Joan Kilby - To Be a Family

Katie glanced sideways at John, one hand draped over the steering wheel, a slight frown creasing his brow as he gazed at the road ahead. So what if she did snub him? He’d left her to die and gone surfing.

It didn’t get much worse than that. And yet…

Seven years on she was still punishing him. She didn’t like what that said about her. And it wasn’t the way a woman who didn’t care behaved.

“It’s Tuti’s birthday in a couple of weeks,” John said. “Would you like to come? My parents are hosting it at their place. They’ve got the space for all the cousins to run around.”

“When is it exactly?” she stalled. Once upon a time she’d felt part of his family, even though the noisy boisterous Forsters were so different from the more reserved Hennings. Acting friendly was one thing but going to a party with him was quite another. Her introverted nature aside, if she went to the party would everyone think she and John were getting back together? That wasn’t going to happen. The pressure, the sincere good wishes, might be uncomfortable.

“Not this Saturday but next.”

“I’ll have to see. I have these insane deadlines now.”

“It’s going to be Tuti’s first time being around the whole family. It would be great if she had a few people there that she knew well.”

“Oh, right.” Her cheeks burned and she turned away to look out the window. He was asking her for Tuti, not him. Of course. How could she have thought anything else?

“Tuti and my mother haven’t hit it off,” John went on. “You know how Mum is, so over-the-top. She’s trying too hard. Tuti runs and hides every time she comes around.”

Katie could relate. She’d been overwhelmed by Alison at first, too, and she’d been a teenager when she’d first met John’s mother. Gradually she’d come to appreciate Alison’s exuberance, and then to love her as a second mother. “You want me to be an intermediary. Isn’t that your job?”

“I’ve tried. So far it’s not working.”

“I don’t know. The tutoring is within reason. But getting involved in family stuff…” She shook her head.

“Okay. I’m not going to pressure you. Just thought you might like to come for your own sake.” He paused. “My sisters ask after you.”

Suddenly her chest felt tight. She’d lost a whole family when she and John had split up. His sisters and his mother had rallied around her when she was ill and in the hospital. It wasn’t until John had returned to Australia and she refused to make up with him that Alison had turned cool toward her. She understood that Alison would be loyal to John and side with him, but she’d come to rely on Alison’s love and support. When she’d withdrawn it, she’d hurt Katie.

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