And Baby Makes Three

‘You mean give up racing and do something else?’

‘Well, I could always be a cab driver,’ he said significantly.

So he did remember that evening-right down to a daft little joke they’d exchanged.

‘You’d be a rotten cab driver. Everything would have to be done your way.’

‘Of course,’ he said, theatrically lofty, ‘because I’m always right.’

‘Yes, I do remember that much about you,’ she agreed. ‘It’s how you always win.’

‘I don’t always win,’ he murmured.

He spoke so quietly that she wondered if she’d been meant to hear at all.

‘You do according to Mike,’ she said. ‘He’s your biggest fan. Thank you for being so nice to him.’

‘He’s a great kid. You must be very proud of him.’

‘Yes, I am.’

Now he would ask her about Mike-who had fathered him, what had happened in her life since that night. But he said nothing, and she stared, becoming increasingly puzzled.

But perhaps it wasn’t so surprising that Jared couldn’t see that Mike was his. There was no likeness. Jared’s hair and eyes were both dark, his face lean and tense. Mike’s hair was fair, his eyes blue, his face chubby. Their only resemblance lay in the hint of wickedness in their eyes. But how could he see that?

‘Perhaps we should be going back,’ he said, and she wondered at the note of unease in his voice.

‘Yes, I mustn’t be away too long.’

Slowly they made their way back along the path that led to the street. What should she do next? she wondered. This might be her one chance to tell him about Mike. Shouldn’t she take it, risking his indifference? Or, worse than indifference, hostility. But at least then she would know where she stood.

She took a deep breath. ‘The fact is-’ She stopped suddenly, staring ahead.

‘What’s the matter?’ he asked.

‘There.’ She pointed through the trees to where they could just see her home across the road. ‘The light’s come on in Mike’s bedroom. He gets bad dreams sometimes. I’d better go and see if he’s all right.’

He came too, following her into the house just as Sam was climbing the stairs with a glass of milk.

‘Is he all right?’ Kaye asked.

‘I think so. We heard him calling in his sleep and went in. He says he’s just thirsty.’

‘He won’t ever admit to having bad dreams,’ Kaye sighed.

‘He probably thinks they’re for wimps,’ Jared said.

They all looked up as Mike came flying out onto the landing, glaring down the stairs at them, astounded at the sight of Jared.

‘I’m not having nightmares,’ he cried. ‘I’m not, I’m not.’

‘All right, all right,’ Jared said easily. ‘If you say so.’

He moved a few steps up, meeting Mike who had descended far enough to glare at him.

‘I’m not.’

‘Then you’re luckier than I am,’ Jared said, sitting on the stairs as though this was the most natural thing in the world. ‘Boy, you should see some of my dreams. Real nightmares.’

‘You?’ Mike stared, not really believing what he’d just heard.

‘Sure. Sit down.’ He moved over so that Mike could settle beside him. Down below the others kept silent, watching and holding their breaths.

‘Sometimes my job’s dangerous,’ Jared said. ‘That can be the most fun, but you need to find a way of coping. Dreams can help.’

‘Help?’

‘You relive it in your sleep, and sometimes you wake up knowing that you’ve been through the worst. Or at least knowing what you should do.’

‘I don’t do dangerous things,’ Mike protested. ‘But I-’ He stopped cautiously.

‘But you still have the odd shouting match with yourself when you’re asleep? We all do sometimes.’ Jared’s tone became confiding. ‘It happened to me a lot when I was a kid, because I began to understand that I couldn’t always make the world do what I wanted.’

‘But the world does everything you want now,’ Mike said.

‘Mmm, sometimes. Now and then you have to compromise. For instance, I’m planning to take your mother out tomorrow night, but she hasn’t agreed yet so I’m counting on you to help the negotiations.’

‘Mum!’ Mike squeaked, outraged.

‘Yes, darling.’

‘Why didn’t you say yes?’

‘Because I haven’t been asked yet,’ she said, glaring at Jared.

‘Oh, did I forget that detail?’ he asked innocently. ‘I can’t think why.’

‘I can,’ she said, torn between indignation and amusement. ‘It was the quickest way of making me dance to your tune.’

‘Yeah, that must have been it,’ he mused. ‘Well, how about it, Mike? Do I have your permission?’

‘What about my permission?’ Kaye demanded.

‘I’ll leave this to you,’ Jared told Mike with a wink.

Mike nodded. ‘Don’t worry. She’ll be there. Promise.’

‘When the two of you have finished telling me what to do…’ Kaye observed.

Neither of them took any notice of her. They were too busy shaking hands.

‘I think you should go back to bed now,’ she told Mike.

‘Promise,’ he demanded.

‘Now, look-’

‘Promise or I won’t go back to bed.’

She glanced up at Jared. ‘Then I’ll have to-but only to please Mike.’

‘That’s understood,’ he said solemnly.

‘Bed,’ Ethel commanded Mike.

He nodded and put his hand in hers. Having got his own way he was as docile as a lamb.

Kaye showed Jared to the door.

‘Sorry to do it like that,’ he said, ‘but I need to get you to myself. We have a lot to talk about.’