘Your brother’s always been a bit of a dark horse,’ Chloe said. ‘It’s just like him to want to keep everyone in the dark. I wonder what she’ll be like.’
‘Well, we’ll soon find out,’ Steph said. ‘It’s not long till Christmas, and I expect he’ll arrive at least a few days before the big day. You are going to do your usual Christmas, Mum, I hope?’
‘Of course.’ Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the big tree in the living room, Rachel’s special Christmas Eve dinner, and Christmas Day breakfast and lunch. It was a tradition she and Kirk had started when the children were little, and she’d continued. It brought back so many good memories. ‘It’s so much fun with Gemma and Indie, and Emily is old enough to enjoy it too this year. Christmas is for children, and I love to see my granddaughters’ faces when they open their presents. It’s part of the joy of Christmas.’
Steph and Chloe laughed, and Rachel saw them glance at each other and share that secret smile again. There was definitely something up.
The oven pinged and they went inside to where Rachel had set the table in the dining room. Steph and Chloe helped her carry in the chicken along with a salad she’d prepared earlier and the remainder of the wine, Molly following in the hope of some titbits.
It wasn’t till they had finished eating and Rachel had heard all about the Tasmanian trip, that, after a glance at Chloe, Steph rose and went to the kitchen to return with the now chilled prosecco. Rachel gave a sigh of relief. She was finally going to discover what the secret smiles and glances were all about. She crossed her fingers they weren’t going to tell her they planned to leave Pelican Crossing. She loved having both her girls living so close to her and being able to see them regularly. It almost made up for Alexander’s absence.
Steph filled their glasses with the sparkling wine, then took Chloe’s hand in hers. Both women smiled at Rachel. ‘Chloe and I have decided to have a baby,’ she said. ‘We wanted you to be the first to know.’
Rachel was speechless. When Steph and Chloe got together, she’d resigned herself to the fact Steph wouldn’t provide her with any grandchildren. While she knew many same-sex couples did have children, it had never occurred to her Steph and Chloe would be one of them.
‘Oh, I’m thrilled,’ she said, trembling with excitement. This was the best news they could have given her. ‘How? When?’
Steph laughed. ‘We’re still in the early stages, but we’ve been speaking to the two guys who work in Books and Coffee . They’re more than willing to go along with us, for one of them to donate his sperm and for them to be honorary uncles to the baby. They say it’ll be the next best thing to having one of their own.’
Rachel was glad she was sitting down. This was a lot to digest. Another baby, another grandchild and a link to those delightful young men who worked with Lou. ‘Who?’ she asked, looking from Steph to Chloe and back.
‘I’m going to have this one,’ Steph said. ‘We drew straws.’
Rachel gasped. They drew straws for who would become pregnant?
‘It’s not as crazy as it sounds,’ Steph said, clearly understanding Rachel’s surprise. ‘We don’t want this one to be an only child. We want him or her to have a brother or sister, so I’ll have this one and Chloe will have the next. I loved growing up with a brother and sister, but Chloe was an only child, and we don’t want that for our child.’
‘I… see.’ Rachel did, but it wasn’t always that simple. She thought of her friend Poppy’s oldest daughter who had such difficulty in becoming pregnant, but as a nurse, surely Steph would be aware of the possible pitfalls.
‘And your folks, Chloe?’ Rachel looked at Steph’s partner. She was aware Chloe’s parents hadn’t been happy about the two women getting together and had only attended their wedding under protest.
Chloe reddened. ‘That’s one of the reasons Steph will have our first child. Mum and Dad… We want them to get used to the idea before it’s my turn.’
Rachel didn’t say anything. She knew Chloe’s parents and doubted anything would change their minds. She could only hope the arrival of a grandchild would soften their attitude to their daughter and her partner. She suddenly realised they’d been so busy talking their glasses were still full. She raised hers. ‘To the new addition to our family, my next grandchild, and its two very special mothers,’ she said.
Steph and Chloe raised their glasses too. ‘To our first child,’ they said together as they clinked their glasses and took a sip.
The rest of the evening was spent in a discussion about names for the baby, and with Rachel wanting to know when they intended to set this in motion. She was unable to receive a definite answer, but Steph assured her she’d be the first to know when she became pregnant. ‘After Chloe,’ she said, laughing. There had been a lot of laughter, proving to Rachel the two women had given their decision a lot of thought and would be good parents. Rachel couldn’t wait for her new grandchild, a cousin for Gemma, Indie and Emily, and to wonder if this one would be a boy or another granddaughter. It suddenly occurred to her that this must be the secret Lou had imagined the two young men were keeping from her.
When Steph and Chloe had left and Rachel was alone again with Molly, she sighed with happiness. While unexpected, Steph’s news had filled her with delight, but it made her wish Kirk was here to share it with her. As she prepared for bed, she picked up his photo from the bedside table as she always did. It was one taken just before he had become so sick. In it, he looked the picture of health. He was standing on the beach with a fishing rod, wearing his old straw hat, a silly grin on his face. She kissed the image of the man she’d never stopped loving, before replacing it carefully. ‘You’d be so proud of Steph,’ she told him. ‘She’s made a good life for herself and is going to become a wonderful mother.’