Insert 10: The Other Side of the Family
Written by Rosey Collins
Jill and Steve Griffin were sitting together on the steps surrounding the sea lion enclosure at Central Park Zoo, watching their two granddaughters enjoying the sea lions. Rose had got the particular attention of one, and was toddling back and forth along one side of the octagonal perspex fence surrounding the pool, with the playful creature following her whichever way she went.
'Y'know, that's very cute,' Jill remarked. 'I guess I'd better take a picture, hadn't I?'
'It won't come out very well with her running around like that,' said Steve.
'Sure it will. You'd know that if you got with the times and bought yourself one of these digital camera thingies.' So saying, Jill produced a camera from her handbag and frowned long-sightedly at the controls.
'Oh yes?' said Steve, his mouth twitching with amusement. 'To take pictures of what?'
'Your grandchildren, of course,' said Jill, as she struggled with the camera. 'You have to get one, Steve, so you can email me all your pictures of whatever they do with you when I'm not there. You see more of them than I do.'
'You could visit them more often if you wanted to,' said Steve. 'It's not as if anyone's trying to keep you away.'
Jill finally managed to take her picture, then she turned to Steve and said irritably, 'I'm not saying anyone is trying to keep me away, and I'm not saying it bothers me. I am simply stating a fact.'
'Sorry,' said Steve. 'I wasn't trying to pick a fight.'
'Good,' said Jill, nudging him playfully. 'Neither was I.'
Steve nudged her back and they chuckled until Rose, mid-totter, suddenly fell flat on her face. The sea lion that had been playing with her stopped swimming abruptly and looked around in alarm; Conchita at once rushed to comfort the sea lion as best she could. Jill jumped to her feet, hurried over to Rose and set her upright.
'Are you okay, Rosy?' she asked.
'Sí,' said Rose, without looking at Jill, and she went back to admiring the sea lions.
Jill resumed her seat next to Steve, saying, 'Can't she say yes in English? She never does, does she?'
'She's still forming her speech patterns,' said Steve. 'Sí is easier to say than yes. Chita was the same.'
'You would know, of course,' Jill said wryly. 'But even you don't get to see them as much as the other side of the family, do you?'
'You mean Eduardo's family?' said Steve. 'No, I don't, but that makes sense. They live practically down the street, and they have James.'
'Who?'
'Eduardo's brother's kid... the little one.'
'Oh, is that his name?' said Jill disinterestedly. 'It's an English name, then. Why is Conchita called Conchita? Is it in the family?'
'You'd have to ask Eduardo that,' said Steve, 'but I seem to remember he was determined to call her something Spanish, to make some kind of point. When she was born, James was on the way, and I've been told that Carl would never consider a Spanish name for any child of his.'
'I hope Kylie didn't just go along with what Eduardo wanted,' said Jill.
'You know she didn't,' said Steve. 'They make decisions together.'
'Huh. I wonder how long that'll last.'
'I don't know. Maybe forever. But if it doesn't, I don't think Kylie will be the one to roll over.'
'Yeah, you're right,' said Jill, smiling proudly to herself.
'Is Chita's name really a big deal to you?' Steve asked. 'I think it's kind of pretty.'
'Not a big deal at all,' said Jill. 'What's in a name? A rose by any other name...'
'Speaking of which,' said Steve, 'don't forget that Rose was named after our side of the family.'
Jill looked at him, scowling. 'Your side of the family.'
'Kylie's side of the family. She and Grandma Rose were close.'
'Mmm, I remember. Rose Lockyer was always the first port of call, wasn't she?'
'She was,' said Steve, 'but that's no reflection on you. Sometimes parents are a little too close. It's easier for kids to talk to their grandparents.'
'I'm their grandparent,' said Jill, nodding towards Conchita and Rose, 'frightening as that thought is, but I can't see myself having that closeness with them. If they want to talk to a woman who's not their mother, they'll go running to “Aunty Beth”.'
'Jill, come on,' said Steve. 'Jealousy is an ugly emotion. Anyway, you can be close to them if you want to. I mean, you'd have to see them a lot more than you do now... maybe move a little closer...'
'I'd have to move a lot closer,' said Jill, 'and even if I did, Beth's got them now. And Carl, and this James character, and that other son of theirs. There's always one side of the family you feel closer to, isn't there? And everyone, no matter what their family structure, has a hierarchy of who they're close to and want to take their problems to, with one person at the top. I don't know where all those Riveras come on their list, but no matter what I do now, they'll always be above me. And you.'
'You're making it sound like a competition,' said Steve.
'No I'm not,' said Jill. 'I am simply stating a fact.'
'Who is top of their list, I wonder?' said Steve, looking at Conchita and Rose as they laughed at a young sea lion who was showing off for them. 'They're close to both their parents, and I think they'll grow up being close with each other as well. They're like a perfect square, that family.'
'Do you think so?' Jill asked sceptically.
'Yes,' said Steve, 'right now I do. I suppose it may change someday, but I hope not.'
'So do I,' said Jill, 'only I find it hard to believe, and anyway, I wouldn't want to imply that square families are better than other kinds.'
'Neither would I,' said Steve. 'I didn't mean that.'
'I didn't say you did.'
'I didn't say you said I did.'
