To Be a Family. Joan Kilby
John inspected a papaya, sniffing it for ripeness. “Are you interested?”
“Me?” Katie gave Tuti a plastic bag and pointed to a display of apples. “Apples. Can you get me six apples?” She held up six fingers. “Six apples.”
Tuti carefully placed an apple in her bag without repeating the words. Hopefully she just needed time to adjust and then she would speak.
Katie turned back to John. “I have a job. In fact, I have two jobs, teaching and writing. I’ve just been offered a new contract for three more books.”
John whistled. “Did you accept?”
“Subject to negotiations between my agent and publisher, but yes, I’ve committed to doing the books. So I won’t have a lot of spare time.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s wonderful that your writing is taking off. But don’t you think you’re taking on an awful lot considering you’re also teaching full-time? You’re not going to have much of a life.”
What did he know? How dare he make comments on the way she conducted herself. He was no model of appropriate behavior. “I have a good life,” she said, glaring at him. “It will only be better now that I have a chance of fulfilling my dream to be a writer.”
John faced off with her across the mangoes. “Do you go out? Riley says you don’t. When was the last time you had a boyfriend?”
“When was the last time you had a girlfriend that lasted for more than a month or two?” she shot back. He had no right to be chastising her about her social life. If she went out too little, he went out too much.
“Leave my girlfriends out of this. We’re talking about you, not me. Anyway, I’m not with anyone at present.”
“I’m sure that won’t last—” Katie glanced around, suddenly remembering the reason for this conversation. “Where’s Tuti?”
“She’s with you. Isn’t she?” John swiveled on his heels, looking behind him. “Tuti?”
“You’re her father. You’re supposed to keep an eye on her.” Neither of them were used to watching out for a child. “Tuti! Where are you?”
“She can’t have gone far. We only looked away for a few seconds.” He pushed through the milling shoppers, moving past the tall fruit bins toward the section of the store that shelved canned goods. “Tuti!”
A flutter of panic ran through her. A few seconds. Was it? Katie hadn’t really been paying that close attention. She was used to dealing with children in the controlled environment of a classroom.
She headed in the opposite direction to John, her gaze raking the shop. Small dark-haired children accompanying their parents were plentiful. But no little girl in a blue-and-white gingham dress with pigtails that stuck straight out from the sides of her head. No little girl with a dimpled smile and sparkling eyes.
“Katie!” John waved at her from the fruit and veggie section. “She’s here.”
Katie hurried to join him. “How did we miss her?”
Tuti was squatting on the floor, her knees up around her pigtails, industriously filling a plastic bag with onions. Beside her were two more bags filled with a mixture of apples, oranges and lemons. Seeing John and Katie standing over her, she smiled proudly and held up her bag to show them.
Katie breathed out, relieved to have found the girl. But her heart sank seeing the bags of mixed fruit and vegetables instead of the six apples she’d asked Tuti for. The girl definitely needed her help.
The question was, at what cost to her, given that she would have less time to spend on her writing? More importantly, how would she cope emotionally with regular contact with John? She couldn’t spend an afternoon in his company without getting either annoyed or feeling attracted, despite their many issues. She wasn’t sure which emotion bothered her the most.
* * *
JOHN CHASED THE last few grains of fried rice around his plate with chopsticks. Katie was gamely making her way through a huge bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup. Tuti had finished her meal and was dangling a toy cat for a baby in a high chair at a neighboring table.
His flare-up with Katie earlier bothered him. For the past half hour they’d been too busy eating to speak. Now that the meal was over the atmosphere had become stifling. But Tuti looked so happy he didn’t have the heart to drag her away.
He poured more Chinese green tea into their tiny cups, nodding to Tuti and the baby. “She must miss her niece in Bali. She used to carry that kid around on her hip wherever she went.”
Katie took a sip of tea, holding the hot cup by the rim. “Maybe you should go back to Bali and father another child to give her a brother or a sister.”
He gave her a hard stare. “That’s unworthy of you.”
Katie blushed and grimaced. “Sorry. That was uncalled-for. But you have to admit, the timing of Tuti’s conception sucks.”
“Trust me, I won’t be having another kid in a hurry. It’s hard enough looking after one kid let alone two.”
Katie’s eyebrows went up. He clamped his mouth shut, wishing he hadn’t let slip he was having trouble being an instant dad. When Riley had fallen in love with Paula and found a son in Paula’s boy, Jamie, he’d been frankly envious of his friend’s happiness and new family. Now he wondered how Riley played his role as father to Jamie with such ease. Then again, Jamie was born Australian and Paula was responsible for most of Jamie’s care.
“I guess kids cluttering up your bachelor pad will cramp your style with the ladies.”
Where did she get this impression he was some kind of lothario? Was it Riley? He was going to have to speak to his mate. “Can you stop with the cracks about my so-called bachelor pad? It’s just a modest town house.”
“From what I hear it’s got a revolving bedroom door. You can’t bring a stream of women through with Tuti there.”
“I’ve had one girlfriend, Trudy, in the past six months. I’m not with her anymore.” Probably a good thing. He had a hard time visualizing the party girl in a maternal light. “I did go out with another woman, Deborah, once or twice but I haven’t seen her since I came back from Bali and don’t intend to. Although, frankly, it’s none of your damn business.”
“You asked for my help with Tuti. I’m simply giving you my expert opinion.”
“Did I ask for your opinion on my lifestyle? I’ve already figured out it will have to change.” He leaned in to give her a wolfish grin. “Unless your interest in my love life means you’re angling to become the next woman in the revolving door.”
She rolled her eyes. “While we’re having this heart-to-heart, you can stop flirting with me at every opportunity. It makes me uncomfortable.”
“Every opportunity? That would be once every three months when I run into you by accident at the pharmacy or something.”
“That’s four times a year too many.” She frowned, tapping her chopsticks on the table. “I can’t help Tuti on an ongoing basis if I feel uncomfortable around you.”
Did that mean she was considering tutoring his daughter? John smartened up and got serious. “I didn’t realize my innocent, lighthearted comments were so offensive.”
“They’re cheap, throwaway passes. Superficial, the way you are now.” A flash of pain crossed her face. “Talk like that diminishes what we used to have.” Then she sat back and pushed her empty bowl away. “Not that I care anymore.”
Superficial—him? Well, that was news. He had interests, as much as anyone else. Okay, it had been a while since he’d been surfing. He didn’t have time what with keeping Summerside safe from criminals and all. If she was talking about the women he went out with, well, they weren’t into settling