Avoiding Mr Right Read Online Free Page B

other way.
    'James, I've never told you this, but my mother was
married three times and divorced three times. She had four
kids to three men – a hundred per cent plus strike rate she
called it. I'm frightened I'll be like her, and that's not what
I want. The reality is I don't think I'd last five minutes with
kids, and not much longer married. I honestly don't think
married and maternal is in my genes.' And I broke down in
tears again. I was exhausted from the to-ing and fro-ing,
from the questions and the attempted explanations. I didn't
want to have this conversation any more.
    'I don't know your mother, but I think you're being a bit
harsh on both of you.'
    'I can't talk about it any more tonight, please. I'm so
tired.' I wiped my nose on his sleeve like a child and smiled
at him. 'Can we just love each other tonight?' I looked into
his eyes and saw the warmth that I knew so well, that made
me feel safe.
    I pulled his T-shirt up over his head. 'I mean, seeing as
it's going to be a few weeks . . .' I kissed his earlobe and
whispered as I undid his belt and unzipped the back of
my dress, '. . . a few long weeks before we'll be together
again, can we just love each other tonight?' His pants got
caught around his ankles and we both laughed as we fell on
the bed.

four
Aunt Homophobe
    A week later I went with Alice to see her parents and
say goodbye before I moved. My own mum was up in
Coolangatta and I rarely heard from her, so Aunty Ivy had
always been a pseudo mother to me. She always fed me when
I dropped around, and sent me away with a food parcel,
which I appreciated as a non-cooker myself. And she always
asked, 'When are you getting married, Peta?' whenever I
visited. Aunt had taken to hassling me more since Alice
hooked up with Gary. It was like it was her personal goal in
retirement to make sure there were no young, single Koori
women in her world.
    'I don't think I'll get married until I'm about thirty-five,
Aunt, when I've reached most of my professional goals. I
might even go back and do some study before then.'
    'So many choices for you young girls today, it's great,
but it takes you away from what women are meant to do,
have children, raise families, and be matriarchs.' Aunt was
old school. Dannie loved her take on the world.
    'Yes, well I'm sure I'd feel differently about the matriarchal
thing if there was an adequate patriarch around,
Aunt. But most men today aren't like Uncle out there,' and
we both looked out the window and saw her long-time love
mowing the lawn. I could see where Alice got her desire
to settle down. Her parents were the perfect role models.
None of my mum's husbands had ever mowed the lawns,
and in recent years she'd found it easier and better on the
eyes to pay a young guy to tend her garden.
    Alice walked in with a basket of washing. I couldn't
believe she still got her mum to do it, but Aunty Ivy didn't
seem to mind. It was that nurturing matriarchal thing she
was talking about.
    'So when are you moving to Melbourne, bub? Alice told
me you've got a great new job.'
    'I'm leaving next week, almost got everything organised.'
    I was glad that Alice had made my move sound like a
positive to her mum. I felt more supported as the time of
moving drew closer.
    'You know, I've read there are lots of men in Melbourne.'
Aunty Ivy nudged me in the ribs and smiled; she was
relentless. Alice used to tell us how her mum pressured
her to meet a man, but I never really believed it until Aunt
started pressuring me.
    'I read that too, but that's not why I'm going. I have a
boyfriend here anyway. But he'll just have to wait.'
    'You sound pretty sure he'll wait for you, Peta. Be careful
– a good man won't last long alone,' Aunt warned me.
    Truth be known, I wasn't worried. I wasn't going to just
settle for the first guy who wanted to marry me anyway. My
mum didn't. Well, she didn't settle for the second or third
either, but I wasn't planning on going