Take a Chance by Simone Jaine Read Free Book Online

scowl.
    “There’s more to a man than what you think he has or doesn’t.”
    “I agree. In your case however, I don’t need to see the little you do have to know anything between us is a bad idea.”
    Jem turned and pulled the ensuite door closed behind her. Despite hearing “It’s just cold. Warm it up and see what happens” through the closed door she figured she had the last word.
    Dinner was a disaster in that they ate much later than the children were used to and the meal was something the children hadn’t had before. Long before it was served she was already sick of telling them that dinner was coming and no, they couldn’t have anything to eat beforehand. Even so, she had to remove Aidan from the pantry twice where he sat eating cereal from the box.
    When she called, they had all come fast enough to the table, even Eben, freshly showered and smelling of Bulgari which was her favourite scent. She was annoyed with Jess for giving it to him for his birthday and at herself for getting close enough to notice.
    As she set the plates in front of everyone she thought her self-crusting quiche served with potatoes in their jackets with sour cream and chives and mixed vegetables looked good. Eben complimented it after his first taste then got stuck in.
    He had to be nice. The freeloader.
    While they ate, Jeremy reluctantly sampled a few vegetables but Daisy and Aidan just looked at their plates.
    “Why don’t you eat up?” Jem encouraged the children.
    “It’s gose,” Aidan said.
    “It’s not gross,” Jem told him. “It’s good for you and will make you big and strong.”
    “It looks like something Drongo sicked up,” Daisy said.
    Jem ignored Eben choking on the mouthful he’d just taken. If he was laughing see if she’d give him the Heimlich manoeuvre.
    “No, it doesn’t,” Jem said firmly.
    “Yes, it does,” Daisy insisted. “It even smells like the fish one.”
    Okay, tuna quiche wasn’t kid food and she wouldn’ t make it for them again, Jem mentally conceded even as she was trying to think of something to get them to at least try it. Help came unexpectedly.
    “I don’t care if it looks like something an elephant left behind. Aunty Jem went to a lot of trouble to make it and if you’re smart you’ll all appreciate it,” Eben said, annoyed. “You’re lucky to have someone who cares enough to go to the trouble of making a real dinner for you. Where are your manners?”
    The three children turned their heads from Eben to her, looking like spectators at a tennis tournament.
    “Thank you for the yummy dinner,” they said together.
    “You’re welcome,” Jem said and watched, amazed as the older two tentatively forked up small mouthfuls. Aidan used his fingers but she wasn’t going to complain.
    The children hadn’t eaten much of the quiche by the time the dinner was over but at least they had tried it. She cleared the table and did the dishes with Drongo underfoot wanting scraps while Eben organised the children’s baths and bedtime story.
    She phoned North Shore Hospital to learn that Jess had been taken back into surgery. When she wanted to know why the nurse at the other end had been reluctant to say more as it was hospital policy not to give information to the general public over the phone. 
    “I’m not the general public, I’m her sister,” Jem cried. “They called me on her cell ph one’s ICE number so I could identify her.”
    The soft hearted nurse paused then relayed to her that there had been more internal bleeding found. In addition to that there was swelling in her brain so when she came out of surgery they would keep her in a drug induced coma. Her situation was listed as critical.
    Eben appeared just as she got off the phone and could tell the news wasn’t good. He just hugged her. When she had overcome her shock she went to pull away but Eben held her gently against him until she had finished telling him what the nurse had said.
    “Let me try g etting hold of