Ken considered her proposal for only a moment before he willingly agreed to the outing. ‘I think that’s a terrific idea—if you’re okay giving up your day.’
‘I’d love to—but only if you’re sure that Heath will think it’s okay? You know him so much better than I do. Should I call him and check?’
‘He’s in surgery all day. Who knows when he’ll take a break and look at his phone? By the time you get his approval the day will be over. You have my permission as his grandfather and that’s all you need.’ He turned to Oscar. ‘Hey, little matey—fancy the afternoon in town with Phoebe? She wants to take you to the museum, and I’m pretty certain there will be ice cream afterwards, knowing Phoebe.’
They both couldn’t help but notice the little boy’s face light up as he jumped to his feet. ‘Sure would.’
‘Then it’s settled,’ Phoebe announced, reaching for Oscar’s hand. ‘We’re going dinosaur-hunting at the museum, and then we can head to the Botanic Gardens to have a late lunch—and that definitely includes ice cream. But we’ll have to stop at my place on the way. I need to pick up a jacket as it might get a little cool out later, by the looks of those clouds.’
Phoebe called a cab while Oscar brushed his teeth. Then, as she was waiting by the front door, there was a knock. She opened it to find an elegantly dressed woman, her soft grey hair cut in a smart bob, with a lovely smile and what looked like a trifle in her hands.
‘Is Ken at home? I just wanted to drop this off for dessert for the boys,’ the woman said. Her voice was refined. ‘I’m Dorothy. I live a few doors down.’
‘I’m Phoebe—please come in.’
Phoebe held open the door while the woman entered with the large glass bowl filled with port-wine-coloured trifle. She could see the rich layers of peaches, custard, raspberries and cream.
‘I’m sure that Ken would like to thank you himself.’
The moment Dorothy entered the house Phoebe could see that she knew exactly where to go. She moved down the hallway then turned left into the kitchen without any instructions. The woman wasn’t a stranger. She looked as if she belonged there. But this was the first time Phoebe had seen her.
She followed Dorothy and saw her open the refrigerator and place the delicious dessert inside. Phoebe smiled. Perhaps Ken had a lady friend after all. He just wasn’t sharing that information with Heath or the rest of the family.
While Phoebe waited for Oscar in the hallway, she overheard Ken mentioning to Dorothy that he’d had an epiphany that morning, after chatting with Phoebe, and how he might soon have more spare time, and then he said something about travelling to the Highlands of Scotland.
Oscar suddenly appeared, and with Ken’s blessing they headed for the front door, with Oscar’s tiny hand in Phoebe’s.
‘I love dinosaurs!’ he told her loudly. ‘The triceratops is the best!’
Ken smiled and waved from his chair. ‘Stay safe—and have some ice cream for me!’
Dorothy just smiled. But Phoebe couldn’t help but notice that it was a knowing smile, and she felt certain after the conversation she had overheard that Ken’s visitor was a little more than just a concerned neighbour...
* * *
Phoebe asked the cab driver if he would wait outside her home while she ran inside with Oscar to get a jacket. She opened the front door and Oscar raced straight for the Christmas tree. His mouth was open wide and so were his beautiful brown eyes.
‘That’s an awesome tree.’
‘Thank you. I think it’s pretty special.’
‘I’ve never had a Christmas tree. Aunty Tilly has one, but I’ve never had my own tree.’
Phoebe tried not to let Oscar see her surprise at his announcement. ‘Well, I’m sure Daddy’s busy—and it’s a lot of work to put them up and decorate them.’
‘I think it’s ’cos they kind of make him sad. He gets really quiet when he sees one. So I don’t ask for one ’cos I don’t want him to be sad at home. But I helped Aunty Tilly with her tree the other day. Hers is really neat too, but not so big as yours. Yours is like the most giant Christmas tree maybe in the whole world!’
