Inheriting Jack

by Kris Webb

  I turned to Adrian. ‘Fancy a drink?’

  With barely a glance at his watch, he shook his head. ‘Sorry, I’d love to but I can’t. But,’ he added, ‘if you promise never to do anything like that again, I won’t talk to Jonathon until this evening. Let him think it went all afternoon.’

  ‘Mmm,’ I pretended to hesitate and then smiled as he started to walk off. ‘It’s a deal,’ I shouted at his retreating back.

  The forecourt of the building was completely deserted and suddenly I was at a loose end. I took my mobile out of my bag and turned it on.

  ‘You have two messages.’

  The first message was from Maggie. ‘Hi, just wanted to let you know Marcus and I have just had a very normal, enjoyable lunch. And get this, we didn’t have sex! Just a nice civilised lunch. I think it’s going to be okay.’

  I smiled and pressed the delete button.

  The second message was from Patrick, who sounded like he was still on a high from his night with Audrey. I had filled him in on last night’s events over breakfast.

  ‘Okay, here’s the deal,’ his recorded voice began without preamble. ‘I’m not sure if this is going to make me popular or very unpopular, but I called Tony today.’ He paused as if waiting for a response from me. ‘I don’t understand why you women have to make things so complicated when it’s really very simple. It’s like the Jennifer thing all over again . . .’ He paused again. ‘So anyway, I called him and left a message on his voice mail telling him it was all a misunderstand–’

  Having exhausted his recording time, his voice cut out.

  Before I had time to think about the message, I heard a voice behind me.

  ‘I don’t want to miss my child’s birthday party.’

  I turned around to see Tony.

  ‘Sorry?’

  He took a deep breath. ‘When we first met, you told me about a partner at your firm who missed his son’s birthday party because he had to work. I don’t want that to be me.’

  I shook my head. ‘I don’t suppose anyone does – I think it just happens.’

  ‘Julia.’ Tony put a hand on my shoulder. ‘I’ve been trying to figure out how to say this since Patrick called. He told me you were here. After you left the party last night, I was talking to some boring old fart. Suddenly I pictured myself like him in another twenty years, rich and successful and miserable as all hell. So I left the party and came around to your place, but when I saw you with that other guy . . .’ His words trailed off.

  ‘Grant’s just –’ I started to explain, but he cut me off.

  ‘I know – Patrick told me. Don’t worry about it.’

  The sun was in my eyes and I put up my hand to block the glare. But I still couldn’t read Tony’s expression.

  ‘Ever since I quit golf, I’ve felt like I had to do something brilliant in my career to compensate. And then when my marriage broke up I felt it even more. Kind of like I’d messed everything else up, so I’d better at least get it right in my job. And then I met you.’

  He paused.

  ‘You manage to roll with the punches and keep laughing, and I love that. Suddenly I’m not sure I’m prepared to sacrifice everything to get to the top. I can’t even remember who I’m trying to prove myself to any more. What I want most now is to see if you and I can make it work.’

  This all sounded nice, but not very realistic. People didn’t change overnight – it didn’t work like that.

  ‘But it’s all starting to happen for you. This is not the time for you to begin a relationship with anyone, let alone someone who has a child.’

  ‘I know,’ he acknowledged. ‘That’s why I’ve been a bit hot and cold.’

  That was a serious understatement. We were talking Sahara Desert and Siberia here. I decided to let it slide.

  ‘Right from the start I’ve enjoyed being with you and Jack. But each time I left you, I started thinking about all the reasons it made absolutely no sense to see you again. When I landed this job, I decided I definitely wouldn’t take it any further. That it wouldn’t be fair to either of us. But then I saw you walking into the cafe outside the movies when I was picking up my takeaway . . .’

  I raised my eyebrows.

  ‘Uh. I wasn’t going to tell you that. I actually lied when I said I’d met a friend there. I’d caught a taxi from work to pick up some takeaway Indian I’d ordered. When I saw you I dumped it in a rubbish bin – you have no idea how hungry I was during that movie.’

  Despite myself, I laughed. ‘Come on though – why me?’ I was serious again. ‘There are plenty of girls you could find who come without as many issues as me. Aren’t you making things hard for yourself?’

  ‘It’s because you are you that I’ve realised how much I’m missing out on. Until now there’s never been a contest whenever there was a conflict between my work and my personal life. I love being at your house. There’s always something happening with Jack or someone else and it makes me realise how quiet my place is. All of a sudden I’m sick of working fourteen-hour days and coming home to an empty flat. And doing it again the next day. I want to make this job work, but I’m not prepared to give up everything for it.’

  He seemed to have a surprisingly rosy view of the times we’d spent together. It occurred to me that maybe he’d subconsciously blocked out the memory of the breakfast debacle. I’d certainly tried.

  ‘Trust me, it’s not all cocktails and riotous fun at home. Do you really have any idea what it would be like having a relationship with Jack and me?’

  The words sounded strange, but they were true. We came as a ‘two for one’ deal and anyone who wanted to be around me would have to want to be around Jack too. One thing the last few weeks had made me realise was that pretending otherwise was a sure way to give myself an ulcer before my next birthday.

  ‘Think about it – no sleep-ins, definitely no breakfasts, no movies, no –’ I was on a roll and could have continued for hours, but Tony held up his hand.

  ‘I get the picture. But Julia – it’s okay. I actually love the idea of having Jack around – he’s a great little kid.’

  ‘Tony, you don’t know what you’re letting yourself in for.’ I realised I’d missed out the endless hours at the park, a critical omission, I felt, but I didn’t think this was the time to mention it.

  ‘Did you know what you were signing on for when Jack arrived?’

  ‘Well, no. But that was different.’

  ‘Maybe not as different as you think. I want to make it work with you and I’m prepared to do whatever it takes.’

  Finally I allowed myself to believe he was serious. I remembered my advice to Maggie – not trying something because it might not work out wasn’t the answer.

  ‘You know, maybe we could give it a try.’

  I put my briefcase on the ground beside me.

  ‘Perhaps we both just need to pack a bit lighter,’ I added with a smile.

  ‘Sorry?’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ I answered as he pulled me towards him. ‘It’s fine.’

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