39
"Ah, hello? Anyone home?" came a voice through the flyscreen at the front door. Small muffled voices joined the first, their laughter instinctively making Maggie smile. "Hello? Mel – ah, sorry, Maggie? Anyone around?"
A deeper voice joined the fray then, a deeper voice full of laughter." Joe, stop tickling. Not fair! Mama, where's Melly? Joe's tickling me!!"
In the lounge room, Maggie looked over at PJ, a nervous smile on her face. "Looks like you're going to get your wish." She said softly, before standing up and wrapping her arms around herself. "Yeah, ah, so Kay's had the boys for the last few days while this all unravelled but – " she glanced at her watch, "Well, she helps out at the Youth Centre twice a week, and she must be on her way down there now. She and Luka, they hold that place together. They – "
PJ stood up, reaching over to take her in his arms. "Shh. I know you're nervous Mags. I am too. I mean, this'll be the first time I meet my sons, and if I'm really honest it's scaring the living daylights out of me. I mean, what if they hate me? What if they take one look at me and run screaming? Thing is, neither of us will know anything until we actually get out there. Mags, our boys are out there, on the verandah, waiting for us, and yeah, ah – ' he swallowed dryly, taking her hand in his and leading her towards the front door. "I love you Mags," he said, as they neared the front door. "Always have, always will, and I'll love our boys too."
Seeing them come down the corridor, it was all Kay could do to stop Tom and Joe pulling the flyscreen open and running full pelt to their mother. It was only when they became aware of the man standing behind her that they stopped, staring up at him in surprise.
"Mummy?" came a small squeak from Joe.
"Who that?" asked Tom, peering curiously up at PJ.
Maggie peered over her shoulder, feeling movement as PJ squatted down beside her, coming face to face with the boys.
"Hi. " he said softly, smiling as they moved closer to each other, and then, in turn, closer to Maggie. "Hey. My name's PJ. Your Mum and I, she's my best friend, and - " Maggie slid down to the floor, crossing her legs and scooping the boys into her lap as PJ tried to get comfortable too. He glanced over at Maggie, marveling at the ease at which she sat, legs folded and looking impossibly comfortable. "how do you do that?" he asked, folding his legs in all sorts of positions, trying to copy Mags.
"It's easy," she said with a grin. "Once you know how"
From the safety of their mother's lap, Joe grinned over at his twin, and they both started giggling at the antics of the squirming man next to their mum. Kay did her best to stifle her laughter, but subtlety seemed to have escaped Luka.
"Detective PJ, you look silly!" he said with a huge guffaw of laughter, and once unleashed the laughter was catching as the twins couldn't help themselves. Kay clamped her lips together as she struggled to stop laughing, and reached over to grab her son.
"Luka, come on, or we'll be late. We'll see the boys tomorrow" she said, with a glance at Maggie, who nodded. "They need to be with their mum and dad now, and we need to go."
Maggie froze, as Kay's words sunk in, glancing over at PJ, who gently reached out and took her hand. The boys, surprised at their mother's sudden stillness looked up at her, and then over at the man beside her. Noting their clasped hands, it was Tom, this time, who looked over at his twin, before climbing off Maggie's lap and moving over to PJ.