Phoebe smiled at his wide-eyed innocence. She remembered being only five and how wonderful it had been at Christmas time. Looking up at the sparkling lights and the baubles and the tinsel and thinking that their family tree was the biggest in the entire world.
‘Maybe not the most giant, but I think it’s one of the prettiest,’ Phoebe said as they both stood admiring it.
‘Sure is. Does it have lights too?’
‘Yes, I’ll put them on—but just for a minute while I get my jacket, because the taxi driver is waiting.’
A few minutes later, with the tree lights turned off, they were on their way to the museum. The short trip was filled with Oscar telling Phoebe he knew everything about dinosaurs, and she was happy to see him so excited.
An hour later, as they walked around the displays of giant skeletons, Phoebe discovered that Oscar did, in fact, know everything about dinosaurs—she was quickly learning so much about prehistoric times from her tiny tour guide.
Time passed quickly as they moved on to the Egyptian mummy collection, and Phoebe was quickly aware of how much Oscar knew about that ancient culture too.
‘Daddy and I watch a lot of TV about this stuff, and he’s bought me lots of books too. He’s been reading me some ancient books too, from when he was a kid.’
Phoebe laughed. She wondered if Heath thought of his childhood books as ‘ancient’. She felt a little tug at her heart as she remembered how Heath had not wanted her to read to Oscar. She’d put it down to him being very possessive. Perhaps being father and mother to Oscar had given him that right.
She just hoped that there was nothing more to it. She knew what a dedicated father Heath was, and how he doted on his son. She had nothing but admiration for how Heath had raised him, with equal amounts of love and guidance. Perhaps he didn’t want their connection to change. He had every right to want to hold on to those special moments and treasure them.
‘Shall we head to the park for lunch?’ she asked, bending down to make eye contact with Oscar.
‘Sure,’ he said, and reached for Phoebe’s hand.
She felt an unexpected surge of love run through her for the little boy. She had never thought much about children. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to have a family—it just hadn’t been a priority. But now, feeling the warmth of the little hand slipping so naturally into hers, she knew it was something she wanted very much.
But it wasn’t her biological clock ticking. She didn’t just want a child. She wanted Oscar. He had crept inside her heart.
Just like his father had. Heath had restored her faith in men. In the Australian heat, the ice around her heart had melted too. She had not expected to find anything more than a career change in her temporary home but she had found so much more and it was all because of Heath. It had not been without a struggle, but it had been worth it and more to finally see him break his rules.
They wandered outside and discovered the weather had turned from a lovely sunny day to quite overcast. It was still warm, almost humid, with ominous summer storm clouds looming.
‘I think we’d better stay indoors,’ she said, with disappointment colouring her voice. She looked up at the dark sky and then back at Oscar protectively. ‘I don’t think Daddy would like you to go home wet from the rain.’
‘No, I don’t think he would like that very much.’
Phoebe wondered what they could do. She didn’t want to end their day early, but she didn’t think the nearby art gallery would hold much interest for her little companion.
Then it dawned on her.
‘What if we go to Santa’s Magic Cave?’
‘What’s that?’ Oscar asked with a puzzled expression.
Phoebe was taken aback by the question. She may be on the other side of the world, but she’d assumed every child would know about Santa’s Magic Cave. ‘It’s where Santa Claus comes every day in December, to meet boys and girls and find out what they want for Christmas.’
‘I’ve never met Santa.’
Phoebe was surprised further at Oscar’s response. ‘You do know about Santa, though, don’t you?’
‘Yes,’ Oscar said with a huge smile. ‘I’ve seen him in pictures and stuff—but not in his own cave. Where is it? In the hills? Is it hard to find?’
Phoebe saw his curiosity was piqued, and couldn’t help but smile at his barrage of questions.
‘No, it’s not in the hills. It’s right here in the city—in the department store.’
‘Then it’s not a real cave,’ Oscar said in a five-year-old’s matter-of-fact tone, a little disappointed.
‘No, it’s not a real cave—but it’s Santa’s workplace when he’s not in the North Pole. And being in the city it means all of the children have a chance to meet him.’
