Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Joanna had spent the past few days working on ideas for her next book and reading through the latest bestsellers. She was feeling inspired after the birth of Gypsy Rose, and she needed a creative outlet. She flipped through the pages of a magazine, her hair still wet from a swim in the pool. Over the fence, she spied Chris working in his garden. She slipped a towel around her swimsuit and padded through the grass to see him.
“Good afternoon,” she said.
He smiled at her over the fence. “There you are. You’ve been a difficult one to catch lately. Everything going well?”
“Eva had the baby,” she said. “Called her Gypsy Rose.”
“How lovely.” He rested his gloved hands on top of the palings.
“They’re both healthy, and Eva came through it very well. Her parents are picking her up from the hospital now to bring her home.”
“You ready for a newborn?” he asked, a mischievous glint in his eye.
She laughed. “Not at all. But she’s coming whether I’m ready or not.”
“At least it’s not up to you to care for her. She has a mother for that.”
“A teenaged mother.” Joanna sighed. “I hope she can manage it.”
“I’m sure she’ll take a little while to get used to things. But that’s true of any first-time mother.”
“You’re right. I remember when I brought Karen home from the hospital. I had no idea what I was doing, and I didn’t get much sleep that first week or two. But eventually I figured it out.”
“Those are the good days,” Chris replied.
Joanna laughed. “Yes, they are. Even if they don’t seem that great at the time. It’s so special to have a new addition to the family. And it’s hard work, but worth it.”
Her phone rang, and she excused herself to answer it. She carried the phone with her back into the house to get changed. “Hello?”
“Hi, Jo. It’s Bobbie. How are you?” Her editor sounded chipper.
“I had a lovely swim and am about to welcome my great-granddaughter home from the hospital. So, all that to say—I’m very well, thank you. And you?”
“Oh, congratulations! That’s great news.”
“Thanks. I feel old.”
“Nonsense. You’re not old. And I’m well. Thanks for asking.”
“How are the book sales going?”
“They’re flying off the shelves. It’s resonating with readers in a way we’d hoped for, and my boss is very pleased.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” Joanna replied, feeling very satisfied with the result of all their hard work.
“I was calling to see if you’d had any ideas about what you’ll be working on next.”
Joanna put the phone on speaker and wiped herself down with a towel. “I’ve been trying out some recipes, and I thought maybe the next book could be for weddings or large events.”
“Interesting. I like the idea.”
“I’m glad. I’ll put some more thought into it and write something up, if you like.”
“That would be great.”
After Joanna hung up the phone, she had a hot shower and got changed. Then she did her hair and makeup. She checked on Eva’s room—everything was ready for her and the baby. Then she put the kettle on to boil and whipped up a batch of Eva’s favourite biscuits—choc chip with corn flakes. She’d loved them ever since she was a little girl, and they always reminded Joanna of Eva’s big green eyes and rosebud mouth covered in biscuit batter asking for more.
Just as she put the biscuits in the oven, she heard a car pull up outside. Bill had borrowed her car. Soon the garage door whirred up and then down again behind the vehicle.
Joanna wiped her hands on her apron, removed it from around her waist, and went to meet them. The door swung open, and Bill stepped inside then ushered Eva through. She carried the baby in a detachable car seat. Gypsy looked so very small in that enormous seat. She was fast asleep, her little fists curled up beside her head.
“Oh, she looks adorable,” Joanna said, snapping photos with her phone.
Eva carried the baby to her room. Joanna got together a plate of biscuits, still warm, and filled the teapot with jasmine tea leaves and hot water. Then she carried it all to the sunroom. Karen and Bill joined her. After three days of living with her, they’d settled in well, and Joanna was enjoying getting to spend some time with them.
Karen reached for a biscuit. “Oh, yum. These look great. I think I’ve already gained weight staying here.”
“Me too,” Bill said with a laugh. “Totally worth it, though.”
Joanna smiled. “It’s been lovely having you both here. I haven’t had this much time with you in years.”
“Yes, it’s good to catch up properly,” Karen replied, then took a bite of biscuit.
“Aaron is doing well,” Joanna said. “I’m sure he’d love to come over and see you both. He’s been spending a lot of time with Eva and he’s visited her and the baby in hospital, but he’s missed you each time.”
“We’re meeting him on Friday night for dinner before we head back to Melbourne,” Bill said.
One dinner didn’t seem like much when they had hardly seen Aaron in months. Joanna was surprised they weren’t more motivated to spend time with him.
“Oh,” was all she said.
Eva joined them then. She looked tired but happy. She wore baggy clothes, and her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail. She sat on the arm of Joanna’s chair and yawned.
“You should get some sleep,” Joanna said.
“I will. I need something to eat first.”
