"Wait!" Paul panted as his fingers caressed the silky fabric of Gina's new bra. "I can't do this."
          "Why?" Gina pouted.
          "Your Mother is just out there," Paul gasped, his hands reluctantly leaving the warmth of beneath her shirt.
          "I'm not asking you to do anything with my mother," Gina mused, her hands caressing his cheeks.
          "I know," he sighed. "But I can't, you know, not while your Mother who is way too open and honest about things is out there."
          Gina cocked her head to the side. "Fine, we'll go and entertain Ma with a game of cards an a nice cup of tea."
          "Don't get me wrong though," Paul added quickly as Gina straightened her clothes in a vain attempt to hide the fact that Paul's hands had been well and truly everywhere. "That underwear is fantastic and I'll take great pleasure in exploring it some other time…"
          "I bet you will," Gina chided with a small smile as she strode out of the bedroom. Paul ran his fingers through his hair and let out a relieved breath.

          Several hours, five games of patience, three of poker, and twenty-four of snap, later…

          "Well?" Sandra asked, looking over her cards at Paul.
          "I'm thinking, give me a minute," Paul replied, raising an eyebrow.
          "About what?" Gina mused. "There's really not a lot to think about?"
          "If I play the wrong card I could lose the game," Paul countered. "And since I've been on a five game winning streak I think I have the right to consider my options."
          "We let you win because you kept whining you were losing," Gina sighed.
          "You're just jealous," Paul said haughtily.
          "Yeah that's it," Gina breathed and leaned over to look at his cards.
          "Hey! Get away from me woman," Paul mused as he leaned away and flattened his cards against his chest.
          "Well hurry up before we all get any older," Gina chided and slapped his thigh.
          "Ok," Paul sniffed. "What was the question again?"
          "Do you have any sevens," Sandra sighed, leaning back in the armchair she was in.
          "No," Paul replied trying not to smile and dropped a black nine of spades on the pile instead. Sandra dropped a nine onto the pile as well as did Gina before it was back to Paul who sat back, crossed his legs and studied his cards and the pile intensely.
          "Oh I give up before I kill him," Sandra grumbled dropping the rest of her cards onto the coffee table.
          "But I'm winning," Paul pouted.
          "And driving us all insane in the process," Gina yawned looking at Paul blankly.
          "You're just a bad loser," Paul declared pompously.
          "A bad loser huh?" Gina scorned, raising an eyebrow.
          "Well, semi-bad. Not like, crying, wailing tantrum bad. Just like baddish," Paul babbled as he tried to neaten the cards but ended up having them scatter at his feet.
          "Oh see now that's karma," Gina chided as they both leaned forward to pick up the cards.
          "No, karma would be me winning yet another game and you losing miserably," Paul snide as they both went to sit back up but instead they both smacked their heads on the edge of the wooden coffee table.
          "Jesus," Paul groaned.
          "Oh that's so hurtie," Gina whined.
          "Now that is karma," Sandra smiled as she watched her daughter and maybe son-in-law, rub their heads.
          "Oh that's right," Paul cried. "Mock us while we're in pain."
          "You're not in pain you're just overacting," Sandra countered.
          "Isn't it past your bedtime?" Paul groused.
          "Oh shut up," Sandra jeered. "So have you two got any plans?"
          "Plans for what?" Gina asked as she inspected Paul's head for injuries.
          "I don't know," Sandra shrugged. "You going to move in together or anything?"
          "Mum please," Gina gasped. "I have to help him over his commitment issues first."
          "I'm committed," Paul declared. "But I don't think we're ready for any of the major things yet."
          "Define something major?" Gina asked.
          "You know? Moving in, marriage, kids, mortgages, a dog."
          "You don't want any of that?" Sandra queried.
          "Of course I do," Paul nodded. "Well apart from the kids and a dog."
          "I want kids," Gina piped up and looked at Paul blankly.
          "Really?" Paul said looking slightly pained. "I never knew that?"
          "Well talking hasn't been our strong point." Gina shrugged.
          "What if I really don't want kids though?"
          "What if I accidentally fell pregnant, would you up and leave?"
          "Well that's like me saying if I lost my penis in a strange electric can opener incident would you leave me?"
          "Neither of us have an electric can opener," Gina countered. "Besides you're avoiding the issue."
          "I'm not avoiding the issue," Paul gasped and looked to Sandra. "Am I avoiding the issue?"
          "Yes," Sandra nodded.
          "Ah who asked you," Paul huffed and looked back at Gina. "We're having fun at the moment do we really need to debate the important stuff?"
          "No," Gina sighed. "Blame Mum for bringing it up."
          "I'm not getting involved," Sandra declared. "I'm going to bed," she added, getting to her feet.
          "Night," Gina and Paul said together and fell silent as Sandra disappeared into her room.
          "I should clean up," Gina breathed getting to her feet as she collected the discarded cups and carrying them into the kitchen. Paul leapt up and followed her into the kitchen.
          "Genie," he pouted, leaning against the sideboard as she grabbed the washing up liquid. "Are you pissed at me?"
          "No, why would I be?"
          "Because I didn't gush about kids and stuff."
          "Hey, live for today right?" Gina shrugged. "It’s a bit premature to worry about the future anyway."
          Paul moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. "I do want all that important relationship stuff with you," he sighed kissing her shoulder. "Marriage, house we can even have a dog."
          "But not kids?" Gina said softly.
          "Look at me a moment," Paul declared and Gina gingerly turned around in his arms to face him. "I love you ok and if sometime in the very distant future you want kids then we'll have kids."
          "But you won't be happy."
          "If you're happy I'm happy."
          "Aww Pauly," Gina cooed as she brought her lips to his.
          "You should marry him before he changes his mind," Sandra declared, padding into the room with an empty glass.
          "Mum!" Gina squealed.
          "You're freaky," Paul yelped. "You hear like a bat."

