To Love Twice

by McCoubrey, Heather

  Kate sighed. She was totally overreacting, and she had no idea why. It wasn’t usually like her to lose this much of her confidence. Taking a deep breath, she slowly exhaled. “She did that grand entrance on purpose?”

  “Yes. Most likely she wanted to see what you were like when taken by surprise. Mum’s not overly fond of people who suck up to her because she’s my mum. I’m sorry, I should have warned you,” Edward said.

  “No, it’s ok. I understand,” Kate said and smiled.

  “Just relax and be yourself. I have one of the coolest mums out there. She’ll love you!” Edward smiled.

  “Alright, here’s the tea. I brought some for everyone,” Charlotte said as she walked through the door. She was carrying three glasses and Kate jumped up to help her. Kate carefully extracted two glasses from Charlotte and passed one to Edward. Sitting back down next to him, she sipped the tea.

  Frantically wracking her brain, Kate couldn’t come up with one topic to discuss. What did one discuss when first meeting their boyfriend’s mother?

  “Kate, Edward says you work for Eclipse Fashion?”

  “Yes, for about five years now. I absolutely love my job.”

  “How did you get into fashion?”

  “Well, after Mary was born, I decided to go back to work part-time. When I went in for the interview, they informed me that the part-time position had already been filled and they wanted me for the full-time position. The benefits and salary were too good to pass up. They have a daycare facility in the building, so Mary and I get to see each other during the day. It’s amazing!”

  “What do you do?”

  “Well, now I’m in charge of the marketing for the current product line, but when I first started I was an executive assistant. I went back to school and got a marketing degree and a few months ago I got promoted.”

  “Congratulations!”

  “Thank you! This company has really been a blessing.” Kate sipped her tea. “How’s Meaghan?”

  “Oh, she’s doing as well as can be expected. She’s bored. She wants to be up shopping for the baby and putting the nursery together,” Charlotte sighed. “It’s going to be a long nine months.”

  “Mum, isn’t there anything we can do to help?” Edward asked.

  “Well, of course there is. And we will. But that’s not the point. Meaghan wants to do it herself.”

  Kate nodded her head in agreement. “She’s right. It’s called nesting, and it’s instinctual and annoying. I remember the feeling,” Kate shuddered as she thought back. She and Georgie had done most of the work on Mary’s nursery once Brad had shut down. Georgie had insisted that Kate have no part in the painting and wallpapering, and it had driven Kate crazy. And when it was time to put the furniture together, Georgie had insisted that Kate let Tim do it. To Kate it had felt like it wasn’t really happening unless she could put her hands on the project.

  Edward shook his head. “That’s above my education level,” he laughed.

  Kate settled back into the couch and her heart lightened when Edward draped his arm around her shoulders again. She liked that he wasn’t afraid to show affection in front of his mother.

  They passed an hour chit-chatting and Kate realized that she had relaxed and was actually enjoying herself. Kate was surprised to find out that Edward hadn’t actually seen his mother in a few weeks. Charlotte had been up in Scotland helping her sister with the gardening and such. Charlotte regaled them with stories from her travels and caught Edward up with all the gossip from the family.

  “Mommy?”

  Mary stood in the doorway clutching her lovey. Kate smiled and went over to hug Mary. “How was your nap?”

  “Good. I’m hungry,” Mary said.

  “I bet. All that fresh air is good for an appetite!”

  “I’ll go get her something from the kitchen. You two cuddle on the couch,” Edward said.

  Kate walked Mary over to the couch and sat down. “Thank you Edward,” Kate said as she smiled at him. “Mary, I’d like to introduce you to someone very special.” Kate gestured toward Charlotte. “This is Edward’s mother, Ms. Charlotte. Would you say hello?”

  “Hello,” Mary said shyly.

  “Well, hello, Mary. It’s so nice to meet you!” Charlotte sent a beaming smile in Mary’s direction. “I hear you went riding on the horses this morning. I bet that was fun!”

  Nodding her head rapidly, Mary glanced at her mother. “Can we do it again?”

  Smiling, Kate nodded. “Of course. But let’s wait a bit. Edward is getting you a snack and we’re visiting with Ms. Charlotte.”

