Page 1 of Bed of Roses

Chapter 1. Harriet - Steady heartbeat

I slid over my credit card and smiled up at Blake. This was really happening! The first few months of pregnancy felt like a nauseas blur, but now, at 16 weeks, I felt well and actually had energy. The receptionist took my card and booked in my next appointment.

“I have to get back to work, but this was amazing. Good to hear my boy’s heartbeat so strong,” Blake said, kissing her on the cheek as she waited for her appointment card.

“Or girl,” I chided. It was an ongoing joke between us that he wanted a boy, and I wanted a girl, but both of us didn’t really care. We walked to the car park together, getting in our separate cars to return to work. Blake climbed into his plumbing van, waving to me as he pulled out. I was so proud of him. He’d started his own plumbing business 18 months ago with his friend Mick and they were doing so well. He was always busy, but never to busy to come home and spend dinner with me. If he had a long day, he preferred to work through lunch or leave the house crazily early than to work late.

My work was a little more flexible. I was an editor, not of exciting content, but textbooks and corporate reports. My boss was the best in the world and often let me work from home to fit in medical appointments or other life admin responsibilities.

We hadn’t done much at home to ready ourselves for the baby. I had the spare room cleaned out, but we still had to choose nursery furniture and decorate. “Plenty of time,” Blake had declared, but it was just so exciting, and I couldn’t wait.

The rest of the day flew. I was editing a book on concrete composition for bridge footings. Not exactly edge-of-your-seat stuff, but it was interesting enough. Who knew there were so many different concrete recipes?

After dinner, Blake and I were relaxing on the couch. I was skimming through Pinterest for nursery ideas, and he was watching some reality show about truckers and dangerous roads. A sharp knock at the door jolted us both out of our fogs.

Blake opened it and I heard a feminine voice.

“Hi, I’m Rose. I’ve just moved in across the road. My dad is Colin, and I can’t find him.” She sounded panicked.

I wandered over to see a woman in her mid-to-late 20s, attractive with flowing red hair and a flushed complexion. She must have been rushing around to find sweet old Colin. Colin was a lovely man, but sadly, dementia had really weakened and confused him over the last year. We did as much as we could for him, but wished we could do more. He had a visiting nurse and a cleaner, but it was clear he was lonely. I felt bad but sometimes I waited until he had gone inside before leaving for work because being caught outside by Colin meant a 30-minute conversation about something from his past. He frequently confused me with someone called “Loretta,” who he obviously didn’t like, and being the surrogate for Loretta often got me chastised or sneered at, so avoidance was my savior.

“We haven’t seen him. Do you want some help looking?” Blake asked.

“No, I … I’ve reported it but he’s never gone this long. I’ve been here a week, and this is the first time he has disappeared for more than five minutes,” she said unsteadily.

“It’ll be ok, we’ll help,” I assured her, pulling on my Uggs. “I’m Harriet and this is my husband, Blake. Colin is a lovely man; we try to help him as much as we can.”

“I’m his daughter,” she replied. Seeing a look flash across Blake’s face, she added “Yes, a late-in-life surprise package daughter. I’ve moved in because Mom is really worried about him.”

This was news to me. Mom? Colin’s wife died years ago. This late-in-life daughter was from another mother. The sticky nose in me got the better of me.

“Mom? Lorraine isn’t your mother?”

“No, Loretta is my mother. She and Dad … well, they were colleagues,” she said uncomfortably.

Eek, withdraw, withdraw! I’d accidentally discovered an affair and made the love child feel awkward while she was desperately worried about her dad.

“Give me your number. I’ll drive around a bit and contact you if I find him,” I offered. Blake pulled his phone out too. “I’ll drive in a different direction.” Rose gave us both her number, and we sent her ours. We were hurrying outside when we saw Colin hobble up the street. Rose ran to him, her voice agitated.

“Dad, we were so worried. Where did you go?”

Colin looked at her, stunned. “Why is it your business? You’re a receptionist, I don’t report to you. I was closing that deal with Brian.”

Rose looked at him sadly. “Yes, ok Mr Fennech. Let’s get you back to the office.” She waved her thanks to us and led him back inside.

“That is so sad,” I whined to Blake as we sat down on the sofa. “Poor Colin. He was obviously a player back in the day but he’s a nice man. It’s sad to see him like this.”

“Yeah, old devil. Nice that he has family with him now though,” Blake agreed. We settled back in for the night, grateful that Colin was in a warm bed in a comfortable house with someone who loved him.

Chapter 2. Harriet – Bad dreams

Thursday night drinks and takeout were a staple in our house. Mick always joined us and every few weeks my older brother Sean came. He was often away for work but we saw each other whenever we could. We’d grown up in a tough situation. Mom died young and Dad didn’t handle it well. He became a drinker and ignored us for years. Sean, being four years older, took over a great deal of the parenting, even of himself. If we thought Dad’s neglect was bad, we were disabused of that notion a few years in, when he became violent. Sean copped the brunt of most of it, but I caught a few hits and kicks. The thought of being split up in foster care was traumatizing so Sean and I held out until he was 18, when he took guardianship of me. I love my brother and will forever owe him for his protectiveness. He was still protective, no matter how much I assured him that I was now a big 27-year-old woman who could take care of herself. Blake liked to jokingly remind him that he was my husband and Sean could let go.

Sean, Blake, my best friend Belle and I were the only ones who knew about my childhood. It wasn’t that I kept it a secret per se, but I’d had counseling, and I saw no benefit in telling people how I’d grown up. Sean and I had done well for ourselves, and we liked to leave the past in the past.

Chinese was the meal for tonight. It was Blake’s week to choose and it was pretty much all he ever chose! Mick, Sean, and I were far more varied and flexible, but Blake couldn’t go without his beef and black bean for too long.

“This is good shit,” Mick said, digging in. “Just like it was four weeks ago.”

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