by Lucy Clark
‘So…dinner?’ Louise persisted, leaning in closer. ‘Let me give you a little tip. I won’t take no for an answer.’
‘Then I guess…’ Jane said, quickly glancing at Sean to make sure it was all right with him. When he gave her a small nod she realised he was more than happy to have her stay. ‘I’d better not say no.’
‘Excellent. OK, Spencer, we need to set the table.’
Spencer raced off, calling loudly, ‘But I can do it by myself. I’m nearly seven, you know.’
‘I’ll help him,’ Barney said, and Jane had to admit that for a man in his seventies he was quite spry.
‘Now, why don’t I show you the house,’ Louise stated, and then, before Jane knew what was happening, Louise had linked her arm through hers and was leading her towards the staircase. ‘We live in the upstairs part of the house and Spencer and Sean live downstairs. That way, if Sean gets called to the hospital in the middle of the night, he doesn’t need to disturb Spencer,’ Louise said, and Jane turned and glanced back at Sean, her eyes wide with uncertainty. Sean’s answer to her unspoken question was to give her a friendly wave.
At first she felt as though Sean was feeding her to the lions but after a few minutes in Louise’s company she realised the woman was gentle and genuine. She talked about how Sean had insisted they all live together. ‘It works well for all of us because Barney and I aren’t getting any younger and it pays to be living close to a doctor should we need him.’ She laughed and it was only then that Jane realised she was joking.
‘Come and help me with dinner.’
‘Are we ready to eat yet, Grandma?’ Spencer asked, and Jane was amazed not only at his manners but also his easygoing relationship with his grandmother. Jane couldn’t even remember meeting her grandparents and never had she interacted with her own parents in such a relaxed and friendly manner. Children had been treated very differently in her family.
She watched as Spencer helped his grandmother, the two of them laughing easily together. When Sean and his father joined them, the atmosphere only became more relaxed. She sat quietly throughout the meal, only really speaking when spoken to but watching with pleased astonishment the genuine familial love demonstrated by the Booke family.
‘So, Jane,’ Louise asked, as she and Spencer dished up a dessert of fresh fruit and home-made ice cream, ‘what is it that’s brought you back to Adelaide?’
Jane instantly looked at Sean, wondering if she should confess she’d moved here because of Spencer, that she was all alone in the world and he was all she had left in the way of family. If she said that, however, she knew Louise and Barney would feel sorry for her and, besides, she didn’t want Spencer to feel obligated to get to know her.
‘Uh…’
‘She was head-hunted by the hospital,’ Sean put in, holding Jane’s gaze firmly. ‘You see, Mum, Jane’s a brilliant paediatrician who has been involved in extensive research with juvenile eating disorders.’
‘Really? Head-hunted?’
‘That’s impressive,’ Barney added.
Jane wasn’t used to so much positive attention and quietly thanked them before eating more of her dessert so she didn’t have to answer any more questions.
‘So, are you married or have a steady boyfriend?’ Louise asked.
‘Mum!’ Sean’s reaction was one of instant mortification.
‘What?’ Louise spread her arms wide, feigning innocence. ‘Jane’s part of our family now and I have a right to know a bit more about the members of my family. It’s not an uncommon question, Sean.’
Jane’s spoon clattered to the table and she swallowed over the instant lump in her throat. ‘Part of…’ She stopped, unable to believe how warmed her heart became at those words.
‘Our family,’ Louise finished, with a wide smile. ‘You’re Spencer’s aunt. That makes you family and we Bookes take our family ties very seriously. We like being involved in each other’s lives and helping out and caring and loving. It’s what families do.’
Jane could feel Sean watching her closely. He knew the truth. He knew why she’d really returned to Adelaide. To hear his mother welcome her so openly, so freely, especially after only having met her less than an hour ago, made Jane feel a warmth flood through her, a caring, loving warmth such as she’d never felt before.
‘You might be smothering her a bit, Mum,’ Sean murmured under his breath, but Jane set her shoulders straight and looked at Louise.
