Gone Tomorrow (41 page)

‘I’m pleased,’ he said, taking her hand. February? She was three months gravid, then. The child was well on the way. His child, his-and-hers child. And what did he think about that? Children, to him, were Kate and Matthew. He’d been a father already, he’d done that bit, and he wouldn’t have been normal if he didn’t think, however fleetingly, of broken nights and nappies, responsibility and expense, and the curtailment of freedom children brought.

But it was only fleeting. Her dear face was close, and though she was trying to make light of it he could see her apprehension.
If you say the wrong thing it will kill me.
She had been alone with the pregnancy for nearly three months, alone and wondering, hoping for the best and fearing the worst, afraid to tell him in case he was not delighted.

Well, she should not be alone with it any more. He was delighted. A child, her child, their child, was already started and on its way, and the least it deserved was for them both to be wholeheartedly glad about it. It should not come into the world with any remembered coolness to blight it, no unwelcoming word, like the bad fairy’s gift, to come back to haunt it.

‘You really didn’t guess?’ she said, watching his thoughts flit about his face, and – more importantly – the slowly dawning smile.

‘Not a bit. Call me dumb.’

‘Dumb. But you really are pleased? I mean, I know it wasn’t planned, and the situation is—’

He stopped her with a kiss. ‘I’m dumb with bliss. It wasn’t what I expected, but how could I not want our child?’

She almost sagged with relief. ‘Bless you for that. I’ve made a complete mess of this. I should have told you weeks ago. I just didn’t know how to.’

‘I understand,’ he said. Matthew and Kate and – well, call him X. Him or her. He felt a surge of wild excitement grasp his loins. Their child would be special. What would Kate and Matthew think about it? He must make sure they never felt set aside for the new one. He would have to talk seriously to Irene
to make sure she said the right things too. And what the hell was he thinking about Irene for at a moment like this?

‘But what will you do now?’ he asked. ‘I mean, you’re over there and I’m over here. We’ll have a schizophrenic baby.’

‘What would you think about my coming back?’

‘What about the job?’

‘I was only doing it on trial. I’d have to give it up, of course. Try and subsist on casual work, whatever I could pick up over here. For as long as I could work. I could keep going almost up to the day. And after the baby’s born—’

‘We’ll manage,’ he said.

‘It’ll be tight.’

‘It’ll be all right. Money’s the least of it.’

‘Oh brave man! You just wait.’

‘I mean it,’ he said. ‘I know about babies and expense, remember. People expect too much, that’s what makes the problems. You can always manage, if you have to.’ He lifted her hand and kissed it. ‘There is just one thing.’

‘Oh?’ she said suspiciously.

‘One small proviso.’

‘I smell a rat,’ she said.

‘Well, I think I’m entitled to one demand. After all, you did trick me into this—’

‘You bastard!’

‘Nail on head, as usual,’ he said. ‘I’m an old-fashioned sort of bloke, as well you know.’

‘Hidebound,’ she agreed. ‘Practically ossified.’

‘And if we’re going to have a baby, I’m afraid I must insist on our doing it properly.’ She looked at him. ‘Will you marry me? And I warn you, it’s one of those “Nonne” questions.’

‘What questions?’

‘Questions that expect the answer “yes”.’

‘Oh, those!’

The phone rang. They looked at each other and then burst out laughing. Slider picked it up.

‘I thought you were still at work,’ Atherton said.

‘What are you ringing me here for, then?’

‘I thought you’d like to know the result of your advised plan of action. You know, bottle of wine, nice meal, soft lights, heart-to-heart talk?’

‘How did it go?’

‘Well, apart from the cats going mad around us, very well. She forgave me.’

‘I thought she would. And?’

‘She still loves me.’

‘Wise woman. And?’

‘Brace yourself for a shock. I asked her to marry me.’ Slider began to smile, slowly. Into his silence, Atherton spoke again. Are you there? Did you hear what I said? I said, we’re going to get married.’

‘Now there’s a coincidence,’ said Slider.