Prologue
‘You’re going to have a baby?’
Morgan’s hand flew to her mouth and her eyes instantly brimmed with tears.
Pippa nodded. ‘Yes, I did three tests this morning just to be sure.’
Morgan pulled Pippa into her arms, squeezing her tightly. ‘This is the best news I’ve heard for ages. What was Oliver’s reaction?’
Pippa pulled away just enough to look her aunt in the face. ‘He doesn’t know Aunt Morgan. I think I’m going to keep it a secret until I get past the first trimester. I don’t want to tell dad either. It would break both of their hearts if something happened and the pregnancy didn’t work out, so for now, can we keep this between us?’
Morgan nodded with a smile. ‘We sure can Kiddo. We sure can.’
Act – 1 Chapter one
Morgan adjusted the sign sticking out of the top of the flower arrangement she’d brought along with her to the restaurant to be used as the centrepiece of the table. The flowers were breath-taking pale shades of pinks and lilacs. There were pink avalanche roses, memory lane roses, bouvardia, lilies and limonium. Even the ruscus had been sprayed copper gold to add an air of elegance and luxury. She’d spared no expense.
Lifting the small bag she was holding, Morgan moved slowly around the table sprinkling its contents, spilling mini plastic crystals and other wonderful glittery bits and pieces onto crisp white linen around the place settings, set for her friends who would soon be occupying them.
Running her eyes over the table one final time, Morgan smiled, satisfied with the result. It was subtle yet made a statement. She quickly checked her wristwatch and gasped. Her best friends would be arriving at any moment. Leaning on her walking stick, she turned around and walked over to her place at the top of the table to sit down and wait for them.
A waiter who was not one of their usual servers came over to her, a smile lighting up his young features. He looked to be around the age Bren had been the last time she’d ever laid eyes on him, not that she’d known that at the time. A lump suddenly formed in her throat. Strange. She didn’t usually get upset anymore thinking about her late husband.
‘The table looks wonderful.’
Morgan swallowed past the lump which had miraculously just appeared in her throat and smiled up at the handsome young man. ‘Thank you.’ She gestured towards the sign in the flower arrangement. ‘You probably think the reason for this lunchtime celebration is a bit unusual, but when you get to my age, you’ll find any excuse to celebrate and have a good time.’
The waiter laughed lightly, and Morgan watched as a small furrow suddenly appeared on his brow, as if he was unsure her statement was a good or bad thing, or whether his laughter came across as a rude response. She smiled warmly to reassure him she wasn’t offended. ‘Erm, can I get you anything while you wait for the others in your party to arrive?’
Morgan's eyes lit up. ‘Yes, can you bring me a bottle of chardonnay?’ The waiter smiled and nodded, making a move to leave. ‘Wait! You’d better make it two bottles.’ A smile appeared on his lips and he dipped his head in acknowledgment and left.
Morgan watched him walk away and wondered what it was about him that had made her think of her beloved Bren. The corners of her mouth hitched up. Of course. It was the waiter’s confident swagger. Bren had had the same air of self-assurance. It was what had attracted her to him in the first place all those years ago.
Morgan gazed around the restaurant at the other diners. There appeared to be a lot of couples here today. It was the beginning of January and not the most romantic month for a weekend getaway in the city, but Morgan supposed the romance of a January getaway was the promise it held for a fresh start. She began to reminisce about her brief marriage as she watched the young couples all around her interact, getting caught up with the giddy excitement as she remembered what it was like to be in love, and all the unknows that lay ahead when starting out in a fledgling relationship.
Until that moment, Morgan hadn’t realised how alone she was. She’d missed being the other half in a romantic relationship. But it was her own doing. After Bren’s demise, she’d purposely severed the emotions that were needed to be someone else’s significant other. That side of her disappeared decades ago to stop the hurt. She was still only very young when she’d become a widow, but as she looked from one happy couple to another, she now wondered if she’d cut her nose off to spite her face.
A woman’s soft laugh caught her attention from the foyer, immediately pulling Morgan from her reveries. Morgan instantly recognised it and her face lit up. She looked over to see Christine and Pamela come into view. When their searching eyes rested on Morgan, they all waved and weaved their way through the tables to get to her, not waiting to be seen by the maître D.
Morgan gasped when she saw Katherine was there too and pushed herself onto her feet using her cane. Resting it against the table, she opened her arms wide. Katherine came forward first and stepped into them.
‘Oh, my dear Katherine. What a lovely surprise. I didn’t know you were back in the bay.’
Katherine pulled away just enough to look into Morgan’s eyes, the corners of her own creasing with her genuine smile. ‘I swore Christine and Pamela to secrecy because I’m only here for a couple of weeks. I have carers looking after mum so I can take respite and be here for your milestone birthday.’ Katherine glanced down at the table and her brow pulled together as she noticed the sign sticking out from the flower arrangement. Morgan watched her mouth move silently as she read the bold writing, before bursting into fits of giggles. She looked back over her shoulder at Pamela and Christine as she pointed to the sign. ‘Have you two seen this?’
Christine and Pamela had beaming smiles and were dabbing tears from their eyes after watching Morgan and Katherine’s reunion. They looked over to where Katherine was pointing, and a moment later, they too were joining in with Katherine’s laughter.
‘Celebrating the last week of my fifties,’ Pamela read aloud while trying to dab at her eyes through her giggles.
Shaking her head, with her smile stretching from ear to ear, Christine wagged her finger. ‘Only you could think of doing something like this, my darling friend.’
Morgan smiled brightly, pleased by their reactions. ‘This will be my last girly city lunch in my fifties. I wanted to make it special.’
Right on cue the waiter arrived with the bottles of chardonnay. ‘Here we are ladies.’
Morgan cupped Katherine’s cheeks and grinned. ‘We’ll be needing another place setting for this wonderful surprise.’ Katherine smiled back at Morgan. She looked from Katherine to the waiter. ‘Oh, and I think another two bottles of chardonnay as well please.’ Morgan’s grin widened as she looked back towards Katherine.
Katherine’s mouth dropped open, feigning shock before curling into an even bigger smile. ‘Hey! What are you trying to insinuate ordering more wine after looking at me?’