  “Ok.” Mary’s face fell but just then Edward returned with a snack of apples and peanut butter and a smile lit up her face again.

  “Thank you,” Mary said as Edward handed her the plate and a napkin.

  “You’re most welcome.”

  Charlotte waited for Mary to finish her first apple slice before asking her another question. “Mary, which horse did you ride this morning?”

  “Thunder! Edward let me ride with him on his big horse. He was so beautiful, Ms. Charlotte!”

  Everyone listened as Mary recounted the morning’s adventure. They had roamed all over Edward’s property, through the trees and out on the pasture. They had stopped and picked wildflowers and Kate had made a daisy crown for Mary. The weather had been cool this morning, so they had skipped the lake, but Edward promised to take them out there in a day or two when the weather warmed up.

  “Sounds like quite the adventure, little Mary. Are you enjoying your trip to London?”

  Mary nodded having stuffed another apple in her mouth.

  “Edward, will you be going into the City at all this week?” Charlotte asked.

  “No, probably not. We’re planning to visit with Meaghan tomorrow and then hopefully make a day of it at the lake. And I think Izzy is coming down on Saturday,” Edward explained.

  “Really, Izzy is coming down?”

  “Well, she said she was. Nothing is ever in stone where she’s concerned. If she doesn’t it’s no big deal,” Edward said glancing at Kate in question.

  “Right. I’m in London every few weeks. It’s nice to just enjoy the peace of the countryside,” Kate said.

  “Mum, are you staying the week?”

  “Only if it’s not an intrusion. I’d love to get to know your girls and relax myself before heading back up to help your Aunt or over to Meaghan’s to help there. I’m sure Rufus is pulling out what’s left of his hair.”

  “It’s never an intrusion, Mum. I had Mrs. White fix up your room, in case you wanted to stay,” Edward said.

  “Thank you, dear.”

  “How about a walk in the gardens?” Kate suggested. “Mary is finished with her snack and after such a long nap, she’ll never sit still for long.”

  “Perfect, I could use some fresh air,” Charlotte said.

  Dinner that evening was a fun affair. The cook had prepared tacos for dinner after finding out it was Mary’s favorite dinner. Charlotte had informed them all that it was her first time eating a taco. She had quickly fallen in love with the food.

  Mary was seated next to Charlotte. The two of them had bonded so quickly during the walk in the garden. Charlotte had taken time to introduce Mary to all the different flowers in the garden and then allowed Mary to pick a small bouquet for her room. After the walk, the two of them retreated to the kitchen to trim the stems and put the flowers in a vase. Then they’d gone up to Mary’s room to find the perfect place. They had settled on the bedside table. Mary explained that she’d be able to smell the flower smell better if it was next to her bed.

  After that, Mary and Charlotte had spent time reading books and playing games. They all had retreated back to the sitting room in much the same way they’d been when Charlotte had arrived. Kate was laying on the couch reading and Edward was watching a cricket game. It had been a lovely afternoon and it warmed Kate’s heart to see Mary interacting so well with Charlotte.

  Kate’s own
mother was fond of Mary, and Kate never doubted her love for Mary. But Barbara never got down on the floor to play with Mary as Charlotte had done with the board games.

  After dinner, Charlotte offered to give Mary her bath before bed. Kate couldn’t say no, the two of them were like peas in a pod. Their love of tacos cementing their new relationship.

  “Come with me, Kate. There’s something I’ve been dying to do since you got here,” Edward said as Charlotte and Mary disappeared up the stairs.

  “Where to, Edward?”

  “It’s a surprise,” Edward said as he winked at her.

  Shrugging, Kate nodded and followed Edward. He led her back into the sitting room. He lowered the lights and picked up a remote. He pressed a couple of buttons and the soft music of Beethoven filled the room.

  “Dance with me?” Edward said as he held his hand out toward Kate.

  Charmed, Kate placed her hand in his. “I’d love to,” Kate said.

  Edward pulled her close and Kate rested her head on his chest. They moved as one to the music. The lights were dim, the music just loud enough to envelope them in their own bubble. Kate closed her eyes and let the moment take her away.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Edward! You came!”