'Oh, stop it,' said Jill, laughing and slapping him on the arm. 'Come on, let's go get something to eat,' and she got to her feet. 'Those children must be bored of the stupid sea lions by now.'
'Y'know, that's very cute,' Jill remarked. 'I guess I'd better take a picture, hadn't I?'
'It won't come out very well with her running around like that,' said Steve.
'Sure it will. You'd know that if you got with the times and bought yourself one of these digital camera thingies.' So saying, Jill produced a camera from her handbag and frowned long-sightedly at the controls.
'Oh yes?' said Steve, his mouth twitching with amusement. 'To take pictures of what?'
'Your grandchildren, of course,' said Jill, as she struggled with the camera. 'You have to get one, Steve, so you can email me all your pictures of whatever they do with you when I'm not there. You see more of them than I do.'
'You could visit them more often if you wanted to,' said Steve. 'It's not as if anyone's trying to keep you away.'
Jill finally managed to take her picture, then she turned to Steve and said irritably, 'I'm not saying anyone is trying to keep me away, and I'm not saying it bothers me. I am simply stating a fact.'
'Sorry,' said Steve. 'I wasn't trying to pick a fight.'
'Good,' said Jill, nudging him playfully. 'Neither was I.'
Steve nudged her back and they chuckled until Rose, mid-totter, suddenly fell flat on her face. The sea lion that had been playing with her stopped swimming abruptly and looked around in alarm; Conchita at once rushed to comfort the sea lion as best she could. Jill jumped to her feet, hurried over to Rose and set her upright.
'Are you okay, Rosy?' she asked.
'Sí,' said Rose, without looking at Jill, and she went back to admiring the sea lions.
Jill resumed her seat next to Steve, saying, 'Can't she say yes in English? She never does, does she?'
'She's still forming her speech patterns,' said Steve. 'Sí is easier to say than yes. Chita was the same.'
'You would know, of course,' Jill said wryly. 'But even you don't get to see them as much as the other side of the family, do you?'
'You mean Eduardo's family?' said Steve. 'No, I don't, but that makes sense. They live practically down the street, and they have James.'
'Who?'
'Eduardo's brother's kid... the little one.'
'Oh, is that his name?' said Jill disinterestedly. 'It's an English name, then. Why is Conchita called Conchita? Is it in the family?'
'You'd have to ask Eduardo that,' said Steve, 'but I seem to remember he was determined to call her something Spanish, to make some kind of point. When she was born, James was on the way, and I've been told that Carl would never consider a Spanish name for any child of his.'
'I hope Kylie didn't just go along with what Eduardo wanted,' said Jill.
'You know she didn't,' said Steve. 'They make decisions together.'
'Huh. I wonder how long that'll last.'
'I don't know. Maybe forever. But if it doesn't, I don't think Kylie will be the one to roll over.'
'Yeah, you're right,' said Jill, smiling proudly to herself.
'Is Chita's name really a big deal to you?' Steve asked. 'I think it's kind of pretty.'
'Not a big deal at all,' said Jill. 'What's in a name? A rose by any other name...'
'Speaking of which,' said Steve, 'don't forget that Rose was named after our side of the family.'
Jill looked at him, scowling. 'Your side of the family.'
'Kylie's side of the family. She and Grandma Rose were close.'
'Mmm, I remember. Rose Lockyer was always the first port of call, wasn't she?'
'She was,' said Steve, 'but that's no reflection on you. Sometimes parents are a little too close. It's easier for kids to talk to their grandparents.'
'I'm their grandparent,' said Jill, nodding towards Conchita and Rose, 'frightening as that thought is, but I can't see myself having that closeness with them. If they want to talk to a woman who's not their mother, they'll go running to “Aunty Beth”.'
'Jill, come on,' said Steve. 'Jealousy is an ugly emotion. Anyway, you can be close to them if you want to. I mean, you'd have to see them a lot more than you do now... maybe move a little closer...'
'I'd have to move a lot closer,' said Jill, 'and even if I did, Beth's got them now. And Carl, and this James character, and that other son of theirs. There's always one side of the family you feel closer to, isn't there? And everyone, no matter what their family structure, has a hierarchy of who they're close to and want to take their problems to, with one person at the top. I don't know where all those Riveras come on their list, but no matter what I do now, they'll always be above me. And you.'
'You're making it sound like a competition,' said Steve.
'No I'm not,' said Jill. 'I am simply stating a fact.'
'Who is top of their list, I wonder?' said Steve, looking at Conchita and Rose as they laughed at a young sea lion who was showing off for them. 'They're close to both their parents, and I think they'll grow up being close with each other as well. They're like a perfect square, that family.'
'Do you think so?' Jill asked sceptically.
'Yes,' said Steve, 'right now I do. I suppose it may change someday, but I hope not.'
'So do I,' said Jill, 'only I find it hard to believe, and anyway, I wouldn't want to imply that square families are better than other kinds.'
'Neither would I,' said Steve. 'I didn't mean that.'
'I didn't say you did.'
'I didn't say you said I did.'
'Oh, stop it,' said Jill, laughing and slapping him on the arm. 'Come on, let's go get something to eat,' and she got to her feet. 'Those children must be bored of the stupid sea lions by now.'
