“Might do a few drinks after at the Assembly,” Mum mused. “They have a lovely jazz ensemble that plays on the weekends. But I think it’ll be just a quiet evening, really.”
“Not if Harriett Langford is turning up to your party again,” I joked, keeping things light. “You’ll be in the society pages by morning.”
Mum laughed, the sound like chimes, which took me back to happier times. “Harriett was banned from the club after making off with half the silent auction items in her purse during the last gala. Did I tell you?”
She hadn’t told me—at least, not that I recalled. Harriett, however, was always up to some kind of shenanigan. At least my mother’s life wasn’t dull.
“But how are things with you?” Mum asked. “Tell me everything.”
“More or less the same as always.” I leaned back in my chair, rubbing at the scruff on my chin. I needed a trim more than usual. Isla would have said so—would have poked teasingly at my face and asked if I was trying to look like Father Time. But being teased by her wasn’t a problem I had anymore. That ache flared to life again, and I tried not to miss the softness of her cheek against mine. I didn’t know how it was possible to miss someone so much. I shoved that thought aside.Hard. “I’ve got a new property in development in Braeburn.”
Mum hummed. “Yes, I saw the announcement on the company website. It looks like it’ll make for a lovely hotel.”
“You’ll have to come up and stay when construction is done.”
“Is that the only property on the go right now?”
I laughed.As if. “No, we just had our planning permission approved for the loft-style boutique hotel in Edinburgh city center. And we’re almost finished with the resort in the Cairngorms. It should be ready for a late winter opening.”
“I’m sure the skiers will be lining up.”
“That’s the plan. But my focus is on the West Lothian site right now. I ran into a bit of a headache there.”
“Oh?”
“Apparently, we were trying to build on some thirteenth-century monastery ruins. I hadn’t had a roadblock like that for a long time, so I ended up calling Dad in for advice.”
“Well, your father was always very good at sorting those kinds of things,” Mum said. “Anything going on other than work?”
I opened my mouth to say no. It was my usual answer to this very usual question, partly because I still kept her emotionally at arm’s length. Maybe it was time to say more. Isla and I had agreed to wait until the first trimester was over before sharing the news, but we were past that threshold now, and there wasn’t any reasonnotto share the news. Sure, Isla and I weren’t together anymore, but that was still my child. Besides, what better gift could I possibly give my mother than the news she was about to be a grandmother? I found that I was a little excited to tell her.
I cleared my throat. “Actually, Mum, I do have a bit of news.”
“Yes?”
“First, tell me this. Do you want to be called Granny or something posh like Grandmama?”
Mum gasped in my ear. “You must be joking! Please tell me you’re not? If this is some kind of prank, then it’s a rotten thing to do to your mother on her birthday.”
I chuckled at her excitement. “I am not joking. You’re going to be a grandmother.”
“Oh, sweetheart!” she gushed. I heard as she stifled a sob with her hand.
“Mum, don’t cry.”
“I just…I’m so incredibly happy. I can’t even put it into words.”
Pride welled inside me. “It’s a boy, by the way,” I said, thinking back to the ultrasound appointment. “We just found out not long ago.”
Mum blubbered unintelligibly. “I really can’t believe it.”
“Well, you’ve got some time to digest it all still. Your grandson won’t be here until March.” Given that it was currently the end of October, I figured that left Mum plenty of time to unearth the atrocious sailor outfit I’d worn as a baby. Or maybe it had been relegated to the dustbin of history. One could only hope.
“No, I mean—of course I’m thrilled about the baby, but I’m beside myself to hear that you’ve finally gotten serious with someone,” Mum clarified. It sounded like she was blowing her nose. “That’swhy I’m so happy.”
My heart dropped into my stomach. “Mum, I?—”
“I really started to worry you were going to end up just like your father,” she continued, talking over me.