She quickly ate two cookies while Joanna fetched her a glass of milk.
“Thanks, Gran,” she said before gulping it down.
“Before you go,” Karen began with a glance in Bill’s direction. Bill shifted uncomfortably on the couch, but he didn’t say a word. “We want to talk to you about coming home.”
Eva raised her chin. “I’m not coming home. I’ve already spoken to Gran, and she’s agreed to let me and Gypsy stay here.”
Karen sighed. “I know that’s what you think is good for you, but it’s not. You should be home with your parents. We will take care of you. Your future is in jeopardy right now, and we need to talk about what we’re going to do.”
“Maybe we should talk more tomorrow,” Joanna said with a conciliatory smile. “She’s just gotten home. She’s very tired.”
Karen waved her off. “Bill and I are leaving in a couple of days to head back to Melbourne. We want you to come with us.”
“But you want to take Gypsy away from me.” Eva’s eyes flashed.
“We’re not going to take her away from you. Of course we’re not. But we do want to talk about adoption. It’s one of the options available to you, and you should consider it.”
“I have considered it, and I don’t want to do that. You know how I feel. We’ve talked about it a hundred times.”
“Not one hundred…” Karen stayed calm, her voice even.
Eva rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean.”
“You’re a child…”
“I’m a mother!” Eva raged. “And I know what’s best for me and my baby.”
“That’s exactly the problem. You don’t know.” Karen’s voice rose. “Bill and I know what’s best.”
“Well, why isn’t Bill saying anything?” Eva asked.
Bill cleared his throat. “Honey, we love you…”
“I know you do,” Eva replied to Bill. “But this is what I want.”
He nodded. “I understand.”
Karen glared at Bill. “Be that as it may, we still have some decisions to make. And you need to be at home with us to make them.”
“You’ll bully me. Just like you did before. It’s why I left and came to stay with Gran. She lets me make my own choices. She doesn’t hound me. She listens.”
A lump formed in Joanna’s throat. The last thing she wanted was to become a wedge between her daughter and granddaughter. But if it came down to it, she was on Eva’s side. Karen could make all the suggestions she wanted, but in the end, Eva had grown up the moment the pregnancy test came back positive. And her baby’s future was in her own hands, as far as Joanna was concerned. There would be other things, like curfews, chores and study, where the decisions would require discussion and sometimes wouldn’t go Eva’s way. But when it came to her baby, the choice was hers. No one could make a permanent choice like adoption on her behalf. It had to be hers, freely made. Otherwise, she’d resent them forever, and both she and the baby could be traumatised.
“Mum… Talk to her,” Karen appealed.
Joanna didn’t want to get involved. It wasn’t her place. “It’s not up to me. But I do think we should give it some time. Everyone’s tired. The anxiety levels right now are very high. Let’s not say things we’ll regret.”
Karen huffed. “Thanks a lot, Mum. Listen, Eva, it’s not up to you. You’re sixteen years old, and you belong at home. End of story.”
“Well, I’m not coming!” Eva ran to her room and shut the door.
Karen’s face was thunderous. Bill looked pale.
“You could have at least backed me up, Mum,” Karen said. “You know I’m right.”
“Honey, you can’t make her give up her own baby. She might be sixteen, but she’s right—she’s a mother now. And she has to be the one to decide about adoption. We can’t do that for her. She doesn’t want to come with you right now. But give her some time. She may come around. I’ll do what I can, but I don’t want to make her feel unsafe or unwelcome here. She might run and not come back to either of us.”
Karen shook her head, tears in her eyes. “You were never on my side.” Then she strode from the sunroom and slammed her bedroom door behind her.
Bill shuffled his feet. “Sorry about this, Jo. There are a lot of emotions involved.”
She smiled. “It’s okay. I understand. It’s a tricky situation.”
“I just want them both to be happy.”
“I know you do, Bill. But sometimes that means you’ve got to speak up. Karen can get like a steamroller if you let her.”
He nodded. “You’re right.”
Joanna walked down the hall to stand outside Eva’s doorway. She couldn’t hear a sound coming from within, so she gave a gentle knock. There was no response. She opened the door and peeked inside. Eva lay on her bed, face down in the pillow. Her body shook with sobs.
Joanna tiptoed across the room, watching the bassinet to make sure the baby didn’t stir. Then she sat on the edge of the bed and laid a hand on Eva’s back.
“It’s going to be okay, honey,” she whispered. “Your parents love you, and they want what’s best for you. But you’re staying here, okay? For now, at least. Let’s see how things go after a while.”
Eva rolled over, her eyes red and her cheeks wet. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “You’re not going to let them take me?”
“They won’t do that,” Joanna reassured her. “Everything is going to be okay. I promise you.”