A Beautiful Forever

by Lilliana Anderson

  Kathy returns with the receiver for a baby monitor in hand and places it on the coffee table, offering us something to drink. She bustles about in the kitchen for a bit and brings in a tray laden with coffees and slices of cake.

  As I take a sip of the coffee I’m grateful for the nourishment, the cake tastes wonderful, it’s a simple madeira cake but everything tastes different from the food in the UK, and I realise how much I’ve missed it.

  Elliot

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I've invited friends and family around for a bit of a BBQ this weekend. I wanted to celebrate you coming home and introduce Paige and Grace to everybody,” my mother says, clasping her hands in front of her and looking at us earnestly.

  We’ve been at her house for maybe ten minutes, and she’s already dropped this bombshell on us. I reach my hand over and rest it on Paige’s knee. She seems a bit frightened by all of this family attention.

  “I don’t know mum,” I start. “We just got off the plane, and Grace won’t be used to the time change yet…” I was trying to think of some sort of excuse to get out of this. I know my mum is excited, but Paige has been on her own for so long – that many people may be too much for her.

  “Oh,” she says, looking down trodden, “I just thought…”

  “It’s fine Kathy, if you’ve already invited everyone, it’s fine,” Paige interrupts. I look at her briefly, having one of those facial expression conversations with her to make sure she’s fine.

  Paige

  As much as I don’t want to be bombarded with so many people, I know I have to meet them all eventually – it can’t stay just me, Elliot and Grace forever, no matter how much I’d like it to.

  Elliot keeps looking at me, trying to make sure I’m ok. He understands how hard I worked just to be on a first-name basis with my own mother and father without feeling anger and resentment every time I look at them. So he’s worried that having all of his supportive family and friends around me might be hard for me.

  I try to give him my best, ‘I’ll be fine!” smile as Kathy says, “Really? Oh thank you Paige, they’ll all love you, and of course, they’ll love Grace!” she exclaims.

  “I’m sure I’ll love them too Kathy, thanks for going to so much trouble for us,” I smile at her. Elliot’s arm goes protectively around me as he hugs me towards him.

  At that moment Grace’s cries burst out of the monitor. “I’ll go and get her,” Elliot says rising from the couch. He returns quickly handing Grace to his mother, who is more than eager to accept her. I smile at Kathy’s easy loving nature. She is such a kind woman, and I’m actually looking forward to spending more time with her.

  “Mum, do you mind watching Grace for a bit while we get settled into our room?” Elliot asks.

  “Of course! I think I might just keep her,” Kathy replies, focused only on playing with Grace while she squeals and giggles from her grandmother’s attentions.

  I go and help Elliot with our bags and drag them to his old room, when he opens the door, I breathe out a little as I take it all in. “Wow, you weren’t kidding about the collage,” I say, as my eyes travel over a large cork board covered with every single photo we took together that first three months in the UK.

  His arm goes up as he rubs sheepishly at the back of his head, “Is it too much?”

  Laughing, I shake my head. “Elliot, my whole flat had framed photos of us together. I love this. Can we take it with us when we find our own place?”

  He walks over to me and slides his arms around my waist pulling me towards him. “Of course,” he whispers, closing the distance and kissing me softly. I whimper slightly as his tongue slides against my own, I don’t think I could ever be tired of kissing this man in front of me.

  Sighing, he rests his forehead against my own. “Are you sure you’re ok about this BBQ? I don’t want to bombard you with a bunch of strangers trying to hug and kiss you.”

  I slip my arms through his and pull myself tightly against his chest, resting my head on his shoulder. “I’ll be fine, Elliot, as long as they don’t use tongue – I think I’ll cope.”

  Sighing, he gives me squeeze. “Alright, as long as you’re sure…Do you want to grab a shower at all?” he asks releasing me.

  “Why? Do I stink?” I laugh.

  A grin creeps over his face as he winks at me. “ A little,” he says.