Back at home, Kylie was hurriedly descending the stairs, with Eduardo moving at a more leisurely pace behind her. He was four steps from the bottom when Kylie was in the living room, calling to him in horrified tones, 'It's two fifty-seven!'
'So?' said Eduardo, as he strolled into the room and leant against the door frame. 'There's still plenty of the day left.'
'Not enough,' said Kylie, who was on the sofa, impatiently waking up her laptop. Pagan was there too, curled up in one of the armchairs, sound asleep and snoring contentedly.
'I wish you wouldn't sound so resentful,' said Eduardo.
'Did I?' said Kylie. 'I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm very, very happy we spent the last couple of hours the way we did. I just wish I had Hermione's time-turner right now.'
'Are you sure? I don't know if you'd work so well if you could hear us upstairs.'
'No, I don't guess I would,' said Kylie, smiling to herself as she began giving various commands to the laptop. 'Oh, but it was nice not to have to be quiet, wasn't it?'
'Of course,' said Eduardo. 'I know it's difficult when you're with someone as good as me.'
'Ditto. Now go away and stop talking to me. I'm getting paid for today, you know.'
'You probably shouldn't be looking at your personal emails, then, should you?'
'No, not really,' said Kylie, 'but I'm glad I am, because Roland's sent me the news from the six-month ultrasound... not that there really is any news. One of the babies is still breech. They'll just have to be delivered by caesarean, which means a longer recovery time, but it's really not the end of the world. Roland says the doctors are still saying it might turn, but it's not going to now, surely.'
'I wouldn't think there'd be room,' said Eduardo.
'Not much, by the looks of it. Roland's attached a copy of the picture. They're really starting to look like babies now, and you can definitely see they're in different sacs. But y'know, I was reading that doesn't necessarily mean they're not identical.'
'Really? Roland seems to think they know for sure.'
'They can't know for sure,' said Kylie. 'That's what I read, anyway; one sac or one placenta means they're definitely monozygotic, but two doesn't necessarily mean they're not. I read that the only sure sign of dizygotic twins is if they're different sexes, and we don't know about that yet.'
'But the doctors do,' said Eduardo. 'Maybe that's how they know for sure.'
Kylie looked peeved at that. 'I really hope not. I hope they're the same sex. I mean, everyone's just assuming they're one of each, despite the decision not to be told, but there's just as much chance they're the same. Probably more chance, if you think about it.'
'Thinking about that won't get your work done, though, will it?' said Eduardo.
'Probably not, no,' said Kylie, and closed her email account. 'All right now, let's get on with some work. Oh God, and I still have to bake a cake!'
'I can do that if you want,' said Eduardo.
Kylie looked up in astonishment. 'You can do it?'
'Of course I can. So long as you weren't planning on using a complicated recipe or anything.'
'No, just the same simple basic one I always use.'
'So why are you surprised I can do it?'
'Because you didn't offer to bake any of the last four birthday cakes,' Kylie said pointedly.
'Was I supposed to?' said Eduardo. 'You always seemed to want to do it yourself. “I can bake a cake every bit as good as Beth's” – that's what you said.'
'I did, didn't I?' said Kylie, with a little laugh. 'I don't know if I was right.'
'Of course you were.'
'Can you make a cake every bit as good as Beth's?'
'Sure I can,' said Eduardo. 'Better.'
'Can you decorate it to look like the underwater kingdom in The Little Mermaid?'
'No. Can you?'
'I'm just going to have to, that's all,' said Kylie.
'If you need help –'
'I do not need help! I can decorate my own daughter's birthday cake.'
'Sorry, Ky,' Eduardo said humbly. 'You just didn't sound very confident.'
'I guess I didn't. Sorry, babe. Unless you were going to suggest Beth – then I'm not sorry!'
'I wasn't. I was just wondering if either of your parents was any good at that kind of thing.'
'Well,' Kylie said pensively, 'my mother did once make me a birthday cake that looked like a butterfly, but that was simpler than it sounds.'
'Simpler than what you're going to do for Conchita?'
'Much simpler. But I can do it. Remember, in the end, a daughter must do more than her mother.'
'I remember,' Eduardo said solemnly. 'And I'll be doing more than my father by baking the thing, even though that's the easy part. I'd better go get on with it, huh? What shape?'
'Rectangle.'
'I think you mean a cuboid.'
'Shut up,' said Kylie, and she threw a cushion at him as he ducked out of the room.
'So?' said Eduardo, as he strolled into the room and leant against the door frame. 'There's still plenty of the day left.'
'Not enough,' said Kylie, who was on the sofa, impatiently waking up her laptop. Pagan was there too, curled up in one of the armchairs, sound asleep and snoring contentedly.
'I wish you wouldn't sound so resentful,' said Eduardo.
'Did I?' said Kylie. 'I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm very, very happy we spent the last couple of hours the way we did. I just wish I had Hermione's time-turner right now.'
'Are you sure? I don't know if you'd work so well if you could hear us upstairs.'
'No, I don't guess I would,' said Kylie, smiling to herself as she began giving various commands to the laptop. 'Oh, but it was nice not to have to be quiet, wasn't it?'
'Of course,' said Eduardo. 'I know it's difficult when you're with someone as good as me.'
