Falling In Love Again

by Marilyn Forsyth

  A collective gasp went up from the crowd, immediately followed by fervent clapping and cheering. Much to Jamie’s amusement, Drew performed an impromptu bow. He followed his son’s lead, so happy that he simply couldn’t wipe the smile from his face, and from the look on hers, Gem was just as delighted as he was. He offered her a hand up onto the platform and pointed to the shiny engraved gold plaque attached to the top of the case. ‘I want you to read that to Drew.’

  With a puzzled look Gem did as he’d asked. ‘Gracie and Baby Drew,’ she read, and stopped. Welling tears made her eyes an even brighter blue.

  ‘That’s my name!’ Drew said, jumping up and down on the spot.

  Jamie took Gem’s hand. ‘I named Gracie after my mother, as you’re aware, but that little skeleton inside was never referred to as anything but “the embryo”. I’m not sure why but it became important to me that Gracie’s baby have a name, too.’ Jamie gently nudged his son in the ribs. ‘And I reckon Drew is a pretty good name, don’t you, buddy?’

  ‘Yes!’ He threw an air punch.

  Holding Gem with one hand and Drew with the other, Jamie led them from the platform as more and more people crowded around the display case for a closer view. Harry and Lou caught up with them on the floor.

  ‘I couldn’t be more proud, son,’ his father said, wrapping him up in a bear hug. When he pulled back, tears glistened in his eyes.

  ‘Geez, Dad, don’t get soppy on me,’ Jamie said, aware his own emotions were perilously close to the surface. It had been a big, big night in more ways than one.

  ‘I’m proud too,’ vouched Lou, planting a motherly kiss on his cheek. ‘And to celebrate we’d like to take young Drew here for an ice cream and get to know him a bit better while you two spend a bit of time together. What do you say, young man?’

  Drew’s eyes lit up. ‘Can I go, Mummy?’ he pleaded.

  For a moment Gem appeared hesitant but, following a reassuring glance from Lou, she smiled agreement. ‘Of course you can, my darling. We’ll join you soon.’

  * * *

  With arrangements made to meet in half an hour at a local fast-food eatery, the others left, Harry and Lou each holding one of Drew’s hands. Gem couldn’t help but be grateful as she watched them disappear; despite everything he’d been through, her son was still such a happy, trusting little soul. She had no qualms about Harry and Lou taking him—Harry was his grandfather, after all. She’d merely been concerned he might worry about being without her.

  Apparently not. Her little boy was growing up too quickly.

  As soon as Jamie finished acknowledging the congratulations of an important-looking older gentleman, he grabbed her by the arm and ushered her out to the landing, away from the crowded room to where the only sound was the click-clack of her heels descending the marble staircase. She felt a little like Cinderella, trying to keep her high heels from slipping, although at least she had Jamie’s steadying hand to keep her upright.

  No longer sick with nerves, as she’d been on her way here tonight, she was acutely aware of a surge of relief mixed with intrigue. She’d had concerns about Jamie’s reaction to seeing both herself and Drew tonight. Much to her joy, he’d proved to be restraint personified on meeting his son, and she couldn’t recall ever having seen Drew so excited and happy.

  She glanced across at Jamie. His expression was impossible to read.

  ‘Where are you taking me?’

  He dangled a key from his free hand. ‘Angela said it’d be all right to talk in her office.’

  Talk. Yes. They definitely needed to do that. What would he have to say? His sudden huge grin swept away her momentary apprehension.

  Once inside the room, Jamie flicked on the overhead florescent light. Then he unbuttoned his suit jacket and pulled her down to sit beside him on the well-worn tan-coloured leather lounge that backed against one wood-panelled wall.

  They sat in silence for a moment and from the corner of her eye she re-familiarised herself with the cut of his profile. Angular cheeks, dead-straight nose, strong jawline. She inhaled deeply, trying to slow her breathing. He smelled so damn good. She’d missed his presence in her life; missed it with a yearning ache that caught her by surprise with its intensity.

