All The Little Moments (28 page)

Anna slid into her seat. “Oh, we’re sitting at the hospital coffee cart
today? Fancy.”

“I thought we’d step it up
a notch.”

“Great, because I actually
have time.”

“No appointment?”

Anna shot Kym a confused look. Kym stared innocently over her
coffee cup.

“What do
you mean?”

“Oh, I thought you might have had a page to meet in a cleaner’s closet.” Kym laughed in delight as
Anna flushed.

“I—you—oh, shut
up Kym.”

“What,
no denial?”

“We don’t go to the
cleaners’ closets.”

“A bit
late, Anna.”

Anna sipped her coffee almost desperately. “
Anyway.
 
How was yesterday? You said Sunday night one of your patients was reacting to
his meds?”

“Nice change of subject. I’ll
allow it.”

“Only because you want to talk about
your work.”

“Well, it was fine. I
fixed it.”

Anna laughed. “I wouldn’t expect anything less. Ella was asking when you’re coming for dinner
this week.”

“Because we share a
special bond.”

“Of course. Oh—guess who we had a visit from
last night?”

“Sally’s
charming mother?”

Anna made a face. “Ew. No. Some new caseworker,
George Coleman.”

“Toby clothed
this time?”

“Yes, thankfully. And Ella wasn’t trying to force him
to cross-dress.”

“Why was it
someone new?”

Shrugging, Anna answered. “I don’t know. He wasn’t the friendliest guy. He said something about Lorna
being unavailable.”

“So, it’s all routine?” Kym eyed her over
her coffee.

“Yeah, all routine. And it went fine. He didn’t stay long. Just kind of popped in, drank some tea, asked how everything was, looked at the house
and left.”

“Well, you’re probably the least of their concerns. The will dictated you as guardian, you’re in a stable job, the kids are settling in as well as they
can be.”

“Yeah, well, Ella was well behaved and in one of her quiet moods, and Toby was shy
but charming.”

“I’d expect nothing else
from him.”

Anna rolled her eyes. “You can’t adopt
him, Kym.”

“No, but I can claim him any time I’m over.
And Ella.”

Anna couldn’t really argue with that—the kids loved Kym. “That you can. By the way, Ella requested you read her a story. Between you and Lane, these kids are
getting spoilt.”

“Between
you
and Lane,
you’re
getting spoilt.”

Anna’s pager went off, saving her a retort. She glanced down at it and stood, drinking the last of her coffee. “Anyway, smartass, like I said, Ella asked if you could come to dinner again. See
you tonight?”

“Definitely. Lane
calling again?”

“No, I’m off to practice actual medicine.” Anna turned and started to walk off before looking over her shoulder. “Then I’m seeing Lane.” She could practically feel Kym’s smirk as she
walked away.

Maybe they needed to stop meeting all over
the hospital.

A buzzing in her pocket pulled her attention to her phone as she stood waiting for the elevator. Anna turned for the empty stairwell to give herself more time
to chat.

“Hey, Mum.”

“Anna,
hello darling.”

“How
are you?”

“I’m good, just wondering… I’m going to do a big cook up of meatloaf Thursday, I thought maybe I could bring some around Friday night for you to freeze and have for
the kids?”

Excitement shot through Anna: she loved her mother’s meatloaf, and so did the kids. “That’s something I would be very okay with you doing,
Mum, thanks.”

“Lovely. Maybe I could stay
for dinner?”

“If you didn’t I’d
be concerned.”

“And maybe, I could stay for a
few hours?”

“Of course.”

“And maybe, you could use this as an opportunity to go out on a date with Lane.” Anna actually stopped mid-step, a smirk on her face.
“Subtle, Mum.”

“Nothing’s subtle about playing Cupid, Anna. He uses arrows, I have to use
my brain.”

Anna bit her lip, thinking as she started climbing the stairs. “That would actually
be amazing.”

She could hear Sandra’s sly grin over the phone.
 
“Excellent. You can get out of the
bloody house.”

“Mum! I leave
the house.”

“Grocery shopping doesn’t
count, Anna.”

“I—”

“Nor
does work.”

She
had nothing.

“Precisely. We both miss Jake. We both want what is best for the kids. But we both need to try and have a life, too. Now, you take Lane on a nice date. There can be flowers—oh! Definitely buy her flowers! And go for
a walk.”

“It’s
freezing out.”

“A drive then. A romantic one. I hear there’s this spot people
go to—”

“Yes, Mum.”

“Good. And I can be with my
lovely grandchildren.”

She turned up the last flight. “They’ll love that. They love any time with you.” There was a pause, and then a sudden silence on the
phone. “Mum?”

“That—that’s just so nice
to hear.”

Panic rising in her, a soft sigh left Anna’s her lips. “Oh, Mum. Are
you okay?”

“Yes, yes. I’m fine, just being silly. Your father’s disappeared into his office again. I’m just looking forward to some
family time.”

“Why don’t I hang with you and the kids
Friday night?”

“No! Don’t be silly. I want you to have some fun. Take that beautiful woman out. Like I said to the caseworker yesterday, you need to have your
time, too.”

Anna stopped again.
“To who?”

“The caseworker,
Lorna, called.”

“That’s strange, we had a different caseworker at the house
last night?”

