Page 52 of A Home Among the Snow Gums
Crap. Saying no to her brother was a lot harder than saying no to Tom or Marigold or Kev. She leant in a little closer, wishing now that a more private table had been available. ‘Josh doesn’t know how busy I’m going to be this year. I’ve got to find a fertility clinic, research the steps, prepare myself. I might be away a lot.’ If a miracle happened and she overcame her fear of going away.
Tom stirred his coffee for an unnecessarily long time. ‘What say I help you. With, you know, logistics. And you help me with the campdraft. It’d ease Josh’s mind.’
‘When you say logistics …’
‘I’m not promising my sperm.’
‘Tom.’ She hated sounding so desperate. But, truth was, shewasdesperate. ‘Be a mate.’
He dropped his voice to the same low-level whisper as hers. ‘That’s precisely what I’m trying to be, Hannah. A mate.’
She nodded, but it was really just some social reflex, because actually she didn’t understand what he meant, not at all. ‘Is it my parenting skills you’re worried about? I know it may seem like I have a few problems but I’m working on them. The clinic’s going well and I don’t expect … I mean, this is a donor-only deal I’m suggesting. I’m not looking for financial input or anythi—’
‘I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful parent, Hannah. The same way I’m sure you’ll be a wonderful life partner to some lucky bloke.’
Why was he saying that so stiffly? She’d not given him reason enough to trust her, that was it.
‘I’m promising my support. Come on, Hannah, can that please be enough?’
She narrowed her eyes. ‘Full truth, Tom, no half-truths: are you trying to make sure I don’t do something harmful again? Because I’m not. I’m telling you straight and I need you to trust me. I don’t want a babysitter; that would just piss me off. I am, however, open to the idea of having a friend. A supportive friend.’
‘Full truth. I trust you when you tell me you won’t do anything harmful.’
‘Okay then.’
‘Okay? You’re sure?’
She was totally sure. Tom wanted to hang out, which meant she could still change his mind. He needed to see her facing her problems and being a calm, trustworthy, totally awesome person. Which she was, mostly.
The idea came to her in a rush. ‘I think I know how we can make a headstart on this helping each other out thing. Can you wait here? I’ll be five minutes, tops. Don’t eat my scone when it arrives.’
‘Er, sure.’
She jumped off the stool and bolted for the door. If Tom needed reassurance that she could handle herself, well she had a way to provide it. It had arrived just that morning, drenched in glitter.
She hustle-marched across the park, cursing Kylie for the fact the amber beads dangling from her ears were a great clattering annoyance when she went faster, crossed Dandaloo in the wake of a dusty old Kingswood, then ducked her head into the reception door.
‘Sandy,’ she hissed. ‘Did you bin that invite yet, my lovely?’
‘Sure, but I can fish it out.’ Sandy leant into her waste basket and pulled out the wedding invite, peeling it away from a limp banana skin. ‘Here you go.’
‘Thanks.’ Hannah shoved it into the inside pocket of her jacket, raced back to the café and threw herself, breathless, onto her stool.
‘You want to tell me what that was all about?’
‘I wondered if you’d be interested in accompanying me on a day trip. South. To a town that isn’t Hanrahan.’
‘You’ve not booked me into some fertility clinic, have you? Because that would be stepping well over the line.’
She frowned. ‘No! Not a fertility clinic. A wedding.’ She pulled the invite out of her jacket and dropped it onto the counter.
‘Oh!’ he said. ‘Someone else’s wedding. Me as your plus one.’
‘What else would I mean, for crying out loud?’
His face had relaxed and he had a little grin on, giving him a dimple on one side of his face, but he was still looking at her as if she was bonkers, which was the exact look she needed to wipe off his face if he was ever going to take her seriously.
‘Do you own a suit? Judging by the silver lettering on this thing, I’m guessing it’s a fancy event.’
