Chapter 2

Molly continued to think over the next few days. She was pretty certain that Dan would accept James but still wondered about Gina.

She left it until the following weekend when Dan was home from school.

"You and James seem to get on well together," she said.

"Ye-es!" replied Dan enthusiastically. "He was a brilliant rugby player and still plays cricket for MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club whose home ground is Lord's: 'the home of cricket').

"Yes, Dan darling," she smiled, "but do you like him as well as that?"

"Yes, Mummy. Very much."

"What if I was to marry him? He'd become your father."

Dan thought about that. "No, Mummy. Daddy was my father but James could be a sort of second father. You know..."

"Yes, darling. Your step-father, a substitute father."

Dan knew about substitutes from cricket and rugby when people got hurt. He nodded. "Yeah, OK!"

"What about Gina? She'd be your step-sister."

Dan's brow clouded. "She's all right, I suppose," he said reluctantly, "but I'm not mad about her."

"Why not?"

Dan shrugged. "I dunno ... probably because she's a girl."

"Like me."

"Oh, Mummy! You're not a girl. You're a woman."

"But I was a girl once upon a time."

"That's different."

"Not really. I wasn't interested in football or cricket until I met Daddy and then only because he played."

"Really?"

"Really."

"But Uncle Ronnie played them."

"Yes but I wasn't interested. It wasn't as though he was very good at either of them."

Dan giggled. "Was he fat then?"

"Cheeky boy. No, not when he was a boy and a teenager."

Dan grinned and then became serious again. "Were you friends though?"

"Yes but that didn't mean that we didn't squabble sometimes."

Dan looked thoughtful. There was a long pause. "I don't like Gina all that much," he said finally.

Molly nodded. "Do you know why?"

"She's not very friendly."

Molly nodded again and changed the subject. "When's Rob coming over?"

"Ten."

"Any minute now. What are you planning to do?"

"Go on building the tree house."

"Fine. Listen for the bell at lunchtime."

"Yes, Mummy."

Molly thought she had got it right. Gina was the problem. Molly did not want her to be unhappy because she felt that Molly had pulled her away from Denise. She supposed that Denise could stay on after she and James married. That might ease things and leave Gina free to gravitate towards her when Denise left to marry Craig. That left Dan. She thought back to her own childhood. Ronnie was two years older than her. They had never been close as youngsters and they used to squabble a lot, much to their mother's irritation, but once they were both at boarding school and only saw each other in the holidays they had become friends. 'I don't like Gina all that much' sounded like a bit of an understatement and actually meant that Dan would prefer to do without her. 'She's not very friendly' indicated that Gina felt the same as Dan. During term time he would only be at home two nights a week and, as things stood with his friends, he would not make much impact on Gina's life in the holidays.

She raised the problem with Sophie Parkinson, the vicar's wife, who was sympathetic but matter of fact.

"I can't make up your mind for you, Molly dear, but I could ask you some questions which might help you to do so."

Molly nodded. "Thanks."

"I'm sorry but I don't know your late husband's name."

"Ned."

"Do you love James as much as you did Ned?"

"Ooph! Are they all going to be as difficult as this?"

Sophie smiled. "Could be."

"It's a different love. Ned and I were ten years younger. My falling for James hasn't had the same heady rush as with Ned. It's crept slowly up on me but there is no doubt that I have come to love him and want to live with him."

"Love can make one very selfish but yet you are clearly thinking about both children which indicates that it hasn't had that effect on you. Have you discussed it with James?"

"Yes. Not in great detail but he understands my concerns."

"What are his views?"

"He acknowledges that Gina will be hurt again like when her mother died when her nanny leaves but he reckons she's young enough to get over that and will, over a period of time, become attached to me."

"Does her nanny have to leave?"

"No but she's pretty tied up with a boy in their village and will go sooner or later. As it is she has less to do for Gina now she's at school."

"Do you think James is right about her getting over it?"

"Probably."

"So it's a risk you're prepared to take?"

"Yes."

"So there's another problem." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes. Dan and Gina no more than tolerate each other. Dan likes James very much and would be happy to have him as a step-father but he's a lot less keen on having Gina as a step-sister."

"And that means a lot to you."

"Yes. When we realised that I could never have more children Dan became very special to Ned and me. If my marrying again made Dan unhappy I would feel bad about it for his sake and also because I would have let Ned down."

"Would Ned have rated your happiness higher than Dan's?"

Molly did not have to think about that. "Yes," she replied firmly and then smiled crookedly adding, "It's not as though I'm unhappy now."

"So ought you to wait, let the children see more of each other and hope that they grow to like each other?"

"Do you know, Sophie, I'm far from sure they ever will."

"Have I given you more to think about or narrowed the problems down?"

"The latter."

"Good. I know you're not much more then a nominal Christian, Molly, but I do recommend you pray about it. I shall, I promise."

"Thank you, Sophie."

Molly did pray about it as she also thought more about it. She decided that it was vital that James heard what Gina had to say and that then they could have a further discussion. She told him and he agreed.

It was a standard ritual that Denise left James and Gina alone for an hour every evening. It was a time they both enjoyed and which they called 'Our Time'. They could talk and, as often or not, James would read to her with her sitting on his knee.

"Gina, how would you like it if Molly became your mother?"

"What about Denise?"

"What about her?"