  I slap him good naturedly on the arm as we laugh, and he pretends I hurt him. He shows me where the bathroom is and leaves me to clean up. The thought of a hot shower is heaven right now. Besides a little extra cuddle time with my husband, I’d love nothing more than to wash all of the travel grime away.

  Elliot

  After leaving Paige in the bathroom, I walk back out to the lounge room where my mother is walking around with Grace, showing her pictures on the wall and talking about them. Grace is rapt. She's either grabbing at my mum’s face or trying to pull the pictures down with her chubby little baby hands as she coos out her response to my mother’s chatter.

  “Oh look, it’s daddy!” my mother says to Grace, who claps her little baby hands and beams at me. The moment I get close she reaches out, so I take her off my mum and bounce her against my side, while she plays with my ear and drools all over my shoulder.

  “Is Paige ok?” my mother asks.

  “She’s fine. She's just taking a shower.”

  “I’m sorry about the BBQ. Everyone is just so excited you’re home.”

  “It’s fine mum. I just didn’t know how Paige would react. She's never really done a big friends and family BBQ before. Remember her upbringing was a bit different to mine?”

  “I know and I didn’t think. Will she be ok?”

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine mum. It'll be fun,” I say, hoping that it will.

  Chapter 37

  Paige

  Today is the day of the big BBQ, Elliot and his step dad, Steven went out early this morning and came back with a mountain of meat and bags of ice.

  I spent the morning in the kitchen with Kathy helping to prepare salads and platters for nibbles. I’ve never been a part of a big family BBQ before, not even when I was a kid. Besides it being a little daunting, meeting everyone who is anyone to Elliot and his mother, I’m kind of looking forward to it.

  After all, this is the reason we came back to Australia to give Grace the great Aussie upbringing like Elliot had.

  “Lucky you have such a big back yard!” I exclaim to Kathy as we start to lay the food on some fold out tables.

  She laughs a little as she surveys the food. “I may have gotten a little carried away with the invite list.” Turning to me, a look of concern on her face, she takes my hands in hers. “Paige, I know this is a lot for you to take in, but I want you to know how excited I am that Elliot has you. I have never seen him happier. Plus, I really want to show you off. You're such a special girl, and I’ve always secretly wanted a daughter you know.”

  Tears prickle the back of my eyes as her words touch me. “Thank you Kathy… that means a lot.”

  She pulls me towards her and gives me a quick hug, releasing me when we hear Grace start to call out over the baby monitor.

  “Can I go and get her?” Kathy asks me with a hopeful look on her face. As much as I want to go and get my daughter myself, I nod my head and let Kathy go in. Grace is lucky to have a grandmother that cares so much about her. My own mother has been present in her life so far, but there is always an awkwardness present between us that I don’t think will ever go away. With Kathy, it’s different. She's always been a loving person towards her son and is naturally loving towards both myself and Grace. I guess we’re both lucky to have her.

  Elliot

  “Steve, I don’t think we’re going to fit all of this meat in the fridge, have you got a spare esky?” I ask. I think my mother has invited every person she has ever met since the day she was born, there is so much meat in front of me.

  “Yeah mate, here you go,” Steve says, walking towards me with a blu
e esky in hand.

  I nod thanks as I take it from him and fill it with a bag of ice, placing the meat on top before closing the lid and sliding it out of the way.

  “Sounds like people are arriving,” Steve comments as voices filter from the house out to us. He starts walking inside, giving me a friendly slap on the back as he passes. “Time to put your game face on.”

  When we walk inside there is already a crowd of people saying hello to my mother - who’s holding Grace; and Paige - who’s looking a little lost.

  Relief washes over her face when she spots me, so I’m quick to make my way towards her and take hold of her hand.

  “Look at Grace, she’s loving it,” Paige says quietly to me as I join her.

  “She’s a big show off, isn’t she?” I comment smiling at our daughter who is absolutely loving being the centre of attention.

  We stay connected by our hands as we greet the procession of friends and relatives who come through the door, some of them I don’t even remember, and some, I don’t even think I’ve met before.

