Page 57 of One More Time

Rodger’s brows bumped together in a scowl. ‘I really hate the way you defend him.’

‘Rodger, I don’t want to do this again.’ She turned her back to him and started applying foundation. ‘He and I are friends and we always will be, especially for the children’s sakes. I’m defending him like I would anyone else.’

With an almighty huff, Rodger fell silent for a few moments. ‘Okay, you’re right. I’m sorry.’ He cleared his throat. ‘And on that note, I’ll see you later.’

In the middle of washing her hands, she looked back to him. ‘Yes, see you tonight.’

She watched him walk away, her heart dropping like a lead balloon. They weren’t perfect, but no couple was. Maybe if she’d agreed to marry him …but she couldn’t bring herself to file the divorce paperwork. Having the same last name as her four children meant the world to her, not that Rodger knew that was why she’d said no to his proposal, not once, not twice, but three times. After explaining to him that it wasn’t anything to do with him, it was just that she never wanted to marry again, a fourth proposal was most certainly off the cards, and she was okay with that.

She did love Rodger – how could she not, given the kind man he was? – but as Charlie had said to her on that fateful day, loving someone and being in love with them were two very different things. She’d tried, again and again, to step over that threshold, to love Rodger as she had once loved Charlie, with every inch of her being, but she couldn’t, and she didn’t know if that was because Charlie had broken her heart so badly, it was beyond repair, or if it was because she would never love another like she had loved Charlie because he was her one and only true love in this lifetime.

So many ifs, buts and maybes … she could send herself crazy. For now, she didn’t have the time or the headspace to think about it. Today was all about their amazing, handsome, clever, kind sons. Making both Hudson and Bryn feel happy and loved was her entire focus.

After swiping on some rouge, she applied a bit of gloss, smacked her lips together and put on a happy face before she wandered from the bathroom with her to-do list rolling around in her head. Barely stepping over the brand-spanking new Roomba vacuum cleaner Rodger had brought home last week, Grace marvelled at how it cleaned the floor all on its own. Talk about progress. Next, given that she was useless at reverse parallel parking, she hoped someone would invent a car that would park itself. She chuckled at the thought.

‘Mum?’ Ava’s voice carried down the hall.

‘I’m in here, love.’

Her hair as wild as her free spirit, Ava stuck her head through the doorway. ‘Is it alright if Dad and I head over to the shops today, so I can help him pick out a present for the boys?’

‘Yes, of course.’ Hands going to her hips, she tutted. ‘Although, I would have thought he’d have already gotten them something by now, given it’s their birthday today.’

‘Muuum, shh!’ Ava held a finger to her lips and brandished the cordless phone. ‘He probably just heard you say that.’

‘Yes, I did.’ Charlie’s booming voice carried from the receiver.

‘Oops.’ Grace covered her mouth as she dashed to Ava’s side. ‘Sorry, Charlie,’ she bellowed.

Ava hit loudspeaker. ‘Did you hear that too, Dad?’

‘Yes, I did,’ he chuckled. ‘All good, Grace. I can take it.’

‘I know you can,’ she teased. ‘You’re used to me lecturing you, after years of it.’

‘This is true.’ His gravelly laugh echoed. ‘And just for the record, I’ve already got Huddy and Bryn their main gifts. I just want to add to it.’

Ava looked to the ceiling, mumbling something beneath her breath.

Grace flashed her a what-the? look. ‘Oh, well, in that case, good for you, Charlie, and I’m sorry for being so quick to judge.’

‘Like I said, I can take it.’ Charlie’s tone was lighthearted.

Laughing, Grace enjoyed the spirited banter. She and Rodger had never engaged in it.

Ava blew an impatient puff. ‘Would you like to have a conversation while I go and get ready?’ She shoved the phone in Grace’s direction.

‘No,’ they answered in unison.

Ava waltzed off with the phone to her ear. Grace loved how close they’d become over the years – it warmed her heart no end. Unexpectedly, Ava had been the last child to accept her father coming back into their lives. With Rodger’s gentle encouragement to give their father a go – not that she was allowed to let Charlie know this – Hudson and Bryn had been the most forgiving, with both boys excited to have Charlie at their every football game. Hope came next, and she and Charlie had bonded over their love of nature. Ava had lagged for about a year, but with Charlie’s gentle love and persistence, he’d finally broken down his youngest daughter’s walls. Now, they were inseparable.

Her step a little lighter than fifteen minutes ago, Grace got back to her chores. Making the bed with fresh sheets, she held the comforter to her nose and inhaled the scent of her rose and ylang ylang fabric softener. There was something to be said for climbing into a freshly made bed. A once-a-week job, habitually on a Friday, which was always her best night’s sleep. As her mum always said, cleanliness is next to godliness. Rodger found her love of a sparkling house a little overbearing, but she wasn’t about to change. She felt good when the home was spick-and-span, making it a haven for her family.

An hour later, taking the last sip of her ice-cold tea, Grace rinsed her cup and popped it into the dishwasher. The thunder of heavy feet fell down the hallway, and Hudson and Bryn exploded into the kitchen. Never a day went by without the pair of them playfully feuding over something.

‘Hey, mumma bear!’ they said in unison.

‘My beautiful boys, happy birthday to you again.’ Grace held her arms out and they came to her. Both young men were a foot higher than her five foot nothing, and built solidly, like their father, and she felt safely cocooned within their arms. ‘I love you both so very much, you know that right?’ she said, stepping back and blinking fast. ‘And I’m so proud of both of you.’