'Ditto. Now go away and stop talking to me. I'm getting paid for today, you know.'
'You probably shouldn't be looking at your personal emails, then, should you?'
'No, not really,' said Kylie, 'but I'm glad I am, because Roland's sent me the news from the six-month ultrasound... not that there really is any news. One of the babies is still breech. They'll just have to be delivered by caesarean, which means a longer recovery time, but it's really not the end of the world. Roland says the doctors are still saying it might turn, but it's not going to now, surely.'
'I wouldn't think there'd be room,' said Eduardo.
'Not much, by the looks of it. Roland's attached a copy of the picture. They're really starting to look like babies now, and you can definitely see they're in different sacs. But y'know, I was reading that doesn't necessarily mean they're not identical.'
'Really? Roland seems to think they know for sure.'
'They can't know for sure,' said Kylie. 'That's what I read, anyway; one sac or one placenta means they're definitely monozygotic, but two doesn't necessarily mean they're not. I read that the only sure sign of dizygotic twins is if they're different sexes, and we don't know about that yet.'
'But the doctors do,' said Eduardo. 'Maybe that's how they know for sure.'
Kylie looked peeved at that. 'I really hope not. I hope they're the same sex. I mean, everyone's just assuming they're one of each, despite the decision not to be told, but there's just as much chance they're the same. Probably more chance, if you think about it.'
'Thinking about that won't get your work done, though, will it?' said Eduardo.
'Probably not, no,' said Kylie, and closed her email account. 'All right now, let's get on with some work. Oh God, and I still have to bake a cake!'
'I can do that if you want,' said Eduardo.
Kylie looked up in astonishment. 'You can do it?'
'Of course I can. So long as you weren't planning on using a complicated recipe or anything.'
'No, just the same simple basic one I always use.'
'So why are you surprised I can do it?'
'Because you didn't offer to bake any of the last four birthday cakes,' Kylie said pointedly.
'Was I supposed to?' said Eduardo. 'You always seemed to want to do it yourself. “I can bake a cake every bit as good as Beth's” – that's what you said.'
'I did, didn't I?' said Kylie, with a little laugh. 'I don't know if I was right.'
'Of course you were.'
'Can you make a cake every bit as good as Beth's?'
'Sure I can,' said Eduardo. 'Better.'
'Can you decorate it to look like the underwater kingdom in The Little Mermaid?'
'No. Can you?'
'I'm just going to have to, that's all,' said Kylie.
'If you need help –'
'I do not need help! I can decorate my own daughter's birthday cake.'
'Sorry, Ky,' Eduardo said humbly. 'You just didn't sound very confident.'
'I guess I didn't. Sorry, babe. Unless you were going to suggest Beth – then I'm not sorry!'
'I wasn't. I was just wondering if either of your parents was any good at that kind of thing.'
'Well,' Kylie said pensively, 'my mother did once make me a birthday cake that looked like a butterfly, but that was simpler than it sounds.'
'Simpler than what you're going to do for Conchita?'
'Much simpler. But I can do it. Remember, in the end, a daughter must do more than her mother.'
'I remember,' Eduardo said solemnly. 'And I'll be doing more than my father by baking the thing, even though that's the easy part. I'd better go get on with it, huh? What shape?'
'Rectangle.'
'I think you mean a cuboid.'
'Shut up,' said Kylie, and she threw a cushion at him as he ducked out of the room.
The early evening saw Jill, Steve, Conchita and Rose sitting around the kitchen table, messing about with paper and crayons, while Kylie presided over various pots and pans at the stove. Eduardo was in the living room, making up the sofa-bed, doing his best to work around Pagan falling asleep right in the middle of it. When he had put on the last pillow, Eduardo went into the kitchen and said, 'I don't know what anybody does without one of those things.'
'I think they have a spare bedroom, don't they, babe?' said Kylie.
'Not all of them do,' said Eduardo.
'Then they set up a mattress on the floor,' said Jill.
'James has a futon for when I stay over,' Conchita announced. 'And I have one for him here.'
'I told you about that, remember?' said Kylie, looking over her shoulder at her parents. 'It's not too late to change your mind if you want me to bring it down.'
'Sweetheart, your father and I slept in the same bed for years,' said Jill, 'and for a lot of those years, we weren't getting along nearly so well as we are now. I really don't think it's necessary for one of us to scrunch up on a child's futon.'
'You wouldn't have to scrunch, Mom,' said Kylie. 'I can fit on it, so you must too.'
'How do you know you can fit on it, Kylie?' Jill said flippantly. 'No problems in the bedroom, I hope?'
'Behave yourself, Jillian,' Kylie said sternly. 'In fact, you can make yourself useful and clear the table, because our dinner's almost ready. Rose, sweetie, it's time for you to go to bed.'
Rose looked up and scowled at her. 'No!'
'You can finish the little bit that you're drawing,' said Kylie, 'and then you have to go to bed.'
'No bed!' Rose said adamantly.
'Yes bed,' said Kylie. 'Say goodnight to everybody, then Daddy will take you up and tuck you in.'
Rose sat there looking mutinous for several seconds. Then suddenly she jumped down from her chair and ran across the room on her little legs, with her little hands outstretched and, upon reaching her mother, pushed her as hard as she could. Kylie at once toppled like a domino, crying out in surprise, and just managed to veer herself away from the bubbling pans on the stove. Everyone stared at the scene in alarm, except for Rose, whose expression didn't change at all.