‘Not all children. I haven’t met him.’
‘Well, today you will.’
Phoebe didn’t really understand why Heath hadn’t tried to make Christmas a happy time for his son’s sake, but she wasn’t about to say that to Oscar. Heath had been through great sadness, but she hated to think that he would wallow for ever and never let Oscar experience this special family holiday. But it wasn’t her place to question Heath. He was a wonderful man, and she assumed he must find the Christmas traditions time-consuming or awkward, without a wife to help with arranging dinner, presents and decorations.
She smiled to herself. Could she be the one to bring Christmas into their lives? And keep it there? Perhaps even take the pressure off Heath being both a father and a mother to his son?
‘Today can be your first visit with Santa and you can tell Daddy all about it tonight,’ she said as they headed for the pedestrian crossing, hand in hand. ‘But first we have to have lunch—’
‘And ice cream,’ he cut in.
‘Yes, Oscar, and ice cream.’
* * *
Lunch consisted of mixed sandwiches at a lovely café. Oscar loved the egg and lettuce, but sweetly screwed his nose up at the pastrami and avocado. Then, without any crusts left on the plate, they both had a double-scoop chocolate ice cream cone before they headed off to see Father Christmas.
Standing in line with all the other parents, Phoebe felt a bond growing with each passing moment she spent with Oscar. He was an adorable and caring little boy. Heath had raised him with impeccable manners. Without prompting he said ‘thank you’ and ‘please’, and was genuine in his gratitude.
He would one day grow into a wonderful young man—not unlike his father. And Oscar would be a young man Phoebe knew she would be proud to call her son. But she also knew that, no matter what her heart wanted, they were not destined to be together for much longer unless Heath changed his plans and stayed in Adelaide with his family.
Heath and Oscar would head back to Sydney in just over two weeks and her life would feel empty without them. It was a sad fact but the time she had spent with all of the Rollins men had gone a long way towards healing her heart.
And her faith in men.
* * *
‘And what would you like for Christmas, young man?’ Santa asked as Oscar sat on his lap on the large gold padded throne.
Mrs Claus was standing beside him, in a long red velvet dress with white fur trim on the collar and cuffs. She was giving each of the children a Christmas stocking filled with candy as they left.
‘I would like to stay here, with Grandpa and Aunty Tilly and Uncle Paul, ’cos we don’t have Christmas in Sydney. Daddy has to work, and we don’t even have a tree ’cos they make him sad.’
‘Daddy’s very busy, so Christmas is difficult for him,’ Phoebe said in a low voice.
‘Well, you’re lucky that Mummy brought you to see me today, then.’
‘I’m not Oscar’s mother—I work with his father...’ she began. ‘Long story, but today is Oscar’s first ever visit to see you, Santa.’
‘Isn’t that wonderful, Mrs Claus?’ Santa said with a hearty laugh. ‘So apart from staying in Adelaide, which I’m not sure I can arrange, what else would you like for Christmas this year? You do get presents for Christmas, don’t you?’
‘Yes, Daddy always gets me something. It’s usually pyjamas or something. But if I can ask for anything...’
Phoebe could see that he was thinking long and hard about his answer. He was taking the question very seriously. Phoebe, Santa and Mrs Claus were all poised and waiting for the long list of toys they expected he would rattle off. As it was his first visit to Santa, Oscar would no doubt have a backlog to fill.
‘I would like a bike helmet with dinosaurs,’ he finally told the jolly man with his gold-rimmed glasses and a mane of long white hair.
‘That’s a very sensible present, to keep you safe while you’re riding your bike. Is there anything else?’ Santa asked curiously.
‘No. You’ve got a whole lotta kids in line, and they’ll want presents. I don’t want to take too many and you run out. Then they’d be sad. The helmet’s all I need.’
Phoebe signalled to Santa with a nod that the present would be bought.
