Penny inhaled a slow breath. “Also, I have something to tell you.”
“Oh?”
“I’m pregnant.”
Eight
As Charmaine stoodoutside the front door of the blue house with the climbing vines hanging haphazardly from a swinging potted plant, she drew a deep breath. Then she raised her fist to knock on the door. Its peeled paint didn’t match the blue of the house, instead in a random aqua tone, but it worked in a quaint beach house kind of way.
When the door swung open, a child of about twelve stared out at her from beneath too-long hair that hung in her eyes, orhiseyes. She couldn’t tell.
“I’m Chaz,” she said.
The child nodded mutely, then swung the screen door open.
Charmaine stepped inside and was greeted with a cacophony of noises and smells. The kitchen was at the back of the house, and she followed the child through a messy living room piled with musical instruments, half-read books, and dog chew toys.
Finn stood at a stove, dressed in a pair of shorts, a T-shirt, and a large apron. Her short hair was mussed. “Chaz, you made it. Grab a seat. I’ll get you something to drink.” She waved a wooden spoon as she spoke, and flecks of something spattered around her.
Charmaine pulled a stool from the edge of the bench and sat, unsure how to act in a place of so much bedlam. She wasn’t accustomed to it—she’d grown up with a mother who liked things orderly, minimal, and neat, and a brother who barely emerged from his bedroom.
Several teenagers lounged around the living room, one leg hanging over the side of an armchair or two feet protruding from the end of a couch, screens or books pressed close to their faces.
“What would you like to drink?” Finn stirred something in a pan on the stove.
“Anything is fine.”
“I have a chardonnay open.”
“Perfect,” Charmaine replied.
Finn moved to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle. She poured wine into two glasses. “Ed is running a little late, but he’ll be home any minute. He was on the mainland today fixing some pipes at the water purification plant.”
“Wow. That sounds like a responsible job.”
She laughed. “Very. I’m the irresponsible one in the family. And I’ll introduce you to the kids at dinner. There’s no point trying to drag them away from their devices right now. And besides, I want to talk to you without them listening in for a few minutes.” She lowered her voice and offered Charmaine a wink.
Charmaine smoothed her wrinkled floral print dress. She’d cycled into town in the gathering dark, the first time she’d attempted that. She’d purchased a bike lamp to help her see better and to be seen better. And it’d worked well, apart from all the insects she’d inhaled. She ran her tongue over her teeth to check none of them were still there.
“I didn’t bring Watson. I thought he might leap out of the basket on my bike and disappear into the bush never to be seen again.” The last thing she wanted to do was end up spending her night traipsing through the unlit bushland on her own looking for her cat.
“Oh, dear. I forgot you don’t have a car. I should’ve collected you.”
“It’s fine. I like riding.”
“Maybe Ed can drive you home after dinner.”
“Thanks! That would be nice.”
She took the wine Finn offered, and the two of them clinked their glasses together. Charmaine was overwhelmed by a wave of emotion for a moment. She was standing in a warm, welcoming kitchen, surrounded by family. Granted, she hadn’t met the children yet, but she was their cousin. She’d never had cousins before—none that she knew of, anyway.
They each drank, then Finn switched off the stove and came around the bench. “Let’s sit outside where it’s cool and away from prying eyes.”
They went through a doorway to a back deck, and each took a seat in a comfortable wicker chair. The chairs faced a dark backyard. Charmaine couldn’t see much, but it looked to be a similar style to the inside of the house — plenty of plants, shrubs, flowers and bushes all muddled together in a messy, artistic, beautiful garden.
“I love your house. It’s veryyou,” Charmaine said, taking another sip of wine.
“Thank you. I’ll show you some of my artwork later. But for now, I wanted to talk to you about something.”