'Rosy, you mustn't push Mommy onto the hot stove!' Kylie said as she righted herself, looking very stern indeed.
'No cama,' Rose said sulkily.
'Sí, en seguida, por favor!' said Kylie, giving her small daughter a very hard look, and Rose was so amazed that she barely seemed to notice when Eduardo took her hand and led her from the room.
'Sweetheart, you can speak Spanish!' said Jill, beaming, as she and Steve began clearing the table.
'Oh, not much,' Kylie said modestly.
'Are you okay, Mommy?' asked Conchita.
'I'm fine, sweetie,' said Kylie. 'What a naughty little sister you've got!'
'She reminds me of you, Kylie,' said Steve.
'Oh, she does not!' said Kylie.
'You used to be a lot like that, sweetheart,' said Jill, and Steve nodded in agreement. 'Once, when you were about that age, you threw a tennis ball right at my head and gave me a black eye.'
Kylie looked horrified. 'I never did that!'
'Oh yes you did,' said Steve.
'Really?' Conchita said delightedly. 'What else did she do?'
'Oh, Chita, Grandma and Grandpa can't tell you stories now,' said Kylie. 'We need to find you something to do while the grown-ups have dinner.'
'That's Jill and Grandpa, sweetheart,' Jill said quietly to Conchita.
'I want to stay and listen to you talk,' said Conchita. 'Please, Mommy! I'll be good.'
'I'm sure you will,' said Kylie, 'but I expect we're going to talk about very boring things, sweetheart.'
'Not a bit,' said Steve. 'We'll tell very interesting stories about when you were a little girl, Kylie.'
'I bet you'd like some ice cream with that, Chita, wouldn't you?' Jill added smilingly.
'Yes, Jill, I would,' said Conchita, smiling back at her.
'Oh, Mo-om!' said Kylie, exasperated.
'Just this once won't hurt,' said Steve, and Conchita turned her smile onto him.
Kylie rolled her eyes. 'If Rose was afraid she'd be missing out, she was right, wasn't she?'
'We won't tell her,' said Jill to Kylie, then she looked at Conchita. 'Got that, Chita? Secret.'
'Got it,' said Conchita, and beamed all over her face.
'I think they have a spare bedroom, don't they, babe?' said Kylie.
'Not all of them do,' said Eduardo.
'Then they set up a mattress on the floor,' said Jill.
'James has a futon for when I stay over,' Conchita announced. 'And I have one for him here.'
'I told you about that, remember?' said Kylie, looking over her shoulder at her parents. 'It's not too late to change your mind if you want me to bring it down.'
'Sweetheart, your father and I slept in the same bed for years,' said Jill, 'and for a lot of those years, we weren't getting along nearly so well as we are now. I really don't think it's necessary for one of us to scrunch up on a child's futon.'
'You wouldn't have to scrunch, Mom,' said Kylie. 'I can fit on it, so you must too.'
'How do you know you can fit on it, Kylie?' Jill said flippantly. 'No problems in the bedroom, I hope?'
'Behave yourself, Jillian,' Kylie said sternly. 'In fact, you can make yourself useful and clear the table, because our dinner's almost ready. Rose, sweetie, it's time for you to go to bed.'
Rose looked up and scowled at her. 'No!'
'You can finish the little bit that you're drawing,' said Kylie, 'and then you have to go to bed.'
'No bed!' Rose said adamantly.
'Yes bed,' said Kylie. 'Say goodnight to everybody, then Daddy will take you up and tuck you in.'
Rose sat there looking mutinous for several seconds. Then suddenly she jumped down from her chair and ran across the room on her little legs, with her little hands outstretched and, upon reaching her mother, pushed her as hard as she could. Kylie at once toppled like a domino, crying out in surprise, and just managed to veer herself away from the bubbling pans on the stove. Everyone stared at the scene in alarm, except for Rose, whose expression didn't change at all.
'Rosy, you mustn't push Mommy onto the hot stove!' Kylie said as she righted herself, looking very stern indeed.
'No cama,' Rose said sulkily.
'Sí, en seguida, por favor!' said Kylie, giving her small daughter a very hard look, and Rose was so amazed that she barely seemed to notice when Eduardo took her hand and led her from the room.
'Sweetheart, you can speak Spanish!' said Jill, beaming, as she and Steve began clearing the table.
'Oh, not much,' Kylie said modestly.
'Are you okay, Mommy?' asked Conchita.
'I'm fine, sweetie,' said Kylie. 'What a naughty little sister you've got!'
'She reminds me of you, Kylie,' said Steve.
'Oh, she does not!' said Kylie.
'You used to be a lot like that, sweetheart,' said Jill, and Steve nodded in agreement. 'Once, when you were about that age, you threw a tennis ball right at my head and gave me a black eye.'
Kylie looked horrified. 'I never did that!'
'Oh yes you did,' said Steve.
'Really?' Conchita said delightedly. 'What else did she do?'
'Oh, Chita, Grandma and Grandpa can't tell you stories now,' said Kylie. 'We need to find you something to do while the grown-ups have dinner.'
