Page 30 of You Are Cordially Invited

She sighed down the line. “I’ll do it as soon as I hang up.”

“Thanks.” I loved Cam’s mum, but she was as much a force of nature as her son. The two of them together were dynamite. “We understand just how much you want this to happen, Margaret. We know you’d love us to adopt Stella’s baby, and maybe that’s exactly why Cam isn’t quite ready to talk to you, yet.”

“But... I just... my sister... ugh, okay, yeah. I can’t lie. I do want that.” She paused. “Too much, maybe.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. But you know what our lives are like, Margaret. This wouldn’t be easy for us or for Cory, and we have to think of the family we already have first. Make sure a new baby would be a good fit. Please try and understand.”

She was silent for a minute before blowing out a long sigh. “Okay. Zip it and step back. I hear you. But I want to say one last thing. If you do decide to take this baby, I promise I will help in any way I can to lighten your load, both of you. John and I have talked about it and he agrees. I don’t know if it helps, but the offer’s there.”

It did, in a way. “Thank you. But we can’t make any promises. This will beourdecision and no one else’s. We love all of you, but this can’t be done on a wish and a hope. And Stella’s mum said there were other people they could consider.”

“There are. None as good as you, for what it’s worth, but then I may be biased.”

I snorted. “You? I don’t believe it.”

“Cheeky little shit.” She laughed. “Okay. I hate it, but I understand. And I promise I won’t say anything if you decide not to go ahead.”

“I’d really, really appreciate that. Cam won’t ever say anything, but I know he’ll be worried sick about letting you down.”

Margaret drew a shaky breath. “That boy could never let me down. He brings sunshine into my life every day just by being alive. Make sure he knows that, will you?”

“I will. And thank you.”

A few seconds after we ended the call, my cell buzzed with the promised phone number, and I called Stella’s mum to set up a meeting at their place for Friday after Cam finished work. I explained we wouldn’t be giving them an answer that day, but we wanted to meet and find out what relationship Stella and her parents saw happening with the baby in the future.

Just as I was done, Georgie appeared at my side with a cup of tea, and I wrapped both hands around it for warmth.

“So what are you thinking?” she asked, pulling a chair beside mine and stretching her legs out in front. “It’s no small thing, another baby on top of everything you’ve got going on.”

I looked her straight in the eye. “I want it.”

Her eyes popped. “Wow. Just like that?”

“Yeah, just like that.”

“In that case, what do you need to talk to me for?” She toed the pot of daffodils out of the way.

I rolled my eyes at her. “Because Camisn’ttalking, and I’ve spent two sleepless nights trying to figure it out.” I took a sip of the hot tea and grimaced as it burned its way down my throat.

“And I’m not the one who’s gonna be hit with the lion’s share of the work; Cam is. I’m pretty sure he wants the baby, but he’s not saying anything, and I don’t know if that’s because he’s really concerned about how we’ll cope, or because he wants more information like he says, or what. But I don’t want to tell himIwant the baby in case that pressures him to agree. Fuck me.” I fell back in my chair. “The point is, we need to have a solid plan in place before we go forward,ifwe go forward, because there’s Cory to consider.”

She rolled her teacup around in her hand and studied me. “What did the school say?”

“That it was hard to predict how he’d react. Shocker. That lots of kids with a similar level of ability as Cory manage just fine, and a few have setbacks, but overall they didn’t have any real concerns. Once we were sure of our decision, then we could start introducing the concept slowly and they would help with preparations before the birth, and then after, to help him understand and cope. They also said it would be good if we planned for as much help as we could afford to make sure Cory gets enough one-on-one time.”

Georgie nodded. “Good advice. What did Cam say about that?”

“Not much. I think we both knew that would be their answer. I’m going to talk to the support group tomorrow, but I’m guessing they’ll be the same.”

“Mmm.” Georgie regarded me with a wary look. “Are you sure you’re not looking for someone else to make your decision for you?”

I closed my eyes for a long second. “Maybe. It would be a whole lot fucking easier, that’s for sure.”

She snorted. “No, it wouldn’t. And you do realise that lots of loving families have challenges to face, and they cope, right? Yours would simply be another one of those families. I mean, it’s not like you’re short on love, is it?”

My pulse kicked up as I thought of Cam and Cory, and my eyes sprung a bit of a leak. “Hardly.” I blinked the tears away and Georgie squeezed my hand.

“And with Cam by your side, you and Cory, you’re not short on courage or determination, either. Don’t hate me for asking, but does it worry you that the new baby might come with some challenges as well, like Cory did?”

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