  Finally, Jamie turned to her. ‘First up, I need to apologise for not getting in touch when I got to Sydney. I did have valid reasons, though.’

  ‘You didn’t want my help in setting up the gallery because you didn’t want me to see the plaque, right?’

  ‘Yeah. Well, partly. It would’ve been impossible to keep the secret from you and I wanted it to be a surprise. But there’s more to it than that.’

  ‘O ... kay,’ she said, unsure she wanted to hear more. ‘Go ahead.’

  ‘It was clear from our phone conversations after you left Rainbow Cliffs that your reservations about me with regard to Drew weren’t going away. The thing is, you were right. I knew once I got to Sydney I’d have to fight myself to stay away from you both. I can’t begin to tell you how hard it’s been for me to do just that. I wanted to respect your feelings, but he is my son too.’

  His words were weighted with a longing she couldn’t help but have an affinity for.

  ‘Yes, he is your son, and I ... look, I understand your need to get to know him. It’s why I decided to bring him to the opening.’

  ‘I’m so grateful you did. He’s a terrific little guy.’ He gave a warm laugh before his expression turned serious. ‘You’ve done an amazing job raising him on your own.’

  Bubbles of happiness erupted beneath her ribs at the earnestness of the compliment. ‘That means a lot to me, Jamie. Thank you.’

  ‘I mean it.’ He squeezed her hand. Then his features tightened. ‘I just wish I could get my hands on the professor one more time.’

  ‘That’ll be little difficult seeing as how he’s fled the country. Apparently someone contacted the Ministry of Arts to put in a complaint about his actions. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?’

  ‘Good old Harry,’ Jamie mused before taking her hand in his. ‘What I’m trying to say is that you managed to survive that mongrel’s brutality,’ momentarily, his voice cracked, ‘and I’m so incredibly proud of you both.’

  ‘My only regret is that I didn’t have enough faith in myself to leave Roger much sooner.’

  ‘No regrets.’ He slashed a hand through the air. ‘None. You have to try to forget that bastard and the terrible hurt he caused without forgetting what he taught you about yourself: that you are a strong person.’

  The concern in his dark eyes, the way he leaned so protectively towards her almost won her over, but she had to make him see it wasn’t that simple to let it all go. She retreated into defence mode.

  ‘Easy enough to say, but you know how much I hate making mistakes.’

  ‘Hey, we all make mistakes. Doesn’t mean we have to keep paying for them. Just because the past wasn’t great, it doesn’t stop the future from being fantastic. And I want to be part of that brighter future with you.’

  She sat silent for a moment, digesting his words, wondering if he had a complete grasp of all that that implied. ‘Do you?’

  He took her hand again and looked deep into her eyes. ‘When you left that day to drive back to Sydney, at the time it seemed to me that you took the easy way out, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised that sometimes walking away has more to do with strength than weakness. You did the right thing. We needed time apart. We both needed to be sure this relationship is what we want. I’m sure, but is it what you want?’

  Being without him for the past six weeks, missing the feel of him, the smell of him, missing his kisses and the sound of his laugh had brought home to her just how much she wanted it.

  ‘I was too messed up after running into Roger to even think about you and me as a possibility. Since I’ve been home I’ve tried to rectify that, taking baby steps to get my life in order,’ she started to explain, ‘but I’m still not—’

 
‘Look, I get your concerns over ... us,’ he interrupted, gesturing between them. ‘I really do. After the way Devane treated you, how could you not be fearful of letting anyone else in? But I swear to you,’ he said, placing a hand to his heart, ‘I will never hurt you. Never.’

  The dark eyes he fixed on her were filled with warmth and the promise of safety, but he still hadn’t got the point.

  ‘This is about more than just you and me, Jamie.’

  ‘Yeah, it is. And I fully realise that I’m making a commitment not just to you, but to Drew as well. It’s a commitment I will honour. I want my son to learn to love and respect me as much as I love and respect my dad.’

  The gentleness and genuine love in his voice touched her to her soul. This was her baby—their baby— he was talking about so lovingly, a little boy who’d never experienced a father’s love. The way Roger had barely tolerated him had almost broken her heart so many times.

