Surviving in Harmony

Chapter Twenty | Hester House, September 3rd 2002

Chapter Twenty

Hester House, September 3rd 2002

                                          The lingering scent of lavender is what Amara focused on as she sat in the grand music room of Hester House, waiting for Andrew to return from work. They had moved in just a week ago, leaving the little apartment in London.

It was too small they had realized, could never hold all their thoughts and personalities, especially when the baby came.

The baby, a boy Amara thought, was due in a week. Amara didn’t know why she thought it was a boy, maybe because Sonia had one, but with each kick she wondered if a boy with Andrew’s light features and outlook on life would be in her arms soon.

She knew he wanted a girl, though she wasn’t sure why – girls were hard. Even so, the nursery was painted in a cool calming green, silver accents on everything.

“It looks too nice.” Sonia had laughed. “Poor Max’s room was a depressing sight when he came.”

Max was overjoyed, but a little confused, about his cousin. At four he loved pretty much everything; he was a quiet, thoughtful kid. Amara had a feeling her child would not be nearly as peaceful.

“Here we are!” Sonia said in a sing-song voice, entering the music room holding two cups of tea. A sudden cold had taken the country, and sweaters were hastily pulled out of storage and blankets thrown over beds.

“Thanks.” Amara accepted the tea thankfully, holding it in her hands, trying to warm herself. She was always cold she found, even in the height of summer.

“Could I ask you something, Sonia? As – well, as sisters? I would ask my own, but neither of them have children.”

Sonia tucked her feet beneath her, exactly as Hazel always had, and nodded. “Of course.” She glanced across the room at Max. “You okay, honey?”

Max gave his mother a fleeting look with his dark eyes; entranced by the large book on plants Winston had got for him. Rachelle had said that once he started to read better she would show him what each one was called so he could read it himself with more ease.

“Yeah Mamma.”

“Okay, we’ll have lunch in an hour.” She turned her attention back to Amara. “Is something bothering you?”

“I – well, I don’t even know any more.” Her hands rested atop her swollen stomach, tracing circles over and over. “You know I had a plan, a very set plan – one that didn’t include children for a long time.”

Sonia nodded. “I remember.”

“You know this was an accident, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question.

“I thought so. Andrew was insistent though.” She admitted, sipping her tea.

“I wasn’t off the pill, was hoping I could stay on at least until summer. I wanted –” she looked guiltily over at her sister in law. “I was hoping to stall Andrew for at least a year. Am I a horrible person for doing so, when this makes him so happy?”