“I’ll have to get Mum to send a baby photo of me,” she said brightly. “I want to have it in here next to yours.” Paula tapped the top of the drawers and Dan placed the frame there, next to the money box and the musical toy. Then he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her in tight.

“Thanks, Sweet Pea,” he murmured into her hair.

She closed her eyes and sighed. Nothing could spoil her contentment.

“Did I tell you Diane rang?” Dan said.

Paula’s eyes flew open. She’d only spoken to her mother on the weekend. “No. When?”

“Must have been last night before you got back from Jane’s.”

“What did she want?” Paula gripped Dan’s arm.

“Steady on, Paula. This is your mother we’re talking about, not Attila the Hun.”

“When I spoke to her she was on at me to go to Sydney for Christmas. I told her we couldn’t go then.”

“She talked about lots of things. I think she may have been thinking of coming to stay before Christmas.”

“What? Coming here? Are you sure?” Paula’s eyes searched Dan’s.

“Well, it was just chat really. She didn’t say anything definite.”

“Dan, you know I don’t like surprises, especially where my mother is concerned.” Paula moved away. “I’d better ring her.”

“She said she’d ring back tonight.”

Paula glanced back at Dan over her shoulder. He was looking down at the framed photo again.

She sighed. She loved her mother and knowing that Dan had grown up without his made her all the more thankful for her own. It was just that her mother, and her father for that matter, often sprung surprises that weren’t always exciting for the recipient. Their first visit to the farm had ended in a very cool departure, when her father had tried to talk her into getting a prenuptial-type financial agreement signed between her and Dan that would preserve their assets should they split.

Paula was glad she’d never done that. She took a deep breath and headed back to clean up the lunch dishes. She and Dan had sorted out their own affairs. They were a team and the baby would be part of that. In fact, she must see about having the share of the Harvey place she had bought changed to their joint names. At the time of buying Katherine out, Paula had wanted to surprise Dan, so she had bought her half of the property in her name. It was about time that was tidied up.

She hummed as she ran the water in the sink. There was so much to look forward to. She mustn’t worry about her mother’s visit. This time she was determined it would all go smoothly.

Chapter 9

CHAPTER

9