‘Any news on that front? I don’t want to ignore it when I know how important it is to you. But then, on the other hand, I don’t want to keep asking you when it’s none of my business, if you see what I mean.’
‘No, no, it’s fine. I like that you’re interested in my sex life,’ Nina joked. ‘That’s what best friends are for, isn’t it?’
Sophie laughed. ‘I don’t want all the details. It has to be better than mine at the moment, truth be told.’
‘What will be, will be. I’m just thinking about it like that.’
‘Right.’
‘Nothing on that front so far, just lots of practice.’
‘Ha.’
‘You obviously made it look a lot easier than it is.’ Nina noted with a laugh.
Sophie also laughed. ‘I don’t know about that. Let me tell you one thing: it won’t be happening again. I’m officially done in that department. The shop is closed. Mumma Bear is over it.’
Nina laughed back. ‘Don’t tell me that. You’re meant to tell me how good it is. I only want to hear the lovely bits.’
Sophie backtracked. ‘I’m not telling you it’snotgood. It’s just that having three is hard work, and it seems to be getting harder by the day. I am exhausted nearly all the time.’
Nina shook her head. She knew Sophie’s husband, Nick, didn’t help Sophie one iota. He seemed to spend a lot of time away, as far as she was concerned. It seriously irked her. ‘I’m always here if you need help.’
‘No, no, it’s all fine. I didn’t mean that,’ Sophie insisted. ‘Anyway, I was just asking to see how you are. How are you feeling about it?’
‘No change, really,’ Nina replied, her tone thoughtful. When she’d first been talking about trying for a baby with Robby, she’d decided not to let herself get disappointed if it didn’t happen quickly. She was determined to keep that front and centre. ‘So far, so good. Even though it’s been ages and nothing has happened, I’m not letting it get me down. Robby hasn’t said much about it either, so it’s just been something on the back burner.’
‘Time will tell, I guess, as they say. Probably when you least expect it.’
Nina agreed. ‘Yes, I was reading the other day how that tends to happen.’
‘You’ve had a lot on the last few years what with starting a business, moving into a new house, etcetera. Plus, you know, everything before that.’
‘I guess so, but I don’t think that’s got anything to do with it,’ Nina mused, the sound of water splashing as she shifted in the bath.
‘What about IVF? Have you had further thoughts on that?’ Sophie asked cautiously.
‘No, no. I’m not going down that route,’ Nina replied firmly, then added, ‘Never say never. I’m not saying definitely, but right now, I can’t be doing with all that. It’s not been that long, really, and I’m not even sure if we’re ready for it or if we would qualify to have it yet. And it’s really expensive.’
‘Money is not really a problem though, is it? With Robby’s business and all,’ Sophie prodded gently.
‘No, it’s not that. It’s just... I don’t want to spend a fortune and throw it down the drain on something that’s not going to happen. It’ll get my hopes up all the time if you get what I’m saying.’
‘Yeah, yeah, true. From what I’ve gathered, that route is no walk in the park. A friend of mine had a journey with it, and it’s not as easy as they say.’
‘No. I’ll just play it by ear for now.’
‘Sounds like a plan.’
8
After Nina's bath, the storm intensified, and the house creaked and groaned under what felt like a relentless assault of wind and rain as it got battered around by the elements. As she pottered around, getting ready for bed, she listened to things banging and crashing outside with no sight of the end on the way, but as if a miracle had occurred, the lights suddenly flickered a bit, and the power came back on.
Making their way up to the third-floor attic room, Nina could hear something on the roof banging but she wasn’t sure what. Listening with squinted eyes, trying to make out what it was, she felt slightly panicked about how the night was going to turn out and wondered what they were going to wake up to. As she walked across the timber floor towards the window, looking out over the harbour, everything felt alive with the storm's energy. Robby stood beside her, and for a minute, they both peered down at the harbour as the storm threw the boats from side to side and the chaotic churn of the water and the bluster of wind mesmerised them as lights flickered in the darkness and the boats' tethers seemed as if they were going to snap at any time. With the wind continuing to howl, flashes of lightning streakedacross the dark sky, and a thunderclap shook the window panes, making Nina nearly jump out of her skin.
With the rain battering on the roof and sliding down the windows, Nina pottered around in her slippers and dressing gown. Glad that the power had come back on, she turned on the lamps on either side of the bed and pulled back the covers. She then switched on the diffuser on the dresser and watched as little plumes of mist hazed across the room, the scent of lavender and vanilla mingling with the clean smell of the sheets. As she took off her dressing gown and settled into bed with a book, Robby came up the stairs with two hot chocolates topped with cream and a little saucer with chocolate truffles from the chocolate shop.
Robby put the mug and saucer on the bedside table, and Nina smiled. ‘This is my kind of storm sustenance. I’ll put in a storm order for next week, too.’
