Read Online A Brighter Spark (Xcite Romance) by Mary Borsellino - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Mary Borsellino
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think he called it. Something along those lines, anyway. A romantic night out. Though that’ll have to wait until Lily’s on the mend, I guess.’
‘Yes, it wouldn’t be fair to her or to you for you to be otherwise occupied while she needs you,’ Daniel replied immediately. ‘We can plan it for a later date.’
Suzy was touched by the words, said so unguardedly and automatically. More than one of the short, non-serious relationships she’d had in her 20s had fallen apart largely because her lovers had expected more of her heart and attention than she’d ever be able to give them. No matter how much she liked somebody and wanted to spend time with them, she’d always be a parent first and a girlfriend second. Nothing could change that.
But Daniel got it. He’d always be a parent first too. He might not particularly like it when Suzy was unavailable because of teen-related disasters, but he’d understand. There would never be any fights over her attention, fights that no lover, no matter how perfect, could ever win against her children.
‘When everyone’s back on the mend, we should all go to a drive-in sometime,’ she said, remembering trips she’d taken as a child, the excitement of sitting in her family’s own car to watch a movie. ‘There’s still one operating a few suburbs away from here.’
‘That would be lovely,’ Daniel agreed. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever taken my kids to one – and I think that’s probably something I’d remember doing, if I’d done it.’
‘It’s a date, then. One day,’ decided Suzy. ‘And, in the more immediate future, once present earaches are taken care of and I won’t feel like the worst parent on earth for even contemplating having fun while my child is ill, we’ll have a proper romantic, grown-up night out. Hannah can babysit Henry, Lily, and Steven, maybe?’
‘Yes, I think she’d like that. And the youngsters will too, once they’ve made token protests about – well, about being called “youngsters”, for a start.’ Daniel grinned. ‘Hannah’s good at making babysitting a fun experience for all involved.’
‘Drew thought maybe they’d like a day out boating. Drew’s partner Joseph has a yacht, which Drew assures me is “small but jaunty”. God, on one hand I’ve got him saying “jaunty” and on the other I’ve got you saying “youngsters”. It’s a wonder I don’t start praising Lily for her gumption and pluck in the face of a jolly putrid earache.’
‘That was adorable. Vaguely terrifying, but adorable,’ Daniel told her with a fond tone.
‘I’ll take that as a compliment,’ Suzy assured him. ‘Anyway, when Lily’s better, that’s the tentative plan. After they’ve been out on the boat they can sleep over at Drew’s, provided none of them have an aversion to an inordinate number of Jim Henson prints on the walls. You’d honestly think that the Muppets were a decorating school, to look at that man’s house. He claims it’s ironic but I stopped believing it several Christmases ago, when he gave Steven The Dark Crystal and Lily Labyrinth .’
Daniel laughed aloud at that. ‘Your family is a delight, Suzy. They truly are.’
‘Yeah, they’re OK, I guess,’ she agreed, smiling.
He called her every night for the next week, while poor Lily slowly recovered her sharp edge and things went back to normal. With some surprise, Suzy realised that she and Daniel had spent longer apart than they’d had the chance to spend together. Talking to him every night about trivial, easy things – what work was like, what was in the newspapers, their kids (Hannah had decided to skip the pink hair; Henry had a crush on a girl in his class; Steven had given his parents the tip that My Little Pony toys were currently “totally cool and awesome” for teens; Lily had been absolutely delighted by the blue plastic pony with a rainbow mane and tail which Drew brought round for her the following day), how much they missed each
‘Yes, it wouldn’t be fair to her or to you for you to be otherwise occupied while she needs you,’ Daniel replied immediately. ‘We can plan it for a later date.’
Suzy was touched by the words, said so unguardedly and automatically. More than one of the short, non-serious relationships she’d had in her 20s had fallen apart largely because her lovers had expected more of her heart and attention than she’d ever be able to give them. No matter how much she liked somebody and wanted to spend time with them, she’d always be a parent first and a girlfriend second. Nothing could change that.
But Daniel got it. He’d always be a parent first too. He might not particularly like it when Suzy was unavailable because of teen-related disasters, but he’d understand. There would never be any fights over her attention, fights that no lover, no matter how perfect, could ever win against her children.
‘When everyone’s back on the mend, we should all go to a drive-in sometime,’ she said, remembering trips she’d taken as a child, the excitement of sitting in her family’s own car to watch a movie. ‘There’s still one operating a few suburbs away from here.’
‘That would be lovely,’ Daniel agreed. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever taken my kids to one – and I think that’s probably something I’d remember doing, if I’d done it.’
‘It’s a date, then. One day,’ decided Suzy. ‘And, in the more immediate future, once present earaches are taken care of and I won’t feel like the worst parent on earth for even contemplating having fun while my child is ill, we’ll have a proper romantic, grown-up night out. Hannah can babysit Henry, Lily, and Steven, maybe?’
‘Yes, I think she’d like that. And the youngsters will too, once they’ve made token protests about – well, about being called “youngsters”, for a start.’ Daniel grinned. ‘Hannah’s good at making babysitting a fun experience for all involved.’
‘Drew thought maybe they’d like a day out boating. Drew’s partner Joseph has a yacht, which Drew assures me is “small but jaunty”. God, on one hand I’ve got him saying “jaunty” and on the other I’ve got you saying “youngsters”. It’s a wonder I don’t start praising Lily for her gumption and pluck in the face of a jolly putrid earache.’
‘That was adorable. Vaguely terrifying, but adorable,’ Daniel told her with a fond tone.
‘I’ll take that as a compliment,’ Suzy assured him. ‘Anyway, when Lily’s better, that’s the tentative plan. After they’ve been out on the boat they can sleep over at Drew’s, provided none of them have an aversion to an inordinate number of Jim Henson prints on the walls. You’d honestly think that the Muppets were a decorating school, to look at that man’s house. He claims it’s ironic but I stopped believing it several Christmases ago, when he gave Steven The Dark Crystal and Lily Labyrinth .’
Daniel laughed aloud at that. ‘Your family is a delight, Suzy. They truly are.’
‘Yeah, they’re OK, I guess,’ she agreed, smiling.
He called her every night for the next week, while poor Lily slowly recovered her sharp edge and things went back to normal. With some surprise, Suzy realised that she and Daniel had spent longer apart than they’d had the chance to spend together. Talking to him every night about trivial, easy things – what work was like, what was in the newspapers, their kids (Hannah had decided to skip the pink hair; Henry had a crush on a girl in his class; Steven had given his parents the tip that My Little Pony toys were currently “totally cool and awesome” for teens; Lily had been absolutely delighted by the blue plastic pony with a rainbow mane and tail which Drew brought round for her the following day), how much they missed each