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‘Dan proposed. Literally out of the blue. We were taking it in turns to say what we’re thankful for, and when it was his turn he gave me a funny look, then got down on one knee and—Mum, we’re getting married!’
Maggie sat down hard on the edge of the bed, the freezing air forgotten. ‘Married? But you and Dan have only been together for a few weeks—’
‘Eleven weeks, four days, six hours and fifteen minutes—oh, wait, now it’s sixteen. I mean seventeen!’
Rosie was laughing, and Maggie tried to laugh with her. How should she handle this?
‘That’s not very long, sweetheart.’
But it was completely in character for Rosie, who bounced from one impulse to another, powered by enthusiasm.
‘I know, but it feels so right I can’t even tell you. And you’ll understand because it was like that for you and Dad.’
Maggie stared at the damp patch on the wall.
Tell her the truth.
Her mouth moved but she couldn’t push the words out. This was the wrong time. She should have done it months ago.
She didn’t want to be the slayer of happy moments.
She couldn’t even say You’re too young, because she’d been the same age when she’d had Katie. Which basically made her a hypocrite. Or did it make her someone with experience?
‘You’ve only just started your post grad—’
‘I’m not giving it up. I can be married and study. Plenty do it.’
Maggie couldn’t argue with that. ‘I’m happy for you.’ Did she sound happy? She tried harder. ‘Woo-hoo!’
She’d thought she’d white-knuckled her way through all the toughest parts of parenting, but it turned out there were still some surprises waiting for her. Rosie wasn’t a child any more. She had to be allowed to make her own decisions. And her own mistakes.
Rosie was talking again. ‘I know it’s all a bit quick, but you’re going to love Dan as much as I do. You said you thought he was great when you spoke to him.’
But speaking to someone on a video call wasn’t the same as meeting them in person, was it?
Maggie swallowed down all the words of warning that rose up inside her. She was not going to turn into her own mother and send dark clouds into every bright moment. ‘He seemed charming, and I’m thrilled for you. If I don’t sound it, it’s because it’s the middle of the night here, and you know what I’m like when I’ve just woken up. When I saw your name pop up on the screen I was worried it was your asthma.’
‘Haven’t had an attack in over a year—well, apart from a tiny blip last summer when I went for a walk in the park. But I think that was the grass or the pollen or something. Seriously, it was nothing. And I’m sorry I woke you, but I wanted to share my news.’
‘I’m glad you woke me. Tell me everything.’
Maggie closed her eyes and tried to pretend her daughter was in the room with her and not thousands of miles away. There was no reason to panic. It was an engagement, that was all. There was still plenty of time for them to decide if it was the right thing for them.
‘We’ll plan an extra big celebration when you and your sister are here for Christmas. Would Dan like to join us? I can’t wait to meet him in person. Maybe we’ll throw a party. Invite the Baxters and all your friends from college and school.’
Her spirits lifted. Christmas was her favourite time of year—the one occasion when the whole family gathered together. Even Katie, with her busy life as a doctor, usually managed to beg and barter a few days at Christmas in exchange for covering the busy New Year shift. Maggie was looking forward to spending time with her. She had a niggling suspicion that her eldest daughter was avoiding her. Every time Maggie suggested meeting up Katie made an excuse, which was unlike her because she rarely refused a free lunch.
Christmas would give her a chance to dig a little deeper.
In her opinion, Oxford was the perfect place to spend the festive season. True, there was unlikely to be snow, but what was better than wandering through Christchurch Meadows listening to the
peal of bells on a crisp, cold winter’s day?
It promised to be perfect, apart from one complication.
Nick.
Maggie still hadn’t figured out how she was going to handle that side of things.
