Suddenly Sexy(53)

God, he hoped that's the way it would go, because she sure didn't feel anything for him.

I don't love you, Sam.

***

Maddie spent Wednesday in bed with chocolate. She got up only to replenish her supplies. She ignored the phone when it rang. Which was a bad idea because, at three o'clock, Linda hauled her tribe over to Maddie's place.

"Have you called Sam's mother yet?" she demanded. She thrust a wriggling Ronan at Maddie and ushered the other two inside, then bent to pick up the sports bag she’d dropped at the door in order to ring the bell.

"What's in there?" Maddie was going to ignore her sister's questions for as long as she could.

"Nappies, a change of clothes for Ronan, fruit bars for when those two get hungry and toys. Which reminds me, do you know anything about Palm Beach Barbie's missing arms and legs?"

"Not a thing. And if you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

"To make you feel better."

Maddie watched as David jumped on her cream couch in his dirty shoes and Emily knocked over a vase, spilling water and flowers on the carpet. Yeah, she was feeling so much better already.

"Emily! Be careful. And sit properly on Auntie Mad's couch, David. Sorry, Sis, I'll clean up the mess." Linda darted into the kitchen.

"Don't worry," Maddie said, "everything else is ruined, so why not my house too."

Ronan wriggled, but when Maddie wouldn't let him down he screwed up his face and screamed.

"Linda, what's wrong with him?"

Linda reappeared with a towel. "He's tired. It's nap time."

"You brought him here at nap time? This is not a day care center."

"Ooopth."

Maddie and Linda swung round, just in time to see a wooden statue of the Egyptian goddess Isis rock from side to side on its pedestal, gathering momentum until it finally toppled over onto the floor.

"Emily! David! Get outside now!" Linda pointed at the back door. They didn't move. Maddie didn't blame them. She'd be paralyzed with fear too if Linda yelled like that at her.

Linda took a step towards them. "One, two..." On three, they were out the door. "We better go sit on the porch and make sure they don't kill each other." She took Ronan and jiggled him in her arms.

Ten minutes later, Maddie had changed out of her pajamas and into a cool summer dress and brought out a tray of coffees, chocolate biscuits and two plastic cups filled with red cordial.

"Oh, Maddie," said Linda shaking her head. "What are you giving my children to drink?"

Maddie frowned. "I thought cordial was okay."

David's eyes lit up as he trotted over. "Cool! Red cordial."

"Cool, wed cor-wial," Emily echoed.

"They'll be bouncing off the walls for the rest of the day," said Linda. "Maybe I'll just leave them here all night."

"Oh." Maddie loved her niece and nephew but they were hard work. They liked their Auntie to read all their books to them and play every game before bed time—that's if she could coerce them into going to bed. Maddie wasn't in the mood for Hurricanes Emily and David tonight. Tonight she wanted to wallow in self pity because tomorrow was a big day—it was the day she was going to get her life back on track.

Emily and David took their biscuit and cup to the porch steps and sat down while they munched.

"Ah, peace and quiet," said Linda.

Ronan took that as a cue to let out a long, loud wail. Linda rocked him until he settled but by then the other two had finished and started playing again. Playing meant yelling, kicking, punching and crying. As the only one with her hands free, Maddie became adjudicator. After separating them into their neutral corners for the sixth time she slumped into the seat next to her sister.

"I'm exhausted," she said. "I don't know how you do it."

"I've learned to pitch my voice at just the right level to induce fear. It saves a lot of trouble."

"How's the baby? Kicking?"

"Not yet. Don't worry, I'll keep you informed of everything as soon as it happens. You won't miss a thing."

Good, because living through Linda was the only way she was going to ever experience pregnancy. Tomorrow she was going to draw up a new schedule and it wouldn't involve children. Or men. And at the rate she was going, not a career either.

She sighed. She couldn't even plan right anymore.

"You're still thinking about him, aren't you?"

Maddie stared down at her lap. "Yeah. I really screwed up, Linda."

"Not yet. Give him a chance to calm down. Talk to him when he gets back to Melbourne. It'll be okay, I promise."

The softness of her voice surprised Maddie and she lifted her gaze to her sister's. Affection and sympathy swam in Linda’s eyes. Great. Her life must be pathetic if Linda felt sorry for her.