Page 58 of Prognosis Bad Timing

Dana walked towards him stopping in front. She dropped her head all the way back to peer up at him. ‘Come on, Charlie, it’s dance time.’

Dana slipped her hand into Charlie’s and tugged. He laughed and followed.

‘We don’t have a dukebox, do we, Mummy?’ Dana asked, not bothering to wait for a reply before she ploughed on. ‘We have a DD player.’

‘Ah.’ Charlie nodded. Old school. He liked it. ‘A DD player. Cool.’

‘Can we have Crocodile Rock, Mummy?’

Carrie smiled. ‘Sure sweetie.’

Carrie put the Elton John CD in the player and fast forwarded to Dana’s current favourite. She could feel Charlie’s stare and her hand shook as she hit play.

‘Come on, Charlie,’ Dana said pulling him up from the lounge. ‘Dance with me.’

Carrie sat back and laughed and smiled and clapped as her daughter twisted and bopped energetically with a grinning Charlie. She looked so happy it was almost painful.

This was what it could have been like if Rupert had stuck around.

Actually, she couldn’t quite imagine stiff-lipped Rupert letting his hair down this much, but didn’t every little girl have a right to a father?

Dana was looking at Charlie as if he was the best thing since sliced bread. She already talked about him non-stop as it was. It was easy to see that she could become very attached to Charlie.

God knew, she was at risk of that herself!

But in another week or so she’d be finished at the centre and she’d never see Charlie again. And, as much fun as this moment was, as wonderful as it was to see Dana so happy, she had to make sure Charlie didn’t come around again.

For both their sakes.

They’d already overstepped the line a couple of times and it was imperative she keep it professional. Charlie was a flash in the pan as far as her life goals went, and it would be foolish to allow him to distract her from what was important.

The song began for the fourth time and Carrie rose off the lounge to turn it off. It was already seven-thirty —way past Dana’s bedtime. ‘I think that’s more than enough, young lady.’

‘No, Mummy,’ Dana pleaded. ‘You haven’t danced with me yet. Can we dance like we always do before I go to bed?’

Dana’s blue-eyed stare and earnest face could have won her an Oscar. ‘OK...but just once.’ She loved her daughter but she could string out bed time like a pro.

Dana jumped up and down and Carrie put on ‘Endless Love.’ She picked up a waiting Dana, who snuggled into her side and stuck her thumb in her mouth. ‘Blanky,’ she murmured, looking around for the tatty piece of polar fleece she’d had since a baby.

‘Here.’ Charlie pulled it out from under where he was sitting on the lounge.

Carrie tried to tune Charlie out as she slowly swayed around the lounge room with Dana. Their girls’ night in always ended with ‘Endless Love’. It was one of her favourite rituals of the week with Dana snuggled close and the soaring romantic music swirling all around them.

It seemed strange to have a third party sharing this mother-daughter moment. Unfortunately, it didn’t feel bad strange.

It felt...nice strange. It felt cosy.

Dana roused. ‘Charlie.’ She held out her hand to him.

Charlie looked at Carrie and their gazes held. He desperately wanted to join in. To take Dana’s hand and envelop them both in his arms and pull them close. But he knew there was a line he’d be crossing. One he wasn’t entirely sure Carrie wanted him to cross.

Wasn’t entirely sure he was ready to cross, either.

Carrie saw the yearning in his eyes and knew she didn’t have the heart to deny him entry into their circle. Neither did she want to. She’d actually had a glimpse tonight what it would be like to have a man in her life, someone for her and Dana, and she didn’t have the power as the song swirled around her to end it just now.

She would have to, she knew. But after this song.

Charlie saw the barely perceptible nod of her head and rose from the chair. The lure of mother and daughter was too powerful to resist.

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