Naomi shook her head. ‘I didn’t know what to say. Blame it on the baby hormones. All I could do was cry.’
Naomi started to cry again. Samantha leaped over the coffee table and joined her on the sofa. ‘Please don’t,’ she whispered, pulling her in for a hug. But Naomi’s tears doubled. Samantha held her close and let her cry for as long as she needed. ‘It’s OK,’ she murmured. ‘It’s going to be OK.’
Her thoughts ran to Roman. He had to get Lucy Scott to apologize. The woman was brazen. Samantha did not envy him his task.
Naomi reached for her tea. After a few sips, she was composed enough to continue. ‘Lucy carries on. She’s sure Anthony is rushing me into marriage. In her opinion, he’s always been impulsive, quick to rush into things. She would welcome her grandchild with love, but in this day and age, a pregnancy is no reason to marry.’
Samantha was feeling sick. ‘Oh, God …’
‘Predictably, Amelia opens a bottle of champagne and calls us in for one of her famous toasts. She takes one look at me and turns into the helicopter mum she never was. I mean … she went at it hard. I thought she was going to throw champagne in the poor woman’s face.’
‘It must have been spectacular.’ Samantha could just picture it: Amelia finally finding an appropriate outlet for weeks and weeks of pent-up frustration and letting Lucy Scott have it.
Naomi sat up and crossed her legs. ‘It was fabulous.’
Laughter ripped through Samantha. It must have been contagious because Naomi started to laugh, as well. Torrents of uncontrollable laughter poured from them. They slipped off the sofa onto the rough sisal rug, cackling with laughter.
‘You should have seen Lucy’s face!’ Naomi managed to say between fits of laughter. ‘She kept apologizing and apologizing. She said sorry so many times and … ugh! By then it was too late. Everything had gone off the rails. Amelia whisked me away and asked her to leave.’
They climbed back onto the sofa, gasping for air, still twitching with laughter. Naomi dabbed at the happy tears at the corners of her eyes. Samantha sobered up first. ‘Roman is going to get Mrs Scott to apologize.’
Naomi dismissed her with a wave of a hand. ‘She’s done plenty of that.’
‘Hmm.’
About an hour ago she, Roman and Anthony were convinced that a well-crafted apology could clean up this mess. Roman was actively negotiating the terms of the peace agreement now. It was a total and complete waste of time. Mrs Scott had said what she’d said, and probably meant it. Her opinion didn’t matter, nor did anybody else’s.
Samantha hopped to her feet. ‘Come on! Get up! Time to get going!’
Naomi shot her a quizzical look. ‘I’m not going anywhere.’
‘Oh yes you are!’ Naomi had had a good cry – and a good laugh – and the time for rolling in the deep was over. ‘Today is your wedding day and we’re well behind schedule. It’s time to clean up this mess and get back on track.’
‘Have you lost your mind?’ Naomi asked. ‘I’m not giving that woman the satisfaction—’
‘Respectfully, Naomi, this isn’t about you and it isn’t about that woman, either.’
Naomi brought her hand to her flat belly. ‘It’s about the baby.’
‘Not even,’ Samantha said. ‘It’s about the family you want to belong to, the one you want to start.’
There was a chance to set the tone for the future. They had to get it right. ‘You and Anthony have convinced me that love is real and worth fighting for. Now you have to convince Lucy. Wedding or no wedding, she’s going to be in your life forever. She’s your child’s grandmother. You can’t just walk away.’
Naomi didn’t need an apology – or approval. But she and Lucy had to reach some sort of understanding.
Naomi leaned forward and held her head in her hands. ‘Christ! I’m starving!’
All Samantha had on hand was the bloody fruit basket and a tin of tea. ‘Want a banana?’
‘Yes, please.’
She grabbed the basket off the counter. ‘If the baby turns out to be anything like Anthony, you’re in trouble. He’ll eat you out of house and home.’
‘May we call him Timmy?’ Naomi asked sweetly.
Samantha threatened her with the business end of a banana. ‘Don’t you dare!’
Naomi grabbed the banana, peeled it and stuffed her mouth. ‘We should have gone to brunch,’ she said between bites.