  She found herself unconsciously leaning closer to Jamie, wanting to reach out and stroke his face, to tunnel her fingers through the thickness of his hair. But still something held her back. The most important thing had to be made clear.

  ‘That can only happen if you’re a real presence in Drew’s life. Our son deserves better than an absent father.’

  Jamie studied her for a moment or so before speaking. ‘After everything that happened a few weeks back, Harry having his stroke and then me realising I was losing you, I made an effort to examine my life with a fresh pair of eyes. I’d always been impulsive, restless, never sure what I actually wanted out of life, other than to pay Harry back. Even the opal mining was a stopgap thing until I worked out what I really wanted to do.’

  ‘But Harry didn’t need or even want to be paid back. Everything he did for you, he did because he’s your dad and he loves you.’

  ‘I understand that now, more than ever—now I’ve met Drew. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for that little boy.’

  ‘So ... what’s going to happen?’ She kept her voice deceptively calm despite a stomach churning with both hope and fear.

  ‘Well, it seems Lou’s decided it’s time to retire as the local community nurse, and when she and Harry get married next month she’ll join him in running the motel. Three’s a crowd, so it’s time for me to go.’

  ‘And what about the deal you’ve been working on with the tourist board?’

  Jamie rubbed his hands together. ‘Signed and sealed. The advertising campaign begins next month.’

  She stared at him, doing her best to grasp not only his words but the implications behind them. She hardly dared ask the question. ‘Does that mean you’ll be ... moving here?’

  He stood and pulled her up beside him. She closed her eyes for a moment, unsure what was about to unfold. It was only when she felt the warmth of his fingers tracing the outline of her chin that she found the courage to open them.

  The laugh-lines down either side of his handsome face deepened as he broke out that grin, the one that had always rendered her helpless. ‘Yes, I’m moving to Sydney. The sooner, the better.’

  Her heart lifted on an instant wave of happiness, but her more pragmatic side had a further question. ‘What will you do here?’

  To soften her words of doubt, she put a hand to his cheek. He leaned into her touch and, with a knowing smile, slowly shook his head at her.

  ‘Ahh, my ever-practical Gem.’ He knew her so well. ‘Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ve thought long and hard about that.’ He turned and took a step away from her to run a finger along the official-looking tomes lined up on the bookcase beside them, as if considering what to say next. ‘And ... ’

  ‘And?’ She wasn’t aware how desperate she was until the demand sprang from her lips.

  ‘And, I’ve made up my mind. Thanks to Gracie, I’ve got a nice little nest egg to help me finish that palaeontology degree I missed out on, back when. And this time, no professor to make things difficult for me.’ The pride and sense of purpose in him was obvious from the raised chin and the squared shoulders, and the smile of determination left her in no doubt that this time he’d follow through.

  Giddy with relief, she steadied herself with a hand on the side of the couch. ‘You’re certain it’s what you want to do?’

  ‘Totally.’ Jamie returned to her side and gently caressed her shoulder. ‘No more mucking around, Gem. I want to do something with my life and I want to belong somewhere. To put down roots.’

  She stroked his hair then, tears welling, she cupped his face with both hands. ‘I am so happy to hear that.’

  ‘Good.’ He grabbed her hands and pulled them to his chest. His heart was beating as wildly as hers. ‘Look, I’m not idiot enough to try to make you believe that everything’s gonna magically work out. But know this …’ He stared calmly down at her, his eyes warm and gentle. ‘I love you, and I’m going to go on loving you and our son. We’re a family. We’re meant to be together.’

  For a split second the sheer power of her feelings—so sudden, so intense—almost overwhelmed her as it hit her that she couldn’t love Jamie more than she did in this moment. The love they’d shared so long ago had been young love, idealistic and naive. This love was a grown-up love, a lasting pledge of trust and belief in one another.

  Grinning up at him through spilling tears, she spoke the words she knew he ached to hear. ‘Yes. Yes, we are. Welcome home.’

