can’t wait to be a daddy,’ replied Heather.
‘I can’t believe it was so easy. I’d have thought adopting a baby would have been more complicated. There has to be more to it than that, surely. For it to be legal, I mean.’
‘The mother signed an affidavit giving up all rights to the child, but I expect we’ll have to go through the proper channels to adopt her officially. I rang my sister, Hazel, and she’s looking into it for me. She’s really good at sorting things out. Did I tell you she works in the prime minister’s office in Ottawa?’
Only about fifty times, thought Leonie. ‘Did you get a look at the mother? What about the snake tattoo? She’ll regret that. It’ll look awful when she’s older and her neck crepes.’ Leonie examined her own lined neck in the rearview mirror.
‘Madam Kong told me she sings in a band. The tat and the shaved head are probably just her way of making some kind of bizarre fashion statement.’
‘Do you think one of the boys in the band is the father?’
‘It’s not likely, is it? Even if he wouldn’t marry her, surely she’d have gone home to her family. I think she must’ve had a relationship with an Asian boy and she’s frightened about what her parents will say if she goes home with a baby.’
‘That makes sense. I can imagine Steve going through the roof if Rosie dated a local, let alone had a baby with him. How does Roger feel about it? I mean most men like their kids to look like them.’
‘He just wants to be a daddy. But I don’t think she looks Asian. She must have taken after her mother. What do you think?’
Leonie turned around and snapped at Rubiah. ‘Give her to me, girl.’ She studied the sleeping baby closely. ‘Well, she’s got heaps of straight black hair and she’s quite yellow, but they’re often jaundiced if they’re overdue. It’s hard to tell … Ugh! She wants changing.’ She thrust the baby back at Rubiah. ‘If you’re going to have a baby, this is certainly the place. You’ve got your amah to do all the nasty, smelly work. It’s like being a grandparent, isn’t it? Just enjoy her, Heather, and give her back to your maid when you’ve had enough. What are you calling her, by the way?’
‘Millie, after my granny. Do you like it?’
‘Yes, I do. All the old names are coming back in fashion.’
‘What about you, Rubiah?’ asked Heather. She couldn’t get used to having a maid and felt embarrassed if she didn’t include Rubiah in the conversation.
‘Pardon, Missus,’ said Rubiah, who was still worrying whether the witch had put a spell on her. She knew witch doctors were expensive and she’d made up her mind to ask Mister Roger to give her extra money when he came to her room tonight.
‘We’re calling the baby Millie,’ said Heather slowly and patiently, as if she was addressing a backward child.
‘Mei Li,’ repeated Rubiah. ‘It’s a good name, a lucky name,’ and she smiled at the sleeping baby and covered her bare head tenderly.
Chapter 9
‘I’ M SORRY THE PLACE IS SUCH A MESS,’ APOLOGISED H EATHER. ‘I couldn’t get Millie to go down for her sleep.’
‘Well, she’s sleeping now,’ said Leonie smugly. She’d given Millie her bottle and put her down in her cot with her favourite teddy. ‘What else can I do to help?’ she asked.
Really, Heather was hopeless, she thought, looking at the untidy living room. The other wives were due in half an hour for bridge, the place was a mess and Heather hadn’t even started preparing lunch.
‘Could you make the sandwiches?’ asked Heather gratefully, wishing she could have stayed home on her own, working on the patchwork quilt she’d started when Roger had first been posted to Miri. She found it overwhelming having the company wives round for lunch. They were so snooty. She knew they thought she was pathetic at bridge. She couldn’t bear to have them find out she was a hopeless housekeeper too. Why did Rubiah have to take off when it was
‘I can’t believe it was so easy. I’d have thought adopting a baby would have been more complicated. There has to be more to it than that, surely. For it to be legal, I mean.’
‘The mother signed an affidavit giving up all rights to the child, but I expect we’ll have to go through the proper channels to adopt her officially. I rang my sister, Hazel, and she’s looking into it for me. She’s really good at sorting things out. Did I tell you she works in the prime minister’s office in Ottawa?’
Only about fifty times, thought Leonie. ‘Did you get a look at the mother? What about the snake tattoo? She’ll regret that. It’ll look awful when she’s older and her neck crepes.’ Leonie examined her own lined neck in the rearview mirror.
‘Madam Kong told me she sings in a band. The tat and the shaved head are probably just her way of making some kind of bizarre fashion statement.’
‘Do you think one of the boys in the band is the father?’
‘It’s not likely, is it? Even if he wouldn’t marry her, surely she’d have gone home to her family. I think she must’ve had a relationship with an Asian boy and she’s frightened about what her parents will say if she goes home with a baby.’
‘That makes sense. I can imagine Steve going through the roof if Rosie dated a local, let alone had a baby with him. How does Roger feel about it? I mean most men like their kids to look like them.’
‘He just wants to be a daddy. But I don’t think she looks Asian. She must have taken after her mother. What do you think?’
Leonie turned around and snapped at Rubiah. ‘Give her to me, girl.’ She studied the sleeping baby closely. ‘Well, she’s got heaps of straight black hair and she’s quite yellow, but they’re often jaundiced if they’re overdue. It’s hard to tell … Ugh! She wants changing.’ She thrust the baby back at Rubiah. ‘If you’re going to have a baby, this is certainly the place. You’ve got your amah to do all the nasty, smelly work. It’s like being a grandparent, isn’t it? Just enjoy her, Heather, and give her back to your maid when you’ve had enough. What are you calling her, by the way?’
‘Millie, after my granny. Do you like it?’
‘Yes, I do. All the old names are coming back in fashion.’
‘What about you, Rubiah?’ asked Heather. She couldn’t get used to having a maid and felt embarrassed if she didn’t include Rubiah in the conversation.
‘Pardon, Missus,’ said Rubiah, who was still worrying whether the witch had put a spell on her. She knew witch doctors were expensive and she’d made up her mind to ask Mister Roger to give her extra money when he came to her room tonight.
‘We’re calling the baby Millie,’ said Heather slowly and patiently, as if she was addressing a backward child.
‘Mei Li,’ repeated Rubiah. ‘It’s a good name, a lucky name,’ and she smiled at the sleeping baby and covered her bare head tenderly.
Chapter 9
‘I’ M SORRY THE PLACE IS SUCH A MESS,’ APOLOGISED H EATHER. ‘I couldn’t get Millie to go down for her sleep.’
‘Well, she’s sleeping now,’ said Leonie smugly. She’d given Millie her bottle and put her down in her cot with her favourite teddy. ‘What else can I do to help?’ she asked.
Really, Heather was hopeless, she thought, looking at the untidy living room. The other wives were due in half an hour for bridge, the place was a mess and Heather hadn’t even started preparing lunch.
‘Could you make the sandwiches?’ asked Heather gratefully, wishing she could have stayed home on her own, working on the patchwork quilt she’d started when Roger had first been posted to Miri. She found it overwhelming having the company wives round for lunch. They were so snooty. She knew they thought she was pathetic at bridge. She couldn’t bear to have them find out she was a hopeless housekeeper too. Why did Rubiah have to take off when it was
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