Chapter 12

Hannah wouldn't be home until after 10, so George decided to drop in on Joanna and Dave. Dave was out and wouldn't be back until late; he had an evening meeting at his school, but Joanna and the children where home and made much of George.

George noted they all had moist hair. "Yes, we're only just back from swimming down at the aquatic centre with Catherine's young man," Joanna said.

"Mum!" Catherine exclaimed, colouring up beet red.

"What young man?" George asked sternly. "Is he good enough for my Catherine?"

"He is a real sweetie," Joanna said. "Very good for Catherine and kind to her siblings. He is even polite to Catherine's old mother."

"You're not that old," Catherine said with a pointed look at her mother's abdomen.

Neither the comment, the look nor the furious cease-and-desist glare Catherine got in return were lost on George. Under the pretext of helping Joanna making a pot of tea, George followed her to the kitchen. "What was that about?"

"Oh George," Joanna said. "I might as well tell you, but no-one - especially not the children - can be told this side Christmas. I am pregnant again."

"Jo! That's wonderful," George said. "Congratulations to you all. And I gather Catherine knows?"

"Yes she does," Joanna said, "and she is fine with it. A little too fine with it at times. I fear she has romantic ideas about pregnancy. She is very fond of that young man - who is actually much too old for her. Not that I worry about him - he seems to behave, but Catherine is one big bundle of hormones."

Comprehension dawned on George. "Is this the young man Catherine and Hannah met that weekend?"

Joanna smiled. "So Hannah told you about it? I thought she might. Yes, that's the one. He recovered from the shock of learning Catherine's true age quickly enough and he's been her devoted slave ever since. He behaves impeccably. It's Catherine who wants to pull his swim-trunks down and impale herself on him."

"Joanna!" George exclaimed.

"We've all been young once," Joanna replied. "But I draw the line at a 13 year old having sex."

"And so you should!" George agreed. "But perhaps you should consider putting her on the pill anyway. On the pretence of her having bad period pain perhaps? We did that with Anne at 14. Not a moment too soon either, if I am not mistaken."

Joanna looked doubtful. "It would feel like we were, you know, encouraging her to have under-age sex," she said.

"Rubbish," George replied. "Make it clear she can't and do your best to enforce it. But spare her the heart break of an unwanted pregnancy if she manages to coax the bloke's semen too close to her crotch anyway. Teenagers are shockingly fertile."

"Perhaps you're right," Joanna said. "Oh George, you're the best big brother I never had." She embraced him closely and, almost involuntarily, his hand caressed her abdomen.

"The world's a better place for having you in it," he said tenderly. "I am so glad you reproduce!"

George was asked to stay and eat with the family. He happily agreed and helped preparing the meal. They had a lovely evening. George read to Liam and Fiona in bed and joined Joanna and Catherine for a cup of tea while they waited for Dave to return. Well and truly over the puppy-love, Catherine was much freer and relaxed around George, flopping down in the sofa next to him and pulling his arm around her. "I hope you're jealous of Thomas," she said.

"Deadly," George replied dead-pan. "I will have to meet him, judge if he is good enough for you and interrogate him about his honest intentions."

"Oh, his intentions are clear enough," Catherine said. "You can always tell with a boy - or man." She ran a hand lightly across George's crotch.

"Ahem," her mother intoned.

Catherine giggled. "What? Just because I've worked out what boys like?" She blatantly pulled George's hand down to her bra-enhanced boob.

"Catherine, that's enough," her mother said quite sharply.

"I'll say," George chided. "If you act like that around men you'll end up just like your mother."

"You told him?" Catherine asked Joanna.

"Actually, you did," George said. "Your mother simply confirmed it."

Catherine backed off. "Sorry, didn't mean to tease."

"You did too, but that's OK", George said. "I love you, you know, and I'm so glad you've found somebody nice."

"It was all Hannah's work," Catherine said. "You should thank her."

"Yes," George said absentmindedly. "Hannah..." He stared blankly into space and missed the glance exchanged between mother and daughter.

"You should marry her," Catherine said firmly.

"Catherine!" Joanna exploded. But before any more could be said, they heard the door open as a tired Dave came home.

Dave was happy to see George and even happier when George told him he knew about the pregnancy and congratulated warmly. George eagerly listened to Dave's plans for a loft conversion which he told about while eating.

"I want to live up there," Catherine demanded.

"You can," her father agreed, "provided we get George to install surveillance cameras everywhere."

"Sure, and plenty of sound-insulation down towards your bedroom," his daughter countered.

The happy banter went on for a while until George excused himself. "I may have some important negotiations tomorrow," he said, "so I'd better get home and have some sleep."