'That's Jill and Grandpa, sweetheart,' Jill said quietly to Conchita.
'I want to stay and listen to you talk,' said Conchita. 'Please, Mommy! I'll be good.'
'I'm sure you will,' said Kylie, 'but I expect we're going to talk about very boring things, sweetheart.'
'Not a bit,' said Steve. 'We'll tell very interesting stories about when you were a little girl, Kylie.'
'I bet you'd like some ice cream with that, Chita, wouldn't you?' Jill added smilingly.
'Yes, Jill, I would,' said Conchita, smiling back at her.
'Oh, Mo-om!' said Kylie, exasperated.
'Just this once won't hurt,' said Steve, and Conchita turned her smile onto him.
Kylie rolled her eyes. 'If Rose was afraid she'd be missing out, she was right, wasn't she?'
'We won't tell her,' said Jill to Kylie, then she looked at Conchita. 'Got that, Chita? Secret.'
'Got it,' said Conchita, and beamed all over her face.
'Of course,' said Jill, a few hours later, as she slipped into bed beside Steve, 'it's going to be hot tonight, isn't it?'
'Do you want to go upstairs and ask for James's futon?' said Steve.
'Don't be ridiculous,' said Jill. 'I might bump into Eduardo in the nude or something.'
'Well, that sounds like something you'd enjoy.'
'Maybe, but nobody else would. Anyway, I refused the futon twice – it's a question of pride.'
'Fine,' said Steve, 'but just don't keep me awake all night talking because you can't go to sleep.'
Jill laughed. 'Is that something I used to do?'
'Yes. Goodnight.'
'It must have been after we'd stopped trying to cure sleeplessness with sex, huh? That side of things all became rather forced in the end, before we stopped bothering, didn't it?'
'Goodnight, Jill.'
'Yes, all right, I get the picture. Goodnight, Steve.'
Steve lay with his eyes shut for a number of seconds, but they snapped open in irritation when a series of whirring noises came to his ears.
'What are you doing?' he demanded.
'What's it to you? I'm not keeping you awake by talking to you.'
'No, you're keeping me awake by... whatever it is you are doing. What are you doing?'
'I'm looking at the pictures we took today,' said Jill. 'You can look too if you want... relive the wonderful day we had with our granddaughters.'
'That was today,' said Steve, sounding irritated but sitting up anyway, and looking at Jill's camera.
'Look at Chita high-fiving that snow leopard through the glass! She's very pretty, isn't she? Chita, I mean, not the leopard.'
'She looks like you and Kylie, facially.'
'She does,' said Jill, 'with her father's length of limb, if I'm not mistaken. Whereas Rose looks to have the littleness gene.'
'She could have a spurt,' said Steve, 'but if she doesn't, that's okay. And she's very pretty too – don't leave her out of that.'
'It's a little early to tell.'
'They're both beautiful, Jill.'
'To us, yes, of course they are,' said Jill. 'Absolutely darling little perfect, beautiful angels. That goes without saying. But to the world in general... well, she has that nose, Steve!'
'Oh, stop it,' said Steve, and turned away from her again.
'Well, she's not an angel, actually,' Jill went on, but about this she sounded rather proud. 'Not from what we saw today, anyway. That girl's not going to take anybody's shit.'
Steve didn't answer. Jill was quiet and pensive for a moment, then asked, 'What about Conchita?'
'What about her taking shit, you mean?' said Steve. 'Why would she? Because she wears pink and draws unicorns? Because she behaves for her parents? That doesn't make her weak, Jill.'
'Not in itself, no, but... well, they spend a lot of time with Beth, and I'm sure she takes shit from that husband of hers.'
'I don't think so. I've seen them together. They seem okay.'
'Oh, of course,' Jill said churlishly, 'you know everything about that family, don't you?'
Steve sighed heavily. 'Goodnight, Jill.'
'Do you want to go upstairs and ask for James's futon?' said Steve.
'Don't be ridiculous,' said Jill. 'I might bump into Eduardo in the nude or something.'
'Well, that sounds like something you'd enjoy.'
'Maybe, but nobody else would. Anyway, I refused the futon twice – it's a question of pride.'
'Fine,' said Steve, 'but just don't keep me awake all night talking because you can't go to sleep.'
Jill laughed. 'Is that something I used to do?'
'Yes. Goodnight.'
'It must have been after we'd stopped trying to cure sleeplessness with sex, huh? That side of things all became rather forced in the end, before we stopped bothering, didn't it?'
'Goodnight, Jill.'
'Yes, all right, I get the picture. Goodnight, Steve.'
Steve lay with his eyes shut for a number of seconds, but they snapped open in irritation when a series of whirring noises came to his ears.
'What are you doing?' he demanded.
'What's it to you? I'm not keeping you awake by talking to you.'
'No, you're keeping me awake by... whatever it is you are doing. What are you doing?'
'I'm looking at the pictures we took today,' said Jill. 'You can look too if you want... relive the wonderful day we had with our granddaughters.'
'That was today,' said Steve, sounding irritated but sitting up anyway, and looking at Jill's camera.
'Look at Chita high-fiving that snow leopard through the glass! She's very pretty, isn't she? Chita, I mean, not the leopard.'
'She looks like you and Kylie, facially.'