“She said it was all routine, to just ask how people close to you felt everything
was going.”

“What…what did you say?” She didn’t know why her heart
was pounding.

“Anna, get that worry out of your voice. I told her you were doing an amazing job, she said she thought
so, too.”

“Oh. But why would she still be in contact if we had the
new guy?”

“I don’t know, maybe they like to get separate opinions.
Relax, Anna.”

Taking a deep breath, Anna nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.” When she reached the floor she wanted, she leant against the railing to wrap up the conversation. “This guy was just not as friendly. Lorna was nicer the other
two times.”

“Anyway, as I said, you need some fun. Not to spend even more time with your mother and niece and nephew. I’m babysitting Friday night. You don’t get
a choice.”

A beeping made Anna look down at her pager. “Okay,
fine,
I’ll take the pretty woman out to dinner. Only because you’re
making me.”

“As if. You were taking pretty women out before I knew anything
about it.”

“Very funny.”

“It’s true. Don’t think I haven’t twigged about those ‘sleepovers’ you had when you got a
bit older.”

Grimacing, Anna just wanted to get off the phone. “Mum, I really
gotta go.”

“Yeah, nice timing. Go save
lives—love you.”

“I love
you, too.”

By the time Friday arrived, Anna was beyond excited for her date with Lane. Hanging with the kids and Lane, or Kym and Lane, or in the on-call room with Lane—these were all things she loved. But being alone with Lane again? Anna was
definitely excited.

She tried not to imagine what Cathy would have to say
about it.

It was so important to Anna to keep the kids feeling safe. While she had chosen to brush off what Cathy had said, it had increased those niggling concerns in the back of her mind. The ones Anna had had when she’d first heard the lawyer’s words: that she wasn’t cut out for this, that she was possibly the worst person to do it. Thanks to Cathy, the worries about dating Lane had intensified, too—that it was selfish to date, especially when things were so new; that the kids wouldn’t cope; that they’d feel like less of a priority in
her life.

So, she was taking the high road with Cathy; that didn’t mean the woman hadn’t gotten under her skin a little. But a pep talk from Kym and a phone conversation with her mother soon snapped her out of it. Anna was allowed a
night out.

Lane was due to pick her up at six. In true form, Sandra breezed in around five, arms laden with food, and entered the kitchen with Ella
in tow.

“Sweetie, hi.” She dumped everything on the kitchen bench and gave Anna a tight hug, kissing
her cheek.

Anna squeezed her tightly back, then turned to pull Ella in for
a cuddle.

“Aunty Na, I helped cook
this afternoon.”

“You’ve definitely been busy.” She eyed the bags on the bench. There definitely wasn’t
 
just
 
meatloaf. “Mum, hey—how much food did
you bring?”

Sandra was busy pulling dishes out and putting them in the fridge and freezer. “Oh, enough for a while, to heat up and just have
on hand.”

“I’m not
 
that
 
bad at
cooking, Mum.”

Sandra paused, arm partway in a bag, and looked sideways at Ella, who met her grandmother’s eyes. Anna suddenly felt like her niece had
abandoned her.

“Guys, I cook all the
time now.”

“I know you do, sweetie. You’ve gotten really good.” Her mother’s eyes stayed focussed on the bag she was
rummaging through.

“Ella! C’mon, I can cook,
can’t I?”

Ella’s eyes went wide. “Um—Grandma, her pancakes are
really good.”

A snorting noise came from the bag where Sandra’s head was now buried. “You two suck. I’m going to hang out
with Toby.”

From the living room, she heard Ella say, “Well, they
 
are 
good. She usually doesn’t even
burn them.”

Ignoring the traitors in the kitchen, Anna scooped up Toby, who hummed happily at the sudden affection, and started carrying him upstairs. “You can’t talk, so you can’t pick on me yet. When you’re older, just you remember who’s changed far too many of
your nappies.”

Toby wrapped a chubby arm around her neck and Anna melted slightly as the fingers of his other hand grabbed at
her necklace.

“Na.” He murmured,
smiling affectionately.

Anna cuddled him close as she walked into her room, then plopped him on her bed. His little voice was the most endearing thing and it was starting to come out more
and more.

“Right, little man. Want to help me choose
an outfit?”

Legs in the air, Toby fell backwards, giggling at the soft unsteadiness of
the mattress.

She eyed him. “Right, you’re going to be lots
of help.”

He blew
a raspberry.

“Excellent.”

Anna found an outfit and took Toby back downstairs to join the others while she had a shower. Not long before six, she emerged, walking into the dining room where her mother was feeding the
kids dinner.

“Aunty Na, you look
really pretty.”

Anna grinned. The joy of kids was they told the truth. She had once walked out, and Ella had looked her up and down and asked, “Where did you find
 
that
?” There had been so much Sally in the tone it had made Anna’s stomach ache. If Ella approved, she
was set.

“Thanks Ella Bella. Just something I had laying around.” She winked and dropped a kiss on the top of
Ella’s head.

“You really do, Anna.” Her mother watched her,
face soft.

“Thanks, Mum. And thanks again
for tonight.”

Sandra waved her hand. “Nonsense. We’re going to have a
great night.”

“Grandma said we can have
 
two 
deserts.”