And if it hadn’t been obvious before, from Kate’s startled reaction and curt answers, when the assistant returned with a ‘here we are, madam’ and placed a small, blue, velvet-covered box on the counter, it was as clear as day now.
“Oh,” Kate said finally.
A silence followed. Kate looked at Geeta. Geeta looked at the box. Kate’s heart attempted another run for it. Then Geeta’s expression turned soppy. Tears sparkled in her eyes, and she bither bottom lip to keep in the happy smile. Geeta wasn’t one to hide big, generous emotions.
Oh for goodness sake, there was no point keeping up this pretense.
“I bought a ring for Olivia,” Kate blurted. “I’m going to ask as soon as I can. Do you think she’ll like this.” And she snapped open the box to show Geeta.
There. All in the open.
Geeta gazed down at the jewel.
“Ethically sourced materials,” Kate said. “Rose gold. Black sapphire. Comfy finish.”
Kind eyes looked up at her. Geeta rested her fingers on Kate's outstretched hands and lightly squeezed her.
“I think it’s perfect.” She tilted her head. “But I haven’t dared choose anything for Olivia without consultation for years.”
Kate had to laugh at the mismatch between daughter and mother. Such different personalities, but so much love and increasing understanding recently.
“Olivia knows what she likes,” Geeta said with a grin.
“She does,” Kate agreed.
“And,” Geeta squeezed her again, a long, affectionate gesture. “She knowswhoshe likes too.”
Kate might cry. In fact, her next breath caught, and she pursed her lips to keep down the sob.
She’d been so lucky to meet Olivia, and to have this gentle reassurance and support from this woman too.
“And,” Geeta lifted her gaze to Kate’s, “I happen to think she has great taste in people too.”
“OK. Stop it. Because I’m going to snotty sob if you carry on.”
Geeta beamed. “Come here.”
Kate dropped her arms and sank into a reassuring, big, big hug from Geeta. And when she pulled away, Geeta cupped her cheeks with fondness.
“I would very much like to be your mother-in-law,” she said.
And Kate only nodded, because otherwise snot and tears would definitely follow.
Chapter 10
Christmas Eve.
Everything was ready.
Olivia checked on Zoe in her cot. One happy, sleeping baby. And she switched on the baby monitor.
As she stepped onto the landing, Kate’s voice came from Bea’s room reading the Christmas story Bea chose for bedtime every single day of December, so that Olivia knew it by heart and that they nearly finished. Across the hallway, she heard Ralph’s deep laugh talking to a friend on the phone while playing an online game.
She smoothed down her soft, grey wool dress, out of nervous habit rather than any crease, clutched the velvet box in her hand and quietly padded down the stairs to the ground floor, while everyone was out of sight.
She’d carried the ring in her coat pocket all week, not wanting Bea to discover it in a drawer while she hunted around the house for Christmas presents.
She’d had a minor panic when Kate had lingered by the kitchen coat hooks one morning. She swore Kate studied something in her hand that, from a distance, looked remarkably like a blue ring box. But when she checked her coat later, the ring was safely there.
