Page 48 of The Bad Girl and the Baby

“That’s when they immigrated to Australia?”

“Yeah. Took Steven with them, but I’d just joined the army, so I stayed.”

“Have they not been back?”

“Dad came back for Steven’s funeral, but otherwise, no. They don’t have a lot of spare money, and it’s an expensive trip. But I’ve been out there a few times. Otherwise I would never have met my sister.”

“How old is she?”

“Ten. She’s a lot like me—”

“Boring and stuffy and too tidy and—”

“Yeah. She’s a cool ten going on seventy. And she keeps them in order. Though they seem to have calmed down a little now. Anyway, that was my mother phoning to say they decided to come over. They’ve never met Lulu.”

“Why didn’t Steven ask them to take Lulu?” It was something she’d wondered ever since she’d heard that Matt had been made Lulu’s guardian.

“Steven was estranged from them when he died. He hadn’t seen them in years. Anyway, they’re getting on a plane tonight. And they’ll be here tomorrow.”

“Wow. Impulsive.”

“Guilt, I think. I was a little pissed off with them. I called Mom after you told me about Steven. Apparently, he’d been in trouble over there, and they hadn’t thought to mention it to me.”

“Would it have made a difference?”

“Who knows now? But I haven’t spoken to them since. My mother doesn’t like feeling in the wrong, so she’s flying over here for a bit of delayed maternal affection.”

“That’s nice.”

“Hmm. I’ve actually gotten on well with them since they moved. They haven’t pissed me off nearly as frequently.”

“A few thousand miles apart will do that.” She thought about her own parents. How she missed them. “Enjoy them. You never know when your family will be taken from you.”

His expression turned serious. “I’m sorry. I know you lost your parents and then your sister. It was insensitive of me.”

“Not really. And I’m glad Lulu has one set of grandparents to spoil her.”

“And Hannah will be another aunt.”

“Are they staying for long?”

“I have no clue. But fingers crossed they fly back before we all drive each other crazy.” He leaned back in his chair. “So where were we, before my mother so inconveniently interrupted?”

She pulled the condom out of her pocket and held it up. “Just about to christen your kitchen.”

And the telephone rang again. She raised a brow as he got up to answer. Then she threw the condom. It hit him in the chest and fell to the floor.

This time she listened. She gathered it was work of some kind, and it ended with, “I’ll be there in half an hour.”

As he put the phone down, she got to her feet. “I guess the kitchen will have to wait.”

He lifted one shoulder. “Sorry. Work. I don’t suppose you could look after Lulu?”

“No problem.” At least if she couldn’t have Matt, she could have Lulu, the next best thing.

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