Don't worry! There is no sad end, because I love happy ends. :)


"What are you doing?" Phryne asked.
When she saw all three men trying to read a lot of paperwork. Although John did not know what to do on his father's knees, he tried to put paper in his mouth. "We try to read your notes, my dear." said Henry.
"What notes?" Phryne asked in confusion. "For your planning." "I have no notes," she said. "Whatever you're trying to read is not mine." Phryne looked at her son as he held a piece of paper in his mouth. "I see John does not need lunch today." and took the piece of paper out of his mouth.

"Phryne, please let us hire someone to do that, so you have more time for Jack." Henry said and looked at Jack who felt uncomfortable. "It's going to be John's first birthday." Phryne said. Henry nodded and Jack took paper out of John's mouth.
"Then let's hire someone to help you." said her father. Phryne used her mother's notes for John's birthday in a few weeks. The guests can wait.
"Before I forget it, your mother asked for you,"said Henry. "How urgent was the sound of her voice?" Phryne asked annoyed.
" Phryne!"
"I'm on my way," she said annoyed. "Jack, pay attention to John, he has paper in his hand."

***
"Mother?" Phryne asked as she opened the door to her parents' bedroom.
"Phryne," her mother said, putting her book aside. "We had no conversation with each other for a long time, without arguing. I miss the mother-daughter talks." Phryne closed the bedroom door and looked at her mother.
"We've never had such a conversation, certainly not both of us, and certainly not after Janey`s death." Margret closed her eyes and nodded.
"I'm still here," said Phryne. "I'm sorry that I do not fit your ideas of a loving daughter, but I, too, had to survive after Janey's death."
"In some ways, after Janey's death, you became embittered. Her mother said. "Maybe, but there were days, mother, when I needed you," Phryne said. "Many days." Her mother swallowed.
"Maybe we both became embittered after Janey's death. Are you happy with him? "Margret asked quickly.

"Yes," said Phryne, swallowing.
"Without Janey's death," her Mother said. " You would have married him."
"I'm not sure about this." said Phryne defensively.

"You do not have to be alone because of Janey, you do not have to sacrifice your luck for her." "I'm to blame for her death!"
Phryne said as she remembered the day Janey vanished.
"No," Margret said soft and pulling her daughter on the bed. Nothing is forgotten and time does not heal any wounds.
"Phryne, no matter what you do, it will not bring Janey back, do not renounce love for Janey."
"I can love," Phryne said with wide eyes and had to think about John and Jack.
"Then do it, life can be short."

"I know, It's just so incredibly hard." Her mother smiled. "You are a modern woman, make compromises. Jack, he will accepts all your compromises. Because he is still with you." "We have a son." Phryne said almost apologetically.
"That has never stopped a man from leaving his wife."
"Jack always does the right thing," said Phryne defensively. "He would not go like that." "Then hold him," her mother said.
"Not everyone can handle a strong, independent woman like you."

"I love him."
"I know, I see it in your eyes." Margret said with a smile and looked at her daughter. "What are you afraid of?"
"I don't want to lose someone again." Phryne said while thinking of her sister. "Well, you will not prevent it that way," her mother said with softly voice and kissed her daughter's hair.

***
"Good morning, today is your first birthday," John smiled happily at his mother while Phryne stood smiling next to his crib.
"Today you get a lot of presents." and Phryne touched John's little hands. "Phryne, do not tell him that he gets a lot of presents today." Phryne looked confusedly over her shoulder to Jack. "Why not?" Phryne kissed her son's hair.
"Because otherwise he always thinks he get presents when he wakes up." Phryne frowned and looked to her son.
"You never got presents when you woke up? There were sometimes two apples on our table." Phryne said and looked at Jack, who put his suit on the bed.

"Really?" Jack looked up. "But that is not the point." he said quickly. "And what is the point?" Phryne asked with John on her arm.
"The point is, as long as I am his father, he will not be spoiled." "As long as I am his father? Do you want to tell me something?"
"No, Phryne, please."
"Jack, I have the money, I will spoil my son properly. I have a suit for you my sweet boy," said Phryne smiling to John.
"Then you look like your father." Phryne glanced at Jack and continued. "You get something incredible from Mummy." After a while Jack stood next to Phryne and looked at his son.

"What do you want to give him," Jack asked and touched John's hand on Phryne's shoulder. "Daddy," John said and grabbed Jack's finger.
"Something special," Phryne said and gave Jack a softly kiss. "How special?" Jack asked with another kiss.
"You want to know it?" Phryne asked in a whisper.
" Yes!"
"Than you have to wait, see I can be a mother."

After a knock, Margret opened the bedroom door and caught both while kissing. "I apologize," said Margret smiling. "But John has a visitor." "Who?" Phryne asked confused.
"Her name is Jane and she is waiting downstairs. She wants to see her brother." Phryne looked at Jack with wide eyes. "I was in contact with Jane, this is my birthday present for John." Jack said and tears ran down Phryne's cheeks.

Jack watched Phryne as she left the bedroom. "The birthday present," asked Margret and Jack was confused.
"Is that really for John or more for Phryne?" Now he was alone with her mother for the first time.
"She is wild and freedom-loving and nobody will ever be able to change it." "I know that," Jack said and resisted the need to clear your throat.

"If you love my daughter, don't let her go." Jack nodded. "I always catch her if she falls."