  “Of course we came, Meaghan. Kate’s been bugging me all week to see you!”

  Kate elbowed Edward as she made her way over to Meaghan. Grasping her hands, she kissed Meaghan’s cheek. “It’s so good to meet you,” Kate gushed. “This is my daughter, Mary.”

  “Hello, Mary! How are you doing?”

  “Good,” Mary smiled and placed her hand on Meaghan’s stomach. “Wow! You’re belly is big, how many babies do you have in there?”

  Meaghan laughed, eyes twinkling. “Well now, I’m glad you asked. They tell me there are two babies in my tummy!”

  Gasping, Kate clapped her hands and Edward kissed his sister’s temple. “Congratulations, Meaghan!” Kate exclaimed.

  “That’s brilliant, Pip! When did you find out? Does Mum know?”

  “No, Mum doesn’t know, so please don’t tell her. She said she’s coming this weekend and I want to surprise her. We found out Monday.”

  “I’ll do my best not to spill your beans, but you know how Mum is,” Edward grinned. “So, what have you been doing to keep yourself occupied, Pip?”

  “Whining. Complaining. Perusing the internet for baby items. Driving Rufus crazy,” Meaghan listed.

  “Where is the old boy?” Edward asked.

  “Knowing you were on the way, he escaped the madness to do some shopping. We’re out of just about everything,” she explained.

  “It’s a beautiful day outside, Meaghan. Are the lounge chairs out on the patio?”

  “They should be, but if they aren’t, they’ll be in the shed.”

  “I’ll go check and bring them out if need be. You should get some fresh air.”

  “I would adore it, thank you,” Meaghan beamed.

  “Point me in the direction of your kitchen and I’ll get some refreshments ready to bring out with us,” Kate offered.

  “It’s down the hall to the left. I doubt we have much, but help yourself. Rufus should be back soon with reinforcements.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Kate said. “Mary, will you keep Ms. Meaghan company?”

  “Sure, Mommy!”

  Kate helped Mary climb up on the bed and made sure they were comfortable before heading to the kitchen. She opened the fridge door and was a tad surprised to find it mostly empty. Meaghan had mentioned they were out of most everything, but Kate hadn’t believed she’d been serious.

  Next she went to the pantry and found a similar situation. Sighing to herself, she perused what was there and found enough odds and ends to put a light snack together. Buried deep on the bottom shelf, she found some instant lemonade mix and pulled that out too.

  Kate sliced up some apples, cut some cheese into squares, laid out some crackers and made the lemonade. By the time she’d finished putting the food together, Edward had prepared the chairs outside. He was just lifting Meaghan to move her outside when she emerged from the kitchen.

  “Perfect timing!” Kate said. “Mary, can you get the door for Edward, please?”

  “Sure!” Mary ran ahead and opened the door wide, holding it until both Edward and Kate had gone through.

  “Thank you, Mary,” Meaghan said.

  “You’re welcome,” Mary replied.

  “Oh, Meaghan! It’s beautiful out here!” Kate exclaimed. The grass was lush and went on forever. The yard was level and dotted with a few oak trees. At the very end of the yard, at least a quarter mile away, she could just make out the sparkling water of a small pond.

  “Thank you! Mum would love to get her hands on my yard and fill it with flowers, like she’d done at Edward’s house. But I keep refusing her,” Meaghan sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, I love flowers. But I don’t have the time or the love to devote to them. Besides, I love the peacefulness of just the grass and trees.”

  “You know she’ll wear you down eventually, Pip,” Edward laughed.

  “She can, but only if she’s going to oversee their care.”

  “Mommy, can I run around?”

  “Sure, just stay where I can see you.”

  “Meaghan, is the tire swing still up?”

  In the middle of taking a sip of lemonade, Meaghan just nodded her head.

  “Come on, Mary. I’ll push you on the swing.”

  Kate watched the two of them amble off, enjoying the view and the special bond that had grown between them.

  “They look cute together,” Meaghan observed.

