The House on Hope Street - By Danielle Steel Page 0,59

she joined them in the kitchen. Carole was through loading the dishwasher by then, and the younger children had gone to bed a few minutes after the guests left.

“My doctor likes Mom,” Peter said with obvious pleasure. He liked him.

“What doctor?” Megan looked surprised at what her brother had just said.

“The one who saved my life, dummy. Who else?”

“What do you mean, ‘He likes Mom.’ What's that supposed to mean?”

“It means he called her.”

“For a date?” She looked horrified as she glanced from Peter to her mother, and Peter fired another question at her.

“I don't know. Did he ask you for a date, Mom?” He looked vastly amused, but Megan didn't.

“Sort of,” she admitted, and Megan looked outraged. “We're going to the movies tomorrow.” There was no point hiding it from them, they'd see him pick her up anyway. And besides, she had nothing to hide. He was a nice guy, and Peter's doctor. They were just friends, and she was sure he had nothing more lurid in mind than what he had proposed, pizza and a movie. “It's no big deal. I just thought it might be fun,” she said apologetically, as Megan continued to glare at her.

“That's disgusting. What about Daddy?”

“What about Daddy?” Peter pointedly asked his sister. “He's gone. Mom isn't. She can't sit here taking care of us forever.”

“Why not?” Megan didn't see his point, and what she did see of it, she didn't like. In her opinion, her mother had no reason to be dating. “Mom doesn't need to go out,” she said both to Peter and her mother. “She has us.”

“That is the point exactly. She needs more than that in her life. After all, she had Daddy,” Peter said, sounding firm.

“That's different,” Megan said stubbornly.

“No, it isn't,” Peter insisted, as their mother stayed out of it, but she was fascinated by the conflict of opinions. Megan was adamant that she shouldn't be dating, and Peter was clear that she needed more in her life than just work and children, which was precisely why Bill Webster had invited her out. He had said much the same thing as Peter. But it was equally obvious that Megan felt threatened by the idea of a man in her mother's life who wasn't her father.

“What do you think Daddy would say about your going out, Mom?” she asked her mother directly.

“I think he'd say it's about time,” Peter said simply. “It's been nearly nine months, and she has a right. Hell, when Andy Martin's mom died last year, his father got remarried in five months. Mom hasn't even looked at another man since Dad died,” Peter said fairly, but Megan looked even more worried.

“Are you going to marry the doctor?”

“No, Megan,” Liz said quietly, “I'm not going to marry anyone. I'm going to eat pizza and see a movie. It's pretty harmless.” But it was interesting to her to realize the strong reaction her children had to it, both pro and con. It made her think about it herself as she walked slowly upstairs to her bedroom. Was it wrong? Was it a crazy thing to do, or inappropriate? Was it too soon to be “dating”? But she wasn't dating Bill, they were just going out for movies and dinner, and she certainly didn't want to marry anyone, as Megan had accused. She couldn't imagine marrying anyone after Jack. He had been the perfect husband for her, and anyone else would fall short, she was sure. This was just an evening out, and Bill was just a friend. But Megan was still on the warpath when Bill came to pick her mother up the next evening promptly at seven. Megan glared at him, and stomped up the stairs as loudly as she dared after she let him in. She didn't say a word to him, or introduce herself, and Liz apologized for her being so rude, but Jamie made up for it as he came downstairs with a broad smile to greet Bill. He was happy to see him. And Bill smiled and chatted with him before they left for dinner.

“Did you have fun at the party last night?” Bill stroked the silky dark hair as he asked him.

“It was fun.” Jamie nodded. “I ate too many hot dogs and got a stomachache. But it was fun before that.”

“I thought so too,” Bill agreed, and then pretended to look worried. “You're not going to give me a shot, are you, Jamie?” The child laughed at the joke,