‘Oh it’s nothing to do with the shop. I still want to go ahead and knock through,’ the man explained. ‘It’s my son. He’s had an injury at football practice. Nothing too serious, thank goodness. But I’ve got to get over there.’ He began searching his pockets for his keys. ‘Kids, eh? That boy will be the death of me.’ He let out a little chuckle. ‘That’s if he doesn’t kill himselffirst.’
Dan tried to raise a smile. His customer might have been joking, but he recognised genuine concern when he saw it. Injuries at various sporting events had elicited a similar response from his mother back in the day, even if, like this chap, she’d attempted tohideit.
‘Maybe later intheweek?’
‘Yeah, sure,’ said Dan. He stepped out of the way so the man could lock up. ‘Give us a call and we’ll sortsomethingout.’
Dan watched him race off down the street, he hoped Mr Watson was right; that his son hadn’t suffered too bad an injury. At the same time though, he couldn’t help but wonder if serendipity was conspiringagainsthim.
He seemed to be seeing fathers and their children everywhere at the moment, or in this case hearing about them. He recalled the chap at the park, playing ball with his little boy. The three-year-old having a tantrum in the supermarket when Dan had nipped in for some herb his mum had insisted she needed, which of course they didn’t stock. Then there was that bloke who’d had to stop his kid from running out into the road, just as a motorbike zoomed by. Honestly, they were everywhere; something that Dan found disconcerting, to say theleast.
He remembered it being the same when he got his new car. Nothing fancy, but he’d never noticed so many of that make and model on the road until he got his own. Still his pride and joy, they seemed to be all over the place. His mother had called itObservational Selection Biaswhen he’d mentioned it. Trust her to know. However, for Dan it was just plain spooky. Now he found fathers and their children coming at him from each and every angle. Again, something Dan found equally as strange and, no doubt, it was all because of that Annabel woman. Her proposition had obviously gottentohim.
Again, Dan’s thoughts drifted back to the other night. Along with every other bloke present, he’d noticed her as soon as she entered the bar. He could see she was out of his league, the reason he spent the next hour or so trying and failing to pluck up the courage to go and introduce himself. In fact, he probably wouldn’t have spoken to her at all had she notapproachedhim.
He could still smell the sweetness of her perfume as she appeared at his side. Moreover, he still felt amazed that she’d picked him out of thecrowd.
‘Can I buy you a drink?’ sheasked.
He recalled the slight slur in her voice. Despite trying to hide it, she’d clearly had one too many. Then again, sohadhe.
She held out her hand, formalising her presence. ‘I’mAnnabel.’
‘Dan,’ he replied. ‘Pleased to meet you.’ Returning her gaze, she had the most beautiful, soulful eyes. They had a worldliness to them that he couldn’t quite describe. He put his glass to his lips, still in shock because she was actually talkingtohim.
‘Glad to hear it,’ she said, simple as that. ‘Because I have aproposition.’
Half way through a swig of his pint, Dan almost choked. For someone who looked all sweetness and light, this woman was certainly a fast mover. ‘Excuse me?’ he said. The part of him that liked to be wooed suddenly felt nervous, the other part couldn’t believe its luck. ‘Aproposition?’
‘Yes,’ saidAnnabel.
Dan watched her down her drink. Her hands shook, telling him that she was as new to this situation as him. Composing herself, she took a deep breath, before looking him directly in the face. Imagining the night ahead, he waited for her tocontinue.
‘I’d like to have your baby,’shesaid.
At the time, Dan thought her request ludicrous. Not that he admitted to this. Too busy thinking with his trousers rather than his brain, he’d have been back to her place like a shot if she hadn’t insisted he take some time to mull it over- something he hadn’t stopped doing since. To the point that the more he thought, the less absurd the idea seemed and all thanks to his over-protectivemother.
He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t get Annabel out of his head. There was just something about her. He could be doing the most mundane of tasks and she’d simply appear in his mind’s eye. Then again, he considered, she was bound to have had some sort of impact. Like he kept telling himself, it wasn’t every day a gorgeous woman insisted he get herpregnant.
As for the so calledobservational selection bias,half of him wanted to accept his mother’s explanation. However, the other half didn’t feel quitesosure.
‘Maybe the Gods are trying to tell me something,’ he said, as he thought back to the earlier conversation he’d had at home. ‘Maybe they’re telling me I should take her up on her offer. That this could be my onlychance.’
Dan had always wanted children, but thanks to his mum and her funny ways he couldn’t see himself enjoying parenthood any time soon. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more the odds seemed against him when it came to having his own offspring in any conventionalsense.
After all, in order for that to happen he’d have to be in a relationship and in order to be in a relationship, he’d have to get rid of hismother.
4
Annabel puther pen to the corner of her mouth, repeatedly tapping it against her lip. She knew this bouquet had to be special, but in assessing what she’d come up with so far, it still didn’t feel quite right. She began reading back herchecklist.
‘Avalanche Rosesfor purity and innocence,’ she said. ‘Freesias, delicate like the baby they’ve beenprayingfor.’
‘Singapore Orchidsrepresenting love and strength in the new Mum. And finally,Gypsophila– child’s breath. All of themwhite.’
She stared at the piece of paper. As thoughtful as this creation might be, there was definitely something missing. Annabel recalled her conversation with the new Dad when he’d phoned to place the order. Maybe something he’d said could give her a clue? In his excitement, he rambled on, and on, about how he couldn’t believe he’d finally become a father. He and his wife had been trying for years; in fact, nine months ago they’d just about givenuphope.
‘I know,’ she said, at last, deciding the ensemble needed a bit of fun. ‘A Hydrangea head, for theirperseverance.’