‘No. This isn’t smothering. Not in the slightest. I guess I’m just a little surprised that you’re so interested in me.’
‘Why wouldn’t we be?’ Louise asked.
‘Because…’ Jane paused and glanced once at Sean before drawing in a deep breath, his small nod of encouragement giving her strength to continue. ‘Because I’ve been on my own ever since Daina died. I came from a very dysfunctional family and have no idea what a normal family is supposed to be like. I have no husband, no fiancé and no boyfriend. In fact, I have no other family except Spencer.’ Her gaze fell on the small boy and she smiled warmly. ‘He’s my only relative.’
‘Only? Oh, my dear,’ Louise said softly, her tone filled with maternal concern. She immediately came around to where Jane was seated and tugged her to her feet. ‘Jane, Jane, you poor thing.’ Louise held both of Jane’s hands in hers. ‘You may have been alone and without family when you walked in this door tonight, but right here, right now, that changes.’
‘Yes,’ Barney agreed, coming to stand by his wife.
‘We are your family.’ And with that Louise put her arms around Jane and hugged her close. Barney put his arm around both women and in another instant Spencer was wrapping his little arms around her waist.
Jane, a little startled from such open displays of affection but also absorbing every moment of it, looked across to where Sean sat, a big, wide grin on his face.
He winked at her. ‘Welcome to the family, Jane.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
JANE INSISTED ON taking a taxi home after dinner, especially as Sean still needed to settle Spencer down after his exciting evening, gaining a new family member.
‘Mum and Dad can put him to bed and I can drive you back to the res wing,’ he offered, but she put her phone away after dialling the number for the cab company.
‘It’s fine. You’ve already given me so much today and I don’t want to overstay my welcome.’
‘Impossible.’
‘Still, I can’t thank you enough, Sean.’ Her face was radiant as she looked at him and he clenched his jaw and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets to stop himself from hauling her close into a warm and comforting hug.
‘It’s good to see you smiling, Jane.’
‘Why wouldn’t I smile?’ She spread her arms wide. ‘This is close to being the best day of my life.’
‘Really?’
‘Well, I don’t want to say it’s the very best day because who knows, there may be better ones yet to come, but for now this day is definitely first.’
‘I’m glad.’ And he was. What she must have been through over the years and yet she’d managed to conquer so many negative emotions, and all on her own?
Jane watched him closely, noticing a slight frown mar his brow. ‘You don’t…you know…mind, do you?’
‘Mind?’
‘Sharing your family with me,’ she answered.
Sean’s smile was honest and forthright. ‘It’s a pleasure, Jane.’ It also meant that because his family had welcomed her, effectively adopting her as one of their own, he would need to work better at controlling his wayward senses whenever she was around. Even now, the desire to hug her, especially when she was just standing there, looking up at him as though he’d given her the moon, was still difficult for him to resist. From what he’d seen and from what she’d shared, Jane clearly needed stability in her life and any sort of romantic attachment he may feel towards her was null and void.
Colleagues. Friends. Family. That would be his relationship with her from now
on.
‘Did you want to say goodnight to Spencer?’ Sean offered as he took a step back from her, and Jane immediately nodded. The little boy begged her to read him a story while she waited for her taxi to come and this she did, unable to believe the joy she felt at being able to do such a simple, ordinary task.
When she’d finished, he put up his hands to her, indicating he wanted her to pick him up. She put her arms around him and he gave her the biggest, squeeziest hug she’d ever had in her life.
‘I’m so excited to go shopping for my birthday present,’ he said, and Jane almost toppled backwards from the way he was leaning in to her.
‘So am I,’ she returned, the warmth inside her increasing when Spencer kissed her cheek. When the taxi pulled up, Sean stepped forward and lifted his son up and into his arms, Spencer more than comfortable resting his head against his father’s broad shoulder. Jane wanted to pull out her cellphone, to take a photo of man and boy, especially given their similar colouring. Instead, she smiled at them both, before turning and walking out into the waning late February sunshine to where the taxi was waiting.
‘See you tomorrow morning for ward round,’ Sean called, and she turned to wave.
