Chapter 29

Weena was full of questions and I tried to answer them. But she wasn't satisfied. Realizing that she could get information from Rob and from Chaz made it OK, though.

"Weena?"

"Mmmm?"

"We need to talk."

"We've been talking."

"Right. Different topic. It's two weeks since you said you wanted a baby."

"Yes?" She looked as though she feared what might come next.

"Have you thought more about it? Have you stopped taking pills? How about the hospital? Will they let you work while pregnant? Till when?" I drew breath.

"Yes. Yes. I don't know."

"Good answers. My guess is that you've got enough hormones in you that it might take a few months to flush them out. That would be May. So the earliest you might give birth is the beginning of next year. And the most likely is February or March. Right?"

"Yes. Ooh! I was so afraid you'd changed your mind..."

"You are a silly twit!" I put an arm around her. "Want to go upstairs and practice after dinner?"

"You always have the very best ideas!"

Saturday was restocking day: supermarket, butcher's, bakery, etc. We could have made only one stop, but we both preferred non-shrink-wrapped meat and "real" bread. Weena had phoned Michiko and we were due there in the afternoon. After unloading, we had lunch in a small cafe and when we got done drove to Trigg. We admired Rachel and then Weena began pumping Chaz about my performance and the reaction. He was fairly accurate, though it seemed to me that he was excessively laudatory. The military and mining presence were waved off, but Maggie's presence and that of the politicians seemed notable to her.

We chatted a bit and then Rachel squeaked. Michiko ran to get her changed and fed, we admired her again, and we took off for home. I noted that the garden was looking neglected, so I cut grass and edged it while Weena prepared dinner. Rob called and we set up our meeting for 11. And, no, he'd spend the night in the hotel and get to the airport from there. After dinner we practised some more.

Rob had six boxes and a suit bag. They were already on a baggage cart as I pulled up. Rob told me again that I'd done a good job on Friday. He also said that his VP was very impressed that I was Rob's son-in-law. I laughed and said that I'd try not to let it all go to my head. Rob asked whether I was sure that we didn't mind his staying with us for "a few days." I told him there was no problem. He said he'd let us know when he was flying in. We shook hands and I drove home. Weena and I put the boxes in the guest bedroom and hung the suitbag.

We had a salad lunch and I got out the secateurs to take care of the shrubs. Weena stretched out in the sun to distract me.

Rob left Monday morning. Weena was at the hospital. The mail brought a very nice "bread-and-butter" note from the Dean. Shirl said that her dad had "enjoyed" the talk as much as my talk at the Wine Centre.

I told her that we'd been in Margaret River the previous weekend but that she'd have to give me the details about Leeuwin Estate so we could schedule a visit.

She said there'd be no problem. I noted that she seemed out of sorts. "Doesn't matter."

"Come on. You can open up. There's no one else around."

She sighed. "Mike and I broke up over the weekend."

"Just a tiff?"

"No. Really broke up. He's been more and more insistent about a firm commitment. He'll finish up this year and he wants me to drop out so that I can move with him to wherever he gets a job. I can't do that. I want a career. Barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen isn't for me." She sniffled a bit. "I'm not going to cry. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried, Shirl. I'm concerned about you and your career. Could we have a conversation?"

"Sure."

"Sit down." She did.

"You're a graduate student in botany." She nodded. "What does that entail?"

"A few courses. A project. An internship. The can be a relationship between the project and the internship." I nodded.

"How many more courses do you need?"

"The two I'm taking now. That's it."

"You met Dr. Friedel when she visited?"

"Yes."

"You know who she is?"

"Yes. I even read a paper of hers on grass."

"Would you like an internship in the Alice?"