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Authors: Sue Margolis
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uneasy. “I don’t for a second want to rain on your parade, but are you two absolutely sure about this? I mean you’ll have a teenager in the house when you’re in your midsixties. It’s not going to be easy.”
“We’ve thought it all through,” Phil said. “I think we have a fair idea of what we’re letting ourselves in for.”
“And you know how much we’ve always wanted another child,” Ronnie went on. “I agree it might have been better if it had happened a decade or so ago, but we’re both healthy and fit. I’m sure we’ll manage.”
“My God, you’ll be having labor pains and hot flashes at the same time,” Sylvia said, shaking her head. This made everybody laugh again.
“Well, if you’re happy I’m happy,” she went on, her face finally breaking into a broad smile. She got up and hugged Ronnie and then Phil. “You are OK with this, aren’t you?” Ronnie said to her sister. “I mean, this is my second child and I know how much you always wanted children. I’ve been really nervous about telling you in case you felt uncomfortable with it.”
“OK, I admit it. Even ten years ago I would have been as jealous as hell. But I’m fifty-four. I’ve started to grunt as I get out of an armchair. I can’t eat anything fried after six o’clock and the only pill I take these days is to control my cholesterol level. The last thing I need is a screaming baby, nappies and sleep deprivation. Believe me, you are welcome to it.”
Ronnie turned to Ruby. “And what about you, darling? You might not realize it now, but when this baby arrives you may find yourself struggling with some pretty uncomfortable feelings. I don’t want you to feel that we are pushing you out of the family or that we won’t love you as much. You are our first baby and always will be.”
“Mum, please, I’m thirty-two years old. I appreciate the thought, but I do have a life. I’m hardly going to get jealous of a little baby. And you know how I always wanted a brother or sister. Admittedly we would have had more in common when I was a bit younger…” She started to giggle.
“So, do you want a boy or girl?” Aunty Sylvia asked Ronnie. Before Ronnie had a chance to say anything, Aunty Sylvia added, “Ooh, and have you thought about names? I picked up
Tatler
the other day and there was a picture of this little boy called Heathcliff. It’s such a romantic name. On the other hand, I’m not sure Heathcliff Silverman really works. I suppose you could always call him Cliffy for short. Now, then, if it’s a girl, what about Aida? Or Taittinger, that’s unusual.”
Ruby was aware that her mother was looking as if she were under siege. She decided to get the subject off names. “So, where are you having the baby?”
“The local hospital has been pretty good so far, although I think your dad would prefer me to be at St. Luke’s. Problem is it’s just so expensive.” The baby talk carried on for an hour or so. Finally Ronnie announced that dinner was ready. “Sylvia, why don’t you stay?” she said. “It’s your favorite—ricotta and spinach cannelloni, and Phil’s about to open another bottle of wine.” She didn’t need asking twice.
“I have news, too,” Aunty Sylvia said later on, as Phil got up from the dinner table to top up her wineglass. “I’m seeing a new man.”
“Hang on,” Ronnie said, “what happened to your last new man?”
“Brian? He was still hung up on his ex. I tried to be patient. I listened. I held him when he cried, but in the end it did no good, so I ended it.”
“What about the one before him—Max? He sounded nice.”
“He was—except he had to touch everything ten times and smell it. I got him into cognitive behavioral therapy. He did it for a bit, then he gave up. Oh, and he sat down to pee.”
Phil looked up from his cannelloni. “What’s so wrong with sitting down to pee?” he said mildly. “It’s the only way men of a certain age can empty their tank.
“We’ve thought it all through,” Phil said. “I think we have a fair idea of what we’re letting ourselves in for.”
“And you know how much we’ve always wanted another child,” Ronnie went on. “I agree it might have been better if it had happened a decade or so ago, but we’re both healthy and fit. I’m sure we’ll manage.”
“My God, you’ll be having labor pains and hot flashes at the same time,” Sylvia said, shaking her head. This made everybody laugh again.
“Well, if you’re happy I’m happy,” she went on, her face finally breaking into a broad smile. She got up and hugged Ronnie and then Phil. “You are OK with this, aren’t you?” Ronnie said to her sister. “I mean, this is my second child and I know how much you always wanted children. I’ve been really nervous about telling you in case you felt uncomfortable with it.”
“OK, I admit it. Even ten years ago I would have been as jealous as hell. But I’m fifty-four. I’ve started to grunt as I get out of an armchair. I can’t eat anything fried after six o’clock and the only pill I take these days is to control my cholesterol level. The last thing I need is a screaming baby, nappies and sleep deprivation. Believe me, you are welcome to it.”
Ronnie turned to Ruby. “And what about you, darling? You might not realize it now, but when this baby arrives you may find yourself struggling with some pretty uncomfortable feelings. I don’t want you to feel that we are pushing you out of the family or that we won’t love you as much. You are our first baby and always will be.”
“Mum, please, I’m thirty-two years old. I appreciate the thought, but I do have a life. I’m hardly going to get jealous of a little baby. And you know how I always wanted a brother or sister. Admittedly we would have had more in common when I was a bit younger…” She started to giggle.
“So, do you want a boy or girl?” Aunty Sylvia asked Ronnie. Before Ronnie had a chance to say anything, Aunty Sylvia added, “Ooh, and have you thought about names? I picked up
Tatler
the other day and there was a picture of this little boy called Heathcliff. It’s such a romantic name. On the other hand, I’m not sure Heathcliff Silverman really works. I suppose you could always call him Cliffy for short. Now, then, if it’s a girl, what about Aida? Or Taittinger, that’s unusual.”
Ruby was aware that her mother was looking as if she were under siege. She decided to get the subject off names. “So, where are you having the baby?”
“The local hospital has been pretty good so far, although I think your dad would prefer me to be at St. Luke’s. Problem is it’s just so expensive.” The baby talk carried on for an hour or so. Finally Ronnie announced that dinner was ready. “Sylvia, why don’t you stay?” she said. “It’s your favorite—ricotta and spinach cannelloni, and Phil’s about to open another bottle of wine.” She didn’t need asking twice.
“I have news, too,” Aunty Sylvia said later on, as Phil got up from the dinner table to top up her wineglass. “I’m seeing a new man.”
“Hang on,” Ronnie said, “what happened to your last new man?”
“Brian? He was still hung up on his ex. I tried to be patient. I listened. I held him when he cried, but in the end it did no good, so I ended it.”
“What about the one before him—Max? He sounded nice.”
“He was—except he had to touch everything ten times and smell it. I got him into cognitive behavioral therapy. He did it for a bit, then he gave up. Oh, and he sat down to pee.”
Phil looked up from his cannelloni. “What’s so wrong with sitting down to pee?” he said mildly. “It’s the only way men of a certain age can empty their tank.
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