‘See you next weekend at the beach,’ Spencer called, giggling as he tried to imitate his father’s deep tones.
‘The beach?’ Jane was confused.
‘I’ll talk to you about it tomorrow at ward round,’ Sean told her, and she nodded, excitement filling her at the prospect of seeing more of the Booke family.
Jane couldn’t help but giggle a little herself as she waved one last time and climbed into the back seat of the taxi. She gave the driver the address then buckled her seat belt and closed her eyes, allowing the wonderful warmth of memories to wash over her. For so long she’d imagined what it might be like to be included in such a close-knit family unit, fanciful dreams she’d had throughout childhood, and tonight, thanks to Sean’s graciousness, she had felt the full power of familial love.
Not only that but somehow she’d found herself drawing closer and closer to the man himself, still unable to believe he’d almost kissed her. Was it possible she’d finally found a man who really could see beneath the shields she’d taken great pains to erect? The fact that he knew some things about her past had helped. It had provided them with a bond, right from the start, and even though they’d both been a little sceptical of the other, they’d somehow managed to find common ground.
The butterflies in her stomach took flight as she recalled the way Sean had stared longingly into her eyes, of the way his gaze had dipped to her lips as though he’d wanted nothing more than to cover them with his own. And perhaps he would have, if they hadn’t been interrupted.
Would she have pushed him away? Would she have welcomed his embrace? Even just thinking about it now was causing her to tremble with anticipation. What if he had kissed her and it hadn’t been any good? What if the sensual tension she felt when she stared into his beautiful blue eyes only affected her and not him?
She stopped that thought before it could take root. Negative thoughts only bred negative emotions. That was something she’d learned a long time ago and she wouldn’t allow them to infiltrate the happiness she’d found tonight. Sean was a handsome and wonderful man and perhaps, at some point in the future, there might be the possibility that he would give in to the repressed desire she’d witnessed in his eyes and capture her lips with his own. When he did, she wanted to be ready, wanted to let him know that he was exciting sensations and feelings within her she’d never really felt before. To let him know that how he made her feel was unique.
When she arrived at the residential wing, she paid the taxi driver and entered the building with a definite spring in her step and a wide smile on her lips. Happiness was an emotion she’d searched hard to find and yet tonight she felt as though she’d been given a huge dose and it was a sensation she was determined to hang onto.
*
For the next week Jane felt as though she was walking on air. Sean had spoken to her about his family’s plans to head to the beach the following Saturday.
‘As part of the family, you’re expected to attend.’
‘Oh. Uh…OK.’
He’d laughed at the uncertainty reflected on her face. ‘Relax, Jane. You’ll be fine. Trust me.’ Then he’d winked at her and headed to his next meeting. In fact, throughout the week Sean had definitely appeared to be treating her in a more brotherly way. He made no effort to touch her again and she started to wonder whether he still found her attractive?
He kept to his word about Spencer and so far she’d seen her nephew three times during the week, dining again with them on Wednesday night. This time, Spencer had insisted she read him three stories and when Sean told his son that Jane had a lovely singing voice, Spencer had insisted she sing to him.
‘You have to be lying down, teeth brushed and ready for bed,’ his father had ordered, and Spencer had quickly gone through his night-time routine, eager to have Jane sing to him. Spencer had asked her to lie down on the bed next to him and with an encouraging nod from Sean, who’d been watching from the doorway, she’d kicked off her shoes and rested her head on the pillow beside Spencer. Then the boy had surprised her even further by wrapping his little arms about her neck and snuggling in close.
‘OK, Aunty Jane. I’m ready for you to sing now,’ he’d told her, but it had taken Jane a moment or two to clear the sudden lump of emotion from her throat before filling the room with her beautiful song. Spencer’s easy acceptance, his easy love was going a long way to opening up a heart she’d kept closed for a very long time. And it wasn’t only Spencer who was working his magic. Thoughts of Sean seemed to be her constant companions and she’d started to realise it was pointless to deny them. She wanted to think about him, she liked thinking about him, but most of all she desperately hoped that he was thinking about her in return.