          Gina yawned and stretched out an arm which she expected to make contact with at least one part of Paul's anatomy. She was disappointed to find nothing but warm bed sheets.
          "Paul," she muttered, rubbing her eyes and sitting up.
          "Yeah," he replied sitting on his side of the bed, hunched over and tying the laces of his sneakers.
          "Where you going?" Gina asked, crawling over to him.
          "I've got stuff to do," Paul replied shrugging.
          "And I was hoping for a sleepy Sunday morning," Gina cooed, resting her chin on his shoulder, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist.
          "Ah well, another time," Paul breathed, relaxing a little in her arms. "Anyway, you don't need me hanging about, you've got your Mother to entertain."
          "Oh the excitement," Gina huffed.
          "Any idea what you're gonna do? Take her to the zoo, walk in the park, lob her off the bridge."
          Gina giggled, "Don't be horrible. I was thinking of the Botanical Gardens but who knows."
          "You'll think of something," Paul smiled and kissed the side of the head. "Now release me so I can go back into the wild," he added, moving her arms and getting to his feet.
          "So are you going to call or what?" Gina asked as she snuggled back beneath the covers.
          "You'll have to wait and see," Paul winked as he sauntered out of the room.

          After tossing and turning for twenty minutes and trying to hide the fact she was slightly miffed Paul had up and left without any real excuse, Gina pulled herself out of bed and padded into the kitchen where her mother was having breakfast.
          "Paul have to go did he?" Sandra asked as she sipped her mug of tea.
          "Yeah," Gina nodded as she sat and rested her head in her hands. "Mum, do you miss Dad when you're apart?"
          "No," Sandra replied deadpan and then smiled. "Of course I do, I can't sleep properly when he's not there."
          "Really?" Gina gasped. "I'm the same with Paul," she added a bit bashfully.
          "I think it’s a comfort thing," Sandra declared. "Although I wouldn't mind avoiding your father's snoring."
          "I didn't sleep for two months when we broke up," Gina said slightly miserable.
          "That's probably not so good," Sandra countered.
          "Don't worry, I think I'm just going insane," Gina sighed as she got to her feet and headed toward the bathroom. When she returned to the kitchen after getting dressed Sandra had taken it upon herself to mop the floor. "You don't have to do that."
          "Oh I don't mind," Sandra smiled. "I didn't cause any friction between you two last night did I? I mean with all that talk of marriage and kids?"
          "No, why would you think that?" Gina asked, leaning against the doorframe.
          "Well with Paul's leaving early and you seem a bit distracted…"
          "Believe me Mum, the only thing playing on my mind is that it feels so weird to be in a relationship."
          "It's about time," Sandra countered.
          "Yeah, yeah but I'm so not used to sharing my life with someone else. I mean what if this is it? What if I'm never single again?" Gina pouted, looking confused.
          "You whinge that you're single and then you find someone and you still whine," Sandra groused. "I thought you'd be happy."
          "I am happy, that's the problem."
          Sandra narrowed her eyes at her daughter, shook her head and decided it'd be easier to just go back to mopping.

          Late in the afternoon Paul unlocked the door to Gina's apartment. His 'things to do' had consisted of staring at a blank canvas, hunting out his laptop and becoming so annoyed with his own thoughts that he took to cleaning to distract himself. When his washing was all neatly folded and the bathroom sparkling, Paul took one more look at his blank canvas and decided he'd much rather spend his time necking with Gina when her mother was out of the room. It came as a surprise when he found only Sandra knitting in an armchair and watching television.
          "Hi," Paul smiled. "Where's Genie?"
          "She went out hours ago and I haven't seen her since," Sandra shrugged. "I assumed she'd be with you."
          "Oh, I haven't seen her," Paul mused and pondered a moment. "Although I have an idea where she might be."
          "Right," Sandra nodded. "Will you be back for dinner?"
          "What are we having?" Paul asked with a wry smile.