'She does,' said Jill, 'with her father's length of limb, if I'm not mistaken. Whereas Rose looks to have the littleness gene.'
'She could have a spurt,' said Steve, 'but if she doesn't, that's okay. And she's very pretty too – don't leave her out of that.'
'It's a little early to tell.'
'They're both beautiful, Jill.'
'To us, yes, of course they are,' said Jill. 'Absolutely darling little perfect, beautiful angels. That goes without saying. But to the world in general... well, she has that nose, Steve!'
'Oh, stop it,' said Steve, and turned away from her again.
'Well, she's not an angel, actually,' Jill went on, but about this she sounded rather proud. 'Not from what we saw today, anyway. That girl's not going to take anybody's shit.'
Steve didn't answer. Jill was quiet and pensive for a moment, then asked, 'What about Conchita?'
'What about her taking shit, you mean?' said Steve. 'Why would she? Because she wears pink and draws unicorns? Because she behaves for her parents? That doesn't make her weak, Jill.'
'Not in itself, no, but... well, they spend a lot of time with Beth, and I'm sure she takes shit from that husband of hers.'
'I don't think so. I've seen them together. They seem okay.'
'Oh, of course,' Jill said churlishly, 'you know everything about that family, don't you?'
Steve sighed heavily. 'Goodnight, Jill.'
The next morning proved a nightmare for Pagan when one of Conchita's birthday presents turned out to be a fifteen-inch toy kangaroo with an in-pouch joey. Eduardo, Conchita, Rose and Jill, all sitting on the living room floor, watched him with mirthful expressions as he stalked around the harmless toy with his hackles up and his eyes wide.
'Poor Pagan,' said Conchita, getting to her feet and approaching the kangaroo. 'I'll put it away.'
'I think he'd appreciate that,' said Eduardo, unable to stop chuckling at Pagan's distress.
'I could put some other stuff away too,' Conchita said, for they were surrounded by presents.
'That'd be very good of you, seashell,' said Eduardo, smiling as she walked off with an armful of Disney Princess merchandise and the kangaroo. Noticing this, she wrinkled her nose cutely at him before disappearing through the doorway.
'Hmm... maybe that one's not so angelic as she seems,' Jill remarked. 'Take it from me, there's a hundred things a girl can do with the Davies nose that turns men to mush.'
'Don't I know it,' said Eduardo. 'It's okay, Jill, I know they all manipulate me. Davies nose or not,' he added, placing an affectionate hand on Rose's head.
'Tengo Kevin's nose,' Rose said proudly.
'You sure do, florita,' said Eduardo.
'And that's better than your mom's and my nose, is it, Rosy?' said Jill, somewhat doubtfully.
'I love Kevin Kevin Kevin Kevin...' Rose sang contentedly to herself, as she began sorting through some of Conchita's remaining presents with a critical eye.
'Yeah, we all love Kevin,' said Eduardo, then he looked at Jill as he went on, 'and y'know, he's done a lot more with his gifts than just turn a man to mush.'
'Of course,' said Jill. 'So has Kylie. So will Chita. I'm not sure I ever have or will, but never mind.'
'A daughter must do more than her mother,' murmured Eduardo, looking at Rose, who was still absorbed in Conchita's presents and singing her tuneless little song about Kevin.
Just then, Kylie called from the kitchen, 'Hey, you other so-called grown-ups! Are you planning on making yourselves useful or not?'
'Absolutely, babe!' Eduardo called back. Then he returned his attention to Rose and said, 'Can you behave yourself for a while, bebita?'
'No,' said Rose, not looking up.
'Sure you can,' said Eduardo, and dropped a kiss on the top of her head before making his way to the kitchen, closely followed by Jill.
'Balloons,' ordered Kylie, pointing to a large pack of party balloons on the table with her left hand, while her right stuck four candles into Conchita's Little Mermaid birthday cake.
'That looks incredible, honey,' said Steve, who was putting shrinkwrap on paper plates full of party food. 'I'm really impressed.'
'I don't know,' Kylie said doubtfully. 'I'm not completely happy with the wave effect.'
'It looks amazing, querida,' said Eduardo, stretching a balloon ready for inflation.
'Absolutely beautiful, sweetheart,' added Jill.
'Well,' said Kylie, 'it'll just have to do. Take it out of the way now, Dad, will you? I don't want to look at it anymore.'
'Of course, honey,' said Steve, and picked up the stand the cake was on. 'It's a shame to eat it, really. You know what, Jill? You have to take a picture of it.'
So saying, he took a step towards Jill, but before that step was completed he had lost his grip on the cake stand and sent the cake itself slamming into Kylie's abdomen. She instinctively put out her hands to push it back onto its stand, and for some moments they stood there in stunned silence, the cake sandwiched between them. Steve then put the cake and its stand back on the kitchen worktop, leaving Kylie standing there with aquamarine icing smeared all over her front and the heels of her hands.
'Nobody panic!' said Jill, before anyone else had time to react. 'The cake's still intact, we can rinse off the little figures, and the frosting is just going to have to be redone. Kylie, go get changed and I'll scrape off the worst of it, and then you can do it again even better than before.'