She sang three songs to Spencer and at the end of the third one realised the boy was asleep, his breathing nice and steady.
‘Uh…Sean?’ she whispered.
‘Yeah?’
‘I’m stuck.’ Although he was sleeping soundly, Spencer’s arms were still firmly around her neck. ‘How do I get up without waking him?’
Sean’s soft chuckle washed over her before he came to her rescue, shifting his son out of the way before helping Jane to her feet. The two of them were standing very close, her hands on his upper arms, her fingers tingling from the feel of his firm biceps beneath his shirt. He placed his hands at her waist to steady her and as she stood there, her toes curling into the soft rug, her knees threatening to fail her, Jane stared into his face with a feeling of homecoming.
The two of them, standing here, close together, beside Spencer’s bed, the little boy sleeping—it all felt as though this was where she was meant to be. It felt right. Although his face was half-lit by the shadows created by Spencer’s nightlight, Jane had the sense that Sean felt it, too. They stayed there, neither of them moving, for half a minute, the character clock on the wall ticking in time with her heartbeat.
There was no panic, no questions, no need to search for ulterior motives. The moment was…perfect. Even when Sean took her hand in his, letting her slip on her shoes before he led her from the room, Jane felt no sense of apprehension or fear. Yet when the bright artificial light from the kitchen made them both squint, Sean dropped her hand before heading around to fill the kettle, offering her a cup of tea.
‘No, thanks,’ she said, realising he was once more trying to inject some distance between them. ‘I’d better call for a taxi.’
‘OK.’ He didn’t try to talk her out of it, didn’t offer to drive her home, and when he walked her to the taxi and shut the door, she saw him shove both of his hands through his hair before sighing heavily and heading back inside. What the action had meant she wasn’t sure but his happy, brotherly attention towards her had continued, leaving Jane feeling quite confused.
On Friday, just after sh
e finished morning clinic and was on her way to the ward conference room for a progress meeting about Tessa, her cellphone buzzed in her pocket. Jane was astonished to find it was Louise.
‘Hello, Jane.’ Louise’s bright tones came down the line. ‘Just wanted to let you know about the plans for tomorrow at the beach. Barney has a great gazebo he likes to put up on the sand so we’ll have some shade and the girls have some lovely recliner chairs, which means you don’t get sand all over you when you lie down. Now, with regard to food,’ Louise continued, before Jane could get a word in edge ways, ‘we figured cold cuts of meat and salad should be the order of the day. Sean’s bringing the drinks and I was hoping you’d be able to provide some sort of dessert, perhaps a fruit bun or some fresh fruit, nothing that’s going to melt or go stale too quickly in such extreme heat. What do you think?’
Jane gaped a few times as Louise talked and then quickly agreed. ‘I’d be delighted to provide something for dessert. Thank you for the suggestions.’
‘All right, dear, no doubt you’re as busy as anything so I’ll let you go. See you tomorrow—patients willing.’
Jane couldn’t help but giggle with happiness as she said goodbye, ending the call and slipping her phone back into her pocket.
‘That sounded like a nice phone call,’ Sean’s deep voice said from just behind her. Jane turned and looked over her shoulder, waiting for him to catch up.
‘That was your mother.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yes. Organising tomorrow’s family event.’ Jane grinned as she enunciated the words clearly, the smile on her face growing brighter. ‘She wants me to provide something for dessert.’ The pride in her words was clearly evident.
‘Excellent. Make it something chocolate.’
‘Chocolate?’ Jane frowned. ‘But won’t that melt?’
‘Not if you put it in the drinks cooler I’m bringing. I’ll have lots of ice in there.’
‘Oh. Well, Louise suggested a fruit bun or some fresh fruit and I don’t want to take the wrong thing.’ Her frown increased. ‘This is the very first time I’ve ever been asked to contribute something to a family event and I don’t want to mess it up. It means I’m included, not just a guest joining in for the day.’ She paused. ‘Perhaps I should bring fruit bun and fresh fruit and chocolate.’