          "Roast chicken," Sandra replied.
          "With roast potatoes?"
          "Of course."
          "Then I'll be here," he grinned before he headed for the door. He called for a taxi and was soon sauntering through the leafiness that was the Botanical Gardens. He glanced around at the various people enjoying the late warmth of the sun. Couples kissing beneath fig trees while kids ran screaming around the bright flowers beds until they fell into them and were yelled at by their parents. Paul was starting to wonder if his instincts were entirely right and not screwed up for too many years of abuse when he saw Gina laying back on the grass under a tree.
          "What are you doing huh?" he declared as he flopped down onto the grass beside her.
          "What are you doing?" Gina gasped, surprised to see him there.
          "I asked you first."
          "How'd you find me then?"
          "I don't know," Paul shrugged. "I just knew you'd be here."
          "Well I guess I did mention it earlier," Gina shrugged.
          "Stop avoiding the subject, what's wrong?"
          "Nothing is wrong."
          Paul raised an eyebrow, "You've been sitting here long enough to get an arse groove in the grass."
          "You'll just think I'm weird," Gina sighed, twisting of the ring on her index finger.
          "I think in comparison to me anything you say is relatively normal," Paul mused.
          "You really wanna hear it?" Gina winced.
          "Yeah, get it off your chest," Paul soothed, resting a hand on her thigh.
          "I'm kinda in a weird headspace because I'm so used to being alone and being single. Suddenly I've got a wonderful boyfriend and a relationship and it’s freaking me out. I mean I can see why you got scared, this whole thing is scary. I mean I might never date again, this could be it. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to go out and do half of Sydney but it’s a bloody daunting thought. I mean, I've sat here nearly all afternoon and I've barely noticed the other guys, all I've thought about is how I couldn't bare to be without you now. I've never relied on anyone and now I can't imagine doing anything without you, is that normal?" Paul opened his mouth to say something but she continued before he could get a word out. "It gets worse, I've actually had to take time off work because there's no way I could possibly concentrate enough to do anything. All I can think of doing is lying with you and listening to your heartbeat slow as you drift off to sleep. Isn't that just pathetic? I'm now officially a useless human being and all because I've fallen in love."
          "So, let me get this straight," Paul breathed. "You're having a breakdown because you're experiencing what normal people do when they're in love with someone?"
          "Is that too weird?"
          "Yes babe, that's fucking absurd," Paul smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder. "But it's nice to be depended upon for a change."
          "You don't mind?"
          "Nah, so long as you don't start calling to check up on me or follow me absolutely everywhere."
          "If I get that bad I give you the right to have me committed."
          "I'll keep that in mind," Paul sighed. "I was worried you were pissed about me leaving this morning."
          "I am," Gina smiled. "Why did you abandon me?" she added, entwining her fingers with his.
          "I couldn't handle the possibility of morning confrontations with your mother," Paul mused. "Does that make me a bad son-in-law?"
          "She apologised for bringing up the heavy shit last night," Gina sighed. "Son-in-law? We're not even married?"
          "We could get married."
          "Are you proposing?"
          "I could be," Paul smiled as Gina lifted her head.
          "I'm not marrying you, not now anyway," Gina gasped. "I think we have a long way to go before that happens."
          "Ah well, can't blame a man for trying."
          "It was a sweet gesture," Gina perked and brushed her lips against his. "But I think the divorce rate is too high to just leap into things."
          "You're so level headed it’s frightening," Paul chided.
          "Well one of us has got to be," Gina jeered.
          "And thank god it’s you," Paul nodded blankly.
          "I'll agree with that," Gina grinned.
          "Hey!" Paul pouted before he pinned her to the grass and tickled her until she screamed, much to the amusement of the other garden visitors.