  ‘Home.’ His sincere blue eyes brimmed with emotion. ‘You. You and Drew are my home.’

  ‘I love you, Jamie,’ she said, heart overflowing with love for this man who’d saved her, just as he’d saved Gracie. His love had brought them both into the light and made them shine.

  He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Then he dipped his head further and suddenly his warm, giving lips were on hers and she could barely breathe with wanting him. A slow shiver wove through her body and she gave herself up to a wave of sensation that washed everything from her mind but the warmth spreading beneath her skin.

  She sank against him, her knees weakening further as the kiss deepened, her toes curling in an exquisite tingle as she savoured the sweet taste of his tongue. A tongue that knew all her sensitive places. His arms tightened around her, crushing her to him as if afraid she might pull away. She buried her fingers in the thick hair at the back of his neck to show him there was no way on earth was she about to do that.

  A sigh of helpless pleasure escaped her throat and without warning Jamie’s mouth left hers and his arms released her. ‘Sorry.’ His voice was unsteady.

  She stumbled from him, slowly recovering her spinning senses. ‘Wh—what?’

  ‘Nothing in the world would make me happier than to never stop kissing you, believe me.’ His gaze flicked to the clock on the office wall then returned to her, and he gave an apologetic half-grin. ‘But we have a gorgeous little man to meet up with.’ His beautiful grin widened and he grabbed her hand. ‘Ready?’

  Gem had done a lot of heart-searching over the last few weeks and the journey of self-discovery, the miraculous merging of the starry-eyed young girl she’d been with the woman she knew herself to be now, was complete. She’d learned the meaning of adult love and experienced genuine passion and she knew exactly what she wanted.

  A man with trust and understanding, two qualities she valued more than any others. Her first love. The father of her child.

  Jamie.

  Excitement rippled through her and she laughed out loud, a burst of wild exhilaration for the possibilities their future as a family held in store. Their love story was just about to begin.

  ‘Let’s go.’

  Epilogue

  Jamie tore the mortarboard from his head and tossed it high into the air where it floated like a weird-looking bird for a second or two among scores of others. The traditional signal marking the end of the graduation ceremony.

  Hoo-bloody-ray! The sooner he could ditch this bright blue gown, the better.

  He winced against the sun’s glare, tracking his hat a
s it fell back to earth, almost bumping heads with another graduate as he bent to retrieve it. They exchanged self-satisfied grins.

  Man, it felt good to be here!

  Whoops of joy, shouting, clapping and cheering went on all around him as the friends and loved ones of fellow graduates began converging on the quadrangle. He gazed around, searching the crowd for his own family, his mind ticking through the miracle of how he’d arrived here. So many things had changed for him in the last eighteen months—in the best way possible. The stars had aligned and it had been the most rewarding time of his entire life.

  Gracie had proved a huge success for Museum Australasia. Visitor numbers had nearly doubled since she’d been installed, and he’d been asked to write articles about her discovery for several well-known geoscientific magazines.

  Returning to university to finish his final year hadn’t proved as difficult as he’d initially imagined. But then he was a different person now; a responsible adult with a family to care for.

  Family. His most cherished desire. Gem and Drew and—

  A little body hurtled through the crowd and threw his arms around Jamie’s waist.

  ‘Hey, buddy.’ He tousled his son’s blonde mop.

  ‘Hi, Daddy.’

  Daddy. His heart soared, remembering the first time his little boy had used that word—at the wedding, six months ago, when Drew asked if he could call him that, seeing as Jamie was marrying his mummy. It had thrilled him then, and it thrilled him still. Explanations could wait until his son was old enough to understand.

  Harry and Lou arrived hand in hand and all smiles. Married life suited them, too.

  His father clapped him on the back. ‘Congratulations, son!’

  Lou kissed his cheek. ‘Well done, love.’

  Glancing up, he spied Gem meandering along with a dreamy smile on her features. He watched her for a lovely long second, drinking in every detail—the carefree way she wandered towards them, the breeze playing with her hair, the faraway look in her eyes. He knew exactly what she was thinking about; he thought about it every spare moment, too.