the best part of an hour playing with Teresa Deleo’s youngest. Do you remember the Deleos?’
‘How could I forget? If you dared to cheer louder than—was his name Rick?’ Joanna nodded. ‘For a child that wasn’t his you’d risk life and limb.’
Joanna laughed and it was like the winter sun emerging from behind a dark cloud and lighting up the whole world with happiness. For a moment he was lost for words and just wanted to soak in the warmth of her.
‘That’s right. Do you remember Teresa was pregnant?’
‘Not really. Men don’t take much notice. That’s my excuse, anyway.’
‘You’re forgiven. She was only a couple of months, I think. Their fourth. Little Carlo, the baby I had the pleasure of borrowing to play with, well, he’s the result.’
Richard looked at Joanna for a moment, trying to gauge if there were any regrets, any resentmentthat she didn’t have a child of her own. For a change, her face was open and easy to read. She had enjoyed her time with her friend’s child and unless she hid it well, she had no bad feelings.
‘You probably had a harder workout than me. You definitely deserve chocolate.’
She took the offered chocolate and carefully unwrapped it to expose a couple of triangles, which she snapped off, offering one to him.
‘No, thanks, I’ll start on the sandwiches.’
For some reason he expected she’d refuse the food and he interpreted her acceptance as a symbol of her acceptance of him. Not as a husband or potential lover but someone she was comfortable sitting with in a coffee shop, simply sharing a hot drink.
It was a start, if only a small step, and would make their work together easier.
He opened the sandwiches and offered the package to her but she shook her head, already sucking the chocolate, making it last as she always had.
They ate and drank in silence for a couple of minutes. Richard wanted to ask her so many questions, personal questions like what had finally brought her out of her depression? Had it been adifficult decision to embark on nursing children with cancer? How did she cope on her own? Did she still sing? Had she had any lovers?
But it was too soon and she would probably think it was none of his business, so instead they talked about work and a little about his trip overseas and nothing about what really mattered. There was a film of tension hanging between them that they were both trying their hardest to pretend didn’t exist.
When they finished it was close to nine-thirty, half an hour before the centre’s closing time, and the staff of the coffee shop made it clear they were keen for their remaining customers to leave so they could get on with the cleaning up.
‘Do you want a lift home?’ Richard offered. He didn’t know if she had a car.
‘No, thanks, I’ve brought my car.’
‘I’ll walk you out to the car park, then.’
She shrugged as if she didn’t have the energy to resist and he followed her down the stairs. They walked past the main pool in silence. The Seal Squad had disbanded and gone home and there were only a few stragglers in the play pool—certainly no sign of the Deleos, to Richard’s relief.
‘You don’t have to walk me to the car,’ Joanna said when they reached the foyer. ‘It’s just over there.’
He looked in the direction she was pointing and squinted at the few vehicles remaining in the car park.
‘The truck or the hatchback? My guess is the truck.’
She laughed. ‘Guess again.’
‘Well, if it’s the hatchback, it looks suspiciously like a limited model. Never mind the gentlemanly valour, my motive is to check out your wheels.’
She’d replaced the large family wagon she’d had when he’d left. The smaller car would be much more practical and the small but sporty model suited her perfectly. To his relief she didn’t protest when he began to walk with her towards her car and when they got there she turned and hesitated.
‘I’m glad I came tonight,’ she said in a voice that
‘How could I forget? If you dared to cheer louder than—was his name Rick?’ Joanna nodded. ‘For a child that wasn’t his you’d risk life and limb.’
Joanna laughed and it was like the winter sun emerging from behind a dark cloud and lighting up the whole world with happiness. For a moment he was lost for words and just wanted to soak in the warmth of her.
‘That’s right. Do you remember Teresa was pregnant?’
‘Not really. Men don’t take much notice. That’s my excuse, anyway.’
‘You’re forgiven. She was only a couple of months, I think. Their fourth. Little Carlo, the baby I had the pleasure of borrowing to play with, well, he’s the result.’
Richard looked at Joanna for a moment, trying to gauge if there were any regrets, any resentmentthat she didn’t have a child of her own. For a change, her face was open and easy to read. She had enjoyed her time with her friend’s child and unless she hid it well, she had no bad feelings.
‘You probably had a harder workout than me. You definitely deserve chocolate.’
She took the offered chocolate and carefully unwrapped it to expose a couple of triangles, which she snapped off, offering one to him.
‘No, thanks, I’ll start on the sandwiches.’
For some reason he expected she’d refuse the food and he interpreted her acceptance as a symbol of her acceptance of him. Not as a husband or potential lover but someone she was comfortable sitting with in a coffee shop, simply sharing a hot drink.
It was a start, if only a small step, and would make their work together easier.
He opened the sandwiches and offered the package to her but she shook her head, already sucking the chocolate, making it last as she always had.
They ate and drank in silence for a couple of minutes. Richard wanted to ask her so many questions, personal questions like what had finally brought her out of her depression? Had it been adifficult decision to embark on nursing children with cancer? How did she cope on her own? Did she still sing? Had she had any lovers?
But it was too soon and she would probably think it was none of his business, so instead they talked about work and a little about his trip overseas and nothing about what really mattered. There was a film of tension hanging between them that they were both trying their hardest to pretend didn’t exist.
When they finished it was close to nine-thirty, half an hour before the centre’s closing time, and the staff of the coffee shop made it clear they were keen for their remaining customers to leave so they could get on with the cleaning up.
‘Do you want a lift home?’ Richard offered. He didn’t know if she had a car.
‘No, thanks, I’ve brought my car.’
‘I’ll walk you out to the car park, then.’
She shrugged as if she didn’t have the energy to resist and he followed her down the stairs. They walked past the main pool in silence. The Seal Squad had disbanded and gone home and there were only a few stragglers in the play pool—certainly no sign of the Deleos, to Richard’s relief.
‘You don’t have to walk me to the car,’ Joanna said when they reached the foyer. ‘It’s just over there.’
He looked in the direction she was pointing and squinted at the few vehicles remaining in the car park.
‘The truck or the hatchback? My guess is the truck.’
She laughed. ‘Guess again.’
‘Well, if it’s the hatchback, it looks suspiciously like a limited model. Never mind the gentlemanly valour, my motive is to check out your wheels.’
She’d replaced the large family wagon she’d had when he’d left. The smaller car would be much more practical and the small but sporty model suited her perfectly. To his relief she didn’t protest when he began to walk with her towards her car and when they got there she turned and hesitated.
‘I’m glad I came tonight,’ she said in a voice that
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