‘Well, then, Oscar, I think we can manage a bike helmet with dinosaurs for Christmas. And Mrs Claus has a lovely stocking filled with candy for you. I don’t think I need to tell you to be a good boy—I think that you’re a very good boy.’
Santa lifted Oscar from his lap on to the ground, and his wife held out a Christmas stocking for him to collect on his way past.
Oscar suddenly stopped and turned back to Santa. ‘Santa—there’s another thing I want.’
‘Yes, Oscar.’ Santa leant down. ‘What is it?’
‘I want Phoebe to be my mummy...’
CHAPTER TEN
HEATH CALLED IN to the surgery on the way home. He needed to check his list for the next day as he had an urgent request for a consultation on a colleague’s mother, and had no clue as to his availability. As he unlocked the door, his heart felt lighter than it had in many years. He hadn’t wanted to fall for Phoebe but he had and he had broken two of his rules in the process. He intended on breaking the third rule, of not sleeping with a woman twice, as soon as possible. Just knowing she would be near him at work made him smile as he walked through the empty waiting room. He knew he should be feeling on shaky ground as his rules had kept him safe, but with Phoebe he was beginning to feel he didn’t need to protect himself.
But there had been a strange phone call from his father. One he would deal with when he got home. Apparently there was trifle in the refrigerator, his father wanted to retire and he wanted Heath to take over the practice. It had certainly been a day of major changes. Some he welcomed, but others Heath still wasn’t sure about.
Heath thought his father had perhaps gone a little mad from being at home too long.
The cleaner was at the practice when he arrived, and he had piled all the wastepaper baskets in the centre of the reception area to be emptied. Heath didn’t see them in the dim lighting and managed to kick them over. He could see the young man, busy in the surgery, with his headphones on, moving to the music as he polished the tiled floor.
He decided to pick up all the paper himself and then remind the young man on his way out to perhaps leave the bins in a safer place. There was nothing confidential—just general waste. Tilly was always careful that referrals with patient details were filed and that anything else of a confidential nature was put through the shredding machine.
For that reason he was very surprised to see the letterhead of another podiatric practice on a piece of paper thrown in with the general waste. It was unlike Tilly. She was more careful
than that. He collected all the other waste and tidied the area before unfolding the letter properly to read its contents.
It wasn’t Tilly who had thrown the letter so carelessly into the bin. It was Phoebe. The letter was addressed to her. And the letter wasn’t about a patient—it was about her. It was the offer of a dream job. As an associate with the largest sports specialising podiatric practice in Melbourne. It couldn’t have been more perfect with her qualifications and background.
And she had thrown it away.
His heart sunk as reality hit him.
This time she had thrown it away. But what if she didn’t next time she received such an offer? And with her credential those offers would keep coming.
She had no roots in Adelaide, or even in Australia. She could leave at any time. And despite their night together there was no guarantee that she would remain in his life. Or in Oscar’s. He spent nights with women and never felt compelled to remain in their lives. Why should she be any different?
She had come into their lives and within a few short weeks tipped them upside down. He could see Oscar growing closer to her with every day, and now his father had announced over the telephone that after speaking with Phoebe that morning he had decided to retire and consult part-time with the university. He had offered the practice to his son. And then he had told him about that trifle again. What was so damned important about a trifle?
Heath suddenly felt overwhelmed. His carefully organised life was going to pot.
As he tried to reconcile his life and find more reasons to return everything to the way it had once been he thought about Phoebe’s ridiculous love of the Christmas season. It was completely at odds with his own feelings. In fact now he thought about it, everything was at odds with the way he saw the world. Phoebe was taking his life and without his approval making sweeping changes. Even Tilly had suggested a Christmas tree in their waiting room after hearing all about the glorious tree back at the Washington hospital.
It had to stop. All of it. Christmas was not something to be—
His thoughts came to a screaming halt when he saw the miniature Christmas tree on the reception counter.
A Mommy to Make Christmas Page 13