‘Six. I think,’ said Violetta, laughing. ‘Are you upset with her?’
‘No, no, not at all. I think she and Chris will be a lovely couple. Although she will have to convert if she wants to marry him.’
‘I don’t think he’s the marrying kind, Mom.’
‘He will be, once the babies are born.’
‘Babies? You know something I don’t?’ asked Violetta loudly.
‘Sorry, slip of the tongue,’ laughed Birdie.
‘I have asked Spencer to set up the paperwork. Your sisters will be taken off and I will allow for them in my will naturally,’ said Birdie casually.
‘Do they know about this?’ asked Violetta, still in shock.
‘Yes, I have spoken to both them. They want to get on with their lives away from Pajaro. You, it seems, have found a life at Pajaro,’ said Birdie, smiling at her daughter.
‘Are you sure, Mom?’ asked Violetta, a tear falling down her cheek.
‘I’m as sure as anything. It’s the right thing to do. When Leon died, everything naturally came to me. He hadn’t changed his will yet.’
‘Leon? You remember Dad?’ asked Violetta, incredulous.
‘Yes, unfortunately,’ said Birdie, sitting back in her chair.
‘When, when did you remember? Why didn’t you say anything?’
‘I remembered when I was in rehab. Not all of it, just glimpses. All very sad,’ she said with no emotion.
‘So you know then?’ asked Violetta carefully.
‘About Spencer being your father?’ Birdie nodded. ‘I suppose I always knew. I just couldn’t leave Leon at the time… I don’t remember the reasons now.’
Birdie sat forward and grabbed Violetta's hand. ‘I never want to go back there, into that dark awful place.’
Violetta was confused. ‘Your coma? I don’t think that will happen, Mom,’ she said, soothingly.
‘No, the marriage. It was dark and lonely and an awful place. That’s what I remember,’ she said, looking away into the distance.
Violetta sat and held her mother’s hand. And finally Birdie pulled herself back to the present.
‘So Spencer asked me to marry him and I said yes.’
‘Oh Mom, I’m so happy,’ cried Violetta. ‘You should have said something last night when we were all together.’
‘No, no, I don’t want a fuss,’ said Birdie. ‘We will do it after things settle down.’
‘What things, Mom? Why wait? You have waited long enough,’ said Violetta excitedly.
‘Well, darling, I’ll be honest with you.’
Violetta waited for her mother to speak. She seemed to be trying to find the words.
‘It’s OK, Mom, take your time, the words will come,’ she said gently.
‘Oh dear me, I’ll just say it,’ said Birdie. ‘I’ll marry Spencer when you stop that awful TV show. I watched it last week and you went to a jazz club, it sounded awful. Now really, Violetta, what were you thinking when you said you would appear in it?’ She tucked into her grapefruit again.
Violetta burst out laughing. Birdie was back.