          The next morning at 9am Gina hugged her mother goodbye at the airport. While her mother drove her insane when she stayed, Gina still missed her like crazy when she was gone.
          "Take care won't you," Gina perked. "And give my love to Dad."
          "You know it’s not so hard to leave you when I know you wont be alone," Sandra gushed, squeezing her daughter's upper arms affectionately.
          "Yeah, that would be easier to take had he got out of bed to see you off," Gina chided.
          "Look after each other," Sandra ordered before giving her daughter one more hug and heading toward the departure gate. Gina waved her mother goodbye and then made her way out of the terminal.

          After fighting the rabid Monday morning traffic she made it back home and had to stifle a yawn as she kicked off her shoes and padded back into the bedroom. Paul was sprawled on his stomach, arms wrapped around a pillow and looking happily relaxed while Gina wondered how she was more tired on the first day of her week off than when she was working. She dropped her jacket into her side of the bed then wandered to his side where she cheekily sprawled herself on top of him.
          "What are you doing?" Paul mumbled.
          "Mum's finally on her way back to Adelaide," Gina mused, dropping a kiss on his shoulder.
          "That's great," Paul breathed. "But why are you crushing my spine?"
          "Because I love you," Gina replied and Paul opened one eye.
          "What's the time?"
          "It's nearly ten, why?"
          "I've got work at 11:30."
          "Aw, I'm starting to wonder why I took time off work," Gina huffed as she rolled off him onto the bed.
          Paul let out a groan and rolled onto his side to look at her. "So much for our weekend of love making hey?"
          "I know, what did we get? My mother who I'd forgotten I'd invited, a minor breakdown on my behalf and then back to work."
          "Well there's still at least an hour and a half before I have to be there, providing I chose to turn up on time," Paul grinned.
          "An hour and a half for what?"
          "A brief exploration of my second present, breakfast, shower etc," Paul mused.
          "Do you honestly think I'd be in the mood to put on flashy underwear at this hour?" Gina countered.
          "Yeah, I watched you put it on before you left," Paul perked as Gina smiled and climbed off the bed. She pulled of her shirt and wriggled out of her jeans. Paul flipped the covers back and she snuggled under the sheets with him.
          "You're so bad for me," she mused as their lips met in a lustful embrace.
          "Me? I don't think you're such an angel," Paul panted. "Ted's so gonna yell at me."
          "But you've got an hour and a half," Gina breathed.
          "Ah who cares," Paul giggled as they gave in to the warmth of each others bodies.