  Paige

  So far, I have met, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, distant cousins, friends of Kathy, friends of Steven, and just when I was beginning to wonder, some friends of Elliot arrive.

  He seems really happy to see one particular couple, and steps away from me to greet them, actually hugging the guy and doing that back slap thing they all do. Moving on, he hugs the girl, kissing her on the cheek before he holds her at arm’s length.

  “Is that what I think it is?” he asks her. Nodding, she rubs a hand over her protruding belly. Elliot congratulates them both, before turning to introduce them both to me.

  “Paige, this is Gary, my mate from my uni days and his wife Stephanie.”

  “Oh!” I breathe, holding out my hand to shake both of theirs, “I’ve heard so much about you.”

  “All good I hope,” Gary rumbles. He is much shorter and chunkier than Elliot, with slightly thinning dark hair cut close to his head. His face pleasant and friendly, I like him already.

  I smile at him and turn to Stephanie, “So you’re Stephanie, Naomi’s friend?”

  “Yes, I am. We went to high school together actually. She’s coming you know; she'll be here soon.”

  “What?! Oh wow, I haven’t spoken to her for like, a year.”

  “She’s really looking forward to seeing you and Elliot - and the baby of course, where is she?”

  “With Kathy, I’ll take you over to introduce you. Congratulations on your baby, how far along are you?” I ask, guiding her towards Kathy, who is slowly making her way outside with Grace.

  “23 weeks, so I’m on the home stretch now,” she answers, following beside me and chatting about her pregnancy.

  Elliot

  I feel really pleased that Paige just walked away with Stephanie. It bodes well for my hope that they’ll be great friends.

  “Looks like our wives have dumped us,” Gary comments, watching after them.

  “That’s a good thing mate. They're off to bond over babies,” I say watching after them as well. I’m about to steer Gary outside, so we can both get a beer when a new group of people come by to say hi.

  “Hello,” I say carefully, wondering why in the world they’re here.

  “Hi Elliot, I hope you don’t mind – your mum invited all of us when she was at mum and dad’s place a couple of weeks ago. We’ll only stay a little while, I just didn’t want to be rude,” Katrina says, her face flushed with embarrassment.

  “How are you mate? It’s been a while,” David says, extending his hand in greeting.

  “I’m fine. It's fine,” I say to them both as I shake David’s hand. Gary is just standing next to me with his eyebrows firmly stuck up on the top of his forehead, as he watches this play out.

  This is really weird, why in the world would my mother invite my ex and her fiancé here? She must have lost her mind slightly while I’ve been gone.

  Katrina looks really awkward, so I give her a friendly hug and cheek kiss in greeting. She turns around and introduces me to her mother and father as well as her brother and his wife. It makes me realise how underdeveloped our relationship actually was. We never went beyond meeting friends.

  I point them all towards the back yard where everyone is congregating and tell them to help themselves to a drink.

  “What the hell?” Gary says to me as they walk away.

  “Exactly,” I reply, watching them go outside.

  Chapter 38

  Paige

  I’m now glued firmly to Kathy’s side as I hold Grace while we’re surrounded by a group of clucky women. Stephanie just adores Grace, who keeps trying to reach out and pull her long dark hair. She has relinquished the jade bangle she was wearing, and it's become Grace’s teething ring as she bites down on it and covers it in baby drool.

  “She’s so beautiful Paige,” Stephanie keeps cooing about my little bundle of joy. I’m smiling as I look up and spot Naomi through the sea of faces and wave her over.

  “How are you!” she exclaims, hugging me and Stephanie alternately. “Look at her, isn’t she beautiful!” she says about Grace, touching her head and smoothing her curly hair backwards. Grace just smiles because she knows she’s beautiful.

  “It’s so nice to see you again Naomi,” I say truthfully.

  “It is, and much happier circumstances this time. I’m so glad you two got your act together. Married and a baby!” she sighs, “It’s so wonderful!”

