by Anne Mather
‘Isabel couldn’t outstay her welcome,’ asserted Ally firmly, nodding to where her mother-in-law and their other guests were gathered around the barbecue at the other end of the terrace. ‘She’s so good with Sam and Ryan. She treats them as if they really are her grandchildren.’
‘They are our grandchildren,’ retorted Juan fiercely. ‘They’re your children, aren’t they, Ally? And you know how fond we are of you. How could we not love your children, too?’
Ally looked up at Raul with eyes that were suddenly moist. ‘You’re all so kind,’ she whispered. ‘You’ve made me so happy.’
‘You’ve made me happy, querida,’ responded Raul, using the Spanish endearment as he sometimes did when they were alone together. Then, even though Ally knew he wished they were alone together, he said, ‘What are they doing?’
‘It looks like your mother is showing the young people how to barbecue the fish Maria bought in San Cristobál this morning,’ remarked Juan, sauntering across the terrace to where Ally’s daughter, Sam, and her new husband, Mark, were gathered with Ryan and his girlfriend, Penny, around his wife. ‘Hola,’ he cried. ‘What’s going on?’
Watching him, Raul drew Ally closer. ‘Are you really happy?’ he asked huskily, and she punched him lightly in the ribs.
‘Stop fishing for compliments,’ she said, knowing he was teasing her. After a year of marriage, she thought she knew her husband very well, and she still marvelled at how happy they were together. ‘Did you see Carlos?’
‘Yeah. He and Julia will be along later. It depends how she’s feeling. You know how uncomfortable the first three months of a pregnancy can be.’
Ally nodded. ‘Mmm,’ she conceded reminiscently. ‘Don’t I just? But it’s worth it.’
‘Is it?’ Raul touched her cheek, and she gave a soft laugh.
‘I think so.’ Then, because they were becoming too involved with each other, she forced herself to look away, and said, ‘How do you think your mother is?’
‘Pretty good, I think,’ said Raul manfully, accepting that for the present they couldn’t abandon their guests. ‘Since she and Dad don’t have this big place to be responsible for, she’s looked less tired. Dad’s idea of building a smaller house on the grounds was a good one.’
‘You don’t think she misses it?’
‘Misses this place?’ Raul gave her an old-fashioned look. ‘What are you saying? She’s never away.’ He broke off as he heard footsteps behind them. ‘And here comes the reason why she can’t bear to tear herself away.’ His eyes were drawn to his wife’s full breasts swelling above the rounded neckline of her cream silk blouse. ‘Has he been fed?’
Ally chuckled, knowing how much Raul liked to watch her feeding their three-month-old son, and, turning, she took the baby from the nanny’s arms. ‘I’m afraid so,’ she said, looking down into the child’s smiling face. ‘Can’t you tell?’
‘Is that the smile I wear after you’ve satisfied me?’ asked her husband slyly, and Ally reached up to brush his lips with hers.
‘Exactly the same,’ she assured him. ‘Here: take your son. He’s getting too heavy for me to carry around.’
Raul didn’t believe her, but he took the baby Manuel obediently enough, cradling him in his arms with an ease born of frequent experience. From the very beginning, when Ally had first discovered she was pregnant, Raul had always been there for her, helping her and supporting her every step of the way. She knew he’d been anxious about her pregnancy, but when he’d realised she was delighted about it, he’d said no more. And there was no doubt that he was extremely proud of them both.
‘Hey, look who’s here!’
Sam had just seen her baby brother in his father’s arms and, leaving the others, she came sauntering across to fuss over him. Although she’d told her mother that she had no intention of having any children for at least five years, there was an obvious look of envy in her eyes as she touched the baby’s soft cheek.
‘Ah, the niño!’ Isabel Ramirez wasn’t far behind her, and she slipped an arm around Sam’s shoulders as they both smiled at the little boy.
‘Take him,’ said Raul, when it became obvious that Sam was itching to do so, and Ryan, who had come to see what all the fuss was about, pulled a resigned face.
‘Women,’ he said, giving his mother a teasing smile. ‘What is it about women and babies that gets them every time?’
‘You’ll find out,’ remarked Raul drily, drawing Ally away from the group, which had now increased to include Mark and Penny. He bent to murmur in her ear. ‘Do you think we’d be missed?’
Ally’s laugh was infectious. ‘You’re incorrigible,’ she said, feeling his thumb brush the underside of her breast, and he gave a rueful sigh.
‘Just in love,’ he corrected her softly. ‘But I suppose I can wait. I’ve got the rest of my life to show you what you mean to me…’
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0283-2
ALL NIGHT LONG
First North American Publication 2001.
Copyright © 2000 by Anne Mather.
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