  Kate nodded. “Mary really adores him. My father spends some time with her, but it’s my brother-in-law that really helps me out with the “dad” stuff. I don’t know what I’d do without Tim and my sister.”

  “They don’t have children?”

  “No, unfortunately. They tried for years but nothing came of it. It’s sad because they both would make such amazing parents.”

  “I know. I was really worried that we’d never have luck. This was our last IVF, I still can’t believe it worked this time,” Meaghan said.

  “Would you have tried adoption if it hadn’t worked out?”

  “Yes. We both wanted to try everything we could to have our own babies first. But if it hadn’t worked out, we would definitely adopt. In fact, when these babies are older, we’ll probably adopt. Rufus and I have always wanted a big family. He has four brothers and three sisters. And while our family is small in comparison, we have a lot of cousins. I’m sure Edward has mentioned Aunt Imogen’s brood,” Meaghan laughed.

  “Oh yes!”

  “Well, I’ve always enjoyed the chaos that reigns there when everyone is home. It’s loud, boisterous and amazing. The air is thick with love and secrets and memories. I want that for our family.”

  “It sounds wonderful,” Kate said.

  “It is,” Meaghan nodded enthusiastically. “Do you want more children, Kate?”

  “I don’t know,” Kate said honestly. “Mary just turned six and I’m so far past the bottles, diapers, sleepless nights. She’s pretty independent now and I’m just not sure if I could go back,” Kate explained.

  “Hmm.”

  “When Brad died, I never expected to be here again. Until recently, I planned to be on my own for the rest of my life, focused on Mary. I’d accepted it and was at peace with it. I don’t know, I guess we’ll see what happens. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be,” Kate said.

  “What’s this? Serious conversations on such a bright beautiful day?”

  Kate and Meaghan whipped their heads around to the sound of a new voice. A girl stood framed in the door, her corn-flower blue eyes twinkling. She had pale blond hair cut in a pixie style. She was tiny and couldn’t have weighed more than a sack of flour. She wore hot pink capri pants, a black v-neck t-shirt and flip-flops with giant gerbera daisies attached to the toe strap. She was adorable.

&n
bsp; “Izzy! What are you doing here?”

  “I’m not allowed to take a day off and visit my whale of a sister?” Izzy laughed, walking out onto the patio and leaning over to kiss Meaghan’s cheek.

  “Oh you brat,” Meaghan joked. “I’m not a whale yet, but I will be!”

  “How big are you going to get?” she asked as she sat down at the bottom of Meaghan’s lounge chair.

  “Twice as big as normal,” Meaghan said.

  “Twins?! Are you having twins?” Izzy clapped and covered her mouth.

  “Yes! Isn’t it fantastic?” Meaghan asked beaming.

  “Oh Meaghan! I’m so thrilled for you,” Izzy leaned over and gently hugged her sister.

  A huge smile lit up Izzy’s face and Kate thought she was radiant.

  “You must be Edward’s Kate,” Izzy said as she turned her head toward Kate.

  “I am. It’s so nice to meet you!”

  Izzy glanced at Meaghan. “Have you interrogated her yet?”

  Meaghan smiled. “No, not yet. I didn’t think it would be right to do it without you.”

  Kate blinked. “Interrogate me? Are you the two wicked sisters?”

  Meaghan and Izzy laughed. “No, but I think I like you already,” Izzy said.

  Meaghan and Izzy exchanged looks and then pinned Kate with their twinkling eyes.

  “Do you like shopping?” Izzy asked.

  Kate laughed. “Yes, of course.”

  “Do you like shoes?” Meaghan asked.

  Kate twisted her foot up for inspection. She was wearing black and white polka dot heels. “I do.”

  “Well, I do like her taste in shoes,” Izzy said to Meaghan.

  “Do you like day trips to the spa?”

  “Absolutely. And I hear that you both have trained Edward well. He’s in favor of spa days!”

  “It took a lot of work to bring Edward up to par. We want to make sure you don’t undo all our hard work!” Izzy said smiling.

  “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it,” Kate replied.

  “Do you like the theater?” Meaghan asked, bringing them back to the subject at hand.

  “What I’ve seen of it so far, yes.”