  Naomi asks if she can hold Grace, and I happily hand her over as I catch Elliot waving me towards the house where he’s standing with an older gentleman and a young woman. I check that the girls are happy with Grace and weave my way towards him.

  “Paige, this is my father Robert, and his wife, ah… my step-mother, Erica.” They both smile and I hold my hand out to shake theirs in greeting. Elliot’s father takes my hand and pulls me forward a little to kiss me on the cheek.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you Paige. I'm sorry we never got the chance to visit you both in London,” he says to me.

  “Oh, no worries,” I say as Erica embraces me in her cloud of perfume, she’s impeccably made up, with long blonde hair and even longer legs. She reminds me a lot of a Barbie doll actually, and I doubt she’s much older than I am.

  “I’m so happy to see you both,” she says looking between Elliot and I.

  We exchange platitudes for a while before they move on to say hello to Kathy, who now has possession of Grace again, I laugh, seeing her so pleased to carry Grace around, showing her off.

  “Your mum is enamoured with our daughter,” I comment.

  Elliot chuckles and puts his arm around my shoulder as we take a moment together to watch everyone around us.

  “I have to tell you something,” Elliot says quietly in my ear, he reaches down and takes hold of my hand before leading me back inside and into the kitchen.

  “What is it?” I ask, worried.

  He looks really nervous, “Um… my mother invited Katrina and like, her whole family.”

  My face drops as my stomach starts to churn. “Ex-girlfriend, previous-love-of-your-life Katrina?” I ask in a hushed tone.

  “I’m sorry. Our mothers play tennis together, and they’re good friends, I guess mum didn’t really think before inviting them all.”

  “Should I be worried here Elliot? Does her being here affect you? Does it affect us?” I start to feel a slight panic rise as the thought of Elliot still having a thing for her flashes through my mind.

  “No Paige,” he assures me, “There is nothing for you to worry about. I just didn’t want you ambushed. I’ll take you to meet them ok?”

  I give him a look that says ‘Oh god, don’t make me do this’ as he wraps his arms around me, hugging me tightly to him.

  “I know, I’m sorry,” he whispers. “Let’s just get this done, and we can move on and have fun ok? Did you see Naomi yet?”

  I put on a brave smile and nod my head, “Yeah I did, she looks great.�
��

  “Ok, you ready?”

  “Alright, let’s get this done,” I say, rolling my eyes and taking a deep breath before taking the hand Elliot offers me to lead me through everyone to meet his ex-girlfriend. Freaking awesome!

  Elliot

  It takes us a while to get through everyone as we get stopped often by well-wishers and friends or relatives who have questions about our time in the UK. When we eventually make it over to where Katrina and David are standing, we find them talking to Gary, Stephanie and Naomi.

  Everyone is overly happy to see us, and I can sense a bit of tension in the air. Paige is hanging just a step behind me, so I pull her to my side to make the introductions.

  “Paige, this is Katrina and her fiancé, David,” I say. She smiles tightly and holds out her hand, her movements awkward and her face flushing red.

  Katrina and David both take her hand alternately and remark how nice it is to finally meet her. “Kathy’s been showing everyone photos of you both and little Grace, she’s very proud,” Katrina says kindly.

  “Congratulations to both of you,” David says. “On your marriage and the baby. I’m still trying to get this one down the aisle.”

  Katrina laughs and nudges David with her shoulder, “You make it sound like I’m avoiding it. David wants to elope but I really want the whole fairy tale thing, and that takes time to plan,” she says.

  “What did you two do?” David asks.

  “Oh, we just had a small ceremony with a few friends. Kathy and Steve came, and my mother and father were there too. Then we went to a restaurant afterwards.” Paige tells them.

  “It was great,” I add. “Small is good. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

  “Oh, you both have matching tattoos,” Katrina points out, “Elliot showed me a photo of the one on your back Paige – it’s absolutely amazing.”

  I feel Paige immediately stiffen at my side. “Oh he did, did he?”

  “How long did it take you to get?” Katrina asks, either not noticing, or choosing not to notice Paige’s change in temperament.