‘It’s a bit like it was with Conor: I don’t want to force someone to be with me just because a baby is on the way. I want to be with someone for love. As I told you, he came here for a weekend, and gave no indication that he liked me. Mind you, I did tell him that I was pregnant with another man’s child. What a fool I’ve been. Oh, Auntie, how can one human being make so many mistakes in one life!’
‘You’re getting dramatic again, and it’s not good for you. I’ll go and dish up our dinner.’ Florrie waited a few minutes until Star was tucking into the lovely hot food, hungrily clearing her plate. Then she asked gently, ‘Did you not tell him how you felt when you saw him, my love?’
‘No, because he dismissed what happened between us … now let me remember his words … as “the best one-day stand” he’d ever had.’
‘Well, it’s better than being the worst,’ Florrie said, forking some pie into her mouth.
‘Auntie! That’s not funny.’
The old lady swallowed and had a drink of water. ‘It is a little bit. Oh, Star, good communication is the difference between a relationship working or not, but sadly between what is said and not meant, and what is meant and not said, most of love can get lost. It’s tragic really.’
‘If only I had your sense.’
‘I’ve had years of practice.’ Florence Sibley stood up and put her hand on her great-niece’s shoulder. ‘Now let’s have some of my jam roly-poly and custard, shall we? We need it in this weather.’
‘Amen!’ Boris the budgie shouted from his cage.