Kylie nodded mutely, then made her way out into the hallway in a zombie-like trance. Steve, looking mortified, said, 'There might not be enough frosting left. I'd better go out and buy some.'
'Yes, you'd better,' said Jill, looking at him rather sternly, but as soon as he was out of the room she burst out laughing and told Eduardo, 'That is so Steve.'
'I wish you'd mentioned that sooner,' said Eduardo, laughing as well. 'We could've kept him away from the cake.'
'Don't ever do that to your daughters.'
'I'll try very, very hard not to.'
'You're a good dad, Eduardo,' said Jill, suddenly turning serious. 'If you keep it up... if you do... you'll always have a good relationship with them, whether you and Kylie stay together or not.'
'Oh, Jill, don't say that,' said Eduardo.
'Yeah?' said Jill, with a sceptical smile. 'You think it's forever, then?'
'Yes,' said Eduardo, 'I do.'
'Poor Pagan,' said Conchita, getting to her feet and approaching the kangaroo. 'I'll put it away.'
'I think he'd appreciate that,' said Eduardo, unable to stop chuckling at Pagan's distress.
'I could put some other stuff away too,' Conchita said, for they were surrounded by presents.
'That'd be very good of you, seashell,' said Eduardo, smiling as she walked off with an armful of Disney Princess merchandise and the kangaroo. Noticing this, she wrinkled her nose cutely at him before disappearing through the doorway.
'Hmm... maybe that one's not so angelic as she seems,' Jill remarked. 'Take it from me, there's a hundred things a girl can do with the Davies nose that turns men to mush.'
'Don't I know it,' said Eduardo. 'It's okay, Jill, I know they all manipulate me. Davies nose or not,' he added, placing an affectionate hand on Rose's head.
'Tengo Kevin's nose,' Rose said proudly.
'You sure do, florita,' said Eduardo.
'And that's better than your mom's and my nose, is it, Rosy?' said Jill, somewhat doubtfully.
'I love Kevin Kevin Kevin Kevin...' Rose sang contentedly to herself, as she began sorting through some of Conchita's remaining presents with a critical eye.
'Yeah, we all love Kevin,' said Eduardo, then he looked at Jill as he went on, 'and y'know, he's done a lot more with his gifts than just turn a man to mush.'
'Of course,' said Jill. 'So has Kylie. So will Chita. I'm not sure I ever have or will, but never mind.'
'A daughter must do more than her mother,' murmured Eduardo, looking at Rose, who was still absorbed in Conchita's presents and singing her tuneless little song about Kevin.
Just then, Kylie called from the kitchen, 'Hey, you other so-called grown-ups! Are you planning on making yourselves useful or not?'
'Absolutely, babe!' Eduardo called back. Then he returned his attention to Rose and said, 'Can you behave yourself for a while, bebita?'
'No,' said Rose, not looking up.
'Sure you can,' said Eduardo, and dropped a kiss on the top of her head before making his way to the kitchen, closely followed by Jill.
'Balloons,' ordered Kylie, pointing to a large pack of party balloons on the table with her left hand, while her right stuck four candles into Conchita's Little Mermaid birthday cake.
'That looks incredible, honey,' said Steve, who was putting shrinkwrap on paper plates full of party food. 'I'm really impressed.'
'I don't know,' Kylie said doubtfully. 'I'm not completely happy with the wave effect.'
'It looks amazing, querida,' said Eduardo, stretching a balloon ready for inflation.
'Absolutely beautiful, sweetheart,' added Jill.
'Well,' said Kylie, 'it'll just have to do. Take it out of the way now, Dad, will you? I don't want to look at it anymore.'
'Of course, honey,' said Steve, and picked up the stand the cake was on. 'It's a shame to eat it, really. You know what, Jill? You have to take a picture of it.'
So saying, he took a step towards Jill, but before that step was completed he had lost his grip on the cake stand and sent the cake itself slamming into Kylie's abdomen. She instinctively put out her hands to push it back onto its stand, and for some moments they stood there in stunned silence, the cake sandwiched between them. Steve then put the cake and its stand back on the kitchen worktop, leaving Kylie standing there with aquamarine icing smeared all over her front and the heels of her hands.
'Nobody panic!' said Jill, before anyone else had time to react. 'The cake's still intact, we can rinse off the little figures, and the frosting is just going to have to be redone. Kylie, go get changed and I'll scrape off the worst of it, and then you can do it again even better than before.'
Kylie nodded mutely, then made her way out into the hallway in a zombie-like trance. Steve, looking mortified, said, 'There might not be enough frosting left. I'd better go out and buy some.'
'Yes, you'd better,' said Jill, looking at him rather sternly, but as soon as he was out of the room she burst out laughing and told Eduardo, 'That is so Steve.'
'I wish you'd mentioned that sooner,' said Eduardo, laughing as well. 'We could've kept him away from the cake.'
'Don't ever do that to your daughters.'
'I'll try very, very hard not to.'
'You're a good dad, Eduardo,' said Jill, suddenly turning serious. 'If you keep it up... if you do... you'll always have a good relationship with them, whether you and Kylie stay together or not.'
'Oh, Jill, don't say that,' said Eduardo.
'Yeah?' said Jill, with a sceptical smile. 'You think it's forever, then?'
'Yes,' said Eduardo, 'I do.'
