Free The Ripple Effect by Elisabeth Rose Page B

abrupt departure with surprise.
    “Was it something I said?” she asked, raising her eyebrows and laughing.
    “Probably a hot flash. She’s at that age,” said Gran. “Tell me what you’ve been reading lately, Kelly, I need some new romance authors to look for at the library.”
    Joelle stopped listening. Champagne on a lazy afternoon in the heat—sleep inducing. She lolled in her chair and closed her eyes. What would Susan’s baby look like? Sometimes they skipped a few generations. Mel was the image of Gran in photos of her at the same age, apart from the clothes and hairstyles. The Paice beaky nose was a prominent feature.
    Joelle imagined she resembled her mother’s family but the few surviving photos she’d studied of Natalie’s late parents weren’t very helpful. Single child Natalie didn’t resemble them much either. The French Connection as her Dad put it had, for all intents and purposes, ceased to exist. Even he hadn’t met them. They’d died in a car accident soon after Mum arrived in Australia as an adventurous young French girl on summer holiday.
    She’d immediately returned home to Lille, of course, but the lure of clear, sunny skies and a young man name William Paice had proven too strong. Joelle, Bridget and Melanie knew the events by heart. Letters, phone calls, photos, more letters, more phone calls, a long distance proposal and acceptance.
    “Une affaire de coeur,” said her mother.
    “Love at first sight,” said her father. “If she hadn’t come back I would’ve gone straight over there and got her.”
    The girls loved to hear the story, so romantic, passionate and wonderful.
    Aunty Marge returned with her own tray of cold drinks. Joelle nabbed a glass of chilled punch and roused herself to say hello to her Dad and Uncle Phil at the barbecue.
    “Hello, love,” said Phil. “Long time no see.”
    “Hi Uncle.” Joelle hugged her father. “How are you two doing?” she asked eyeing the raw sausages and steaks piled on a tray.
    “Not quite up to speed yet,” said her father, swatting at a marauding fly with his tongs. “But it’s all under control if you’ve been sent out to spy by your mother.”
    “No, I’ve only just walked in the door. Anyway I’ve been talking to Gran and Marge and Kelly.” Joelle laughed. “Whose idea was catering?”
    “Mine. I didn’t want your Mum working on her birthday.”
    “Will had to fight tooth and nail to be allowed to do the meat after last time apparently. What happened exactly?” Phil asked with an exaggeratedly innocent expression on his face.
    “Never you mind,” said her father as Joelle opened her mouth to explain how twenty guests had eaten charcoaled meat in the middle of the night. “Accidents can happen. It was a new barbecue and I hadn’t learnt all its little foibles.”
    “How are things in The Garden of Earthly Delights?” asked Uncle Phil. He rolled the name off his tongue with relish. It never ceased to amuse him.
    “Really busy. We had a big wedding yesterday. I was exhausted last night. We had to get up early to finish everything. The bride was extra fussy but it went well.”
    “Is that where you were yesterday?” interrupted her father. “Your Mum was worried when you weren’t home all day. She kept getting ‘leave a message’ when she rang and your mobile was off.”
    “Yes. I had heaps of messages from her. What was that about? Why was she so desperate to remind me to come today? Did she think I’d forget her birthday?”
    “No, she…you know what she’s like…she wanted the whole family here.”
    “It’s nice,” put in Uncle Phil. “We don’t get together often enough.”
    “No, I’m glad you all made the effort. Especially Kelly and Tom bringing Mum down with them.”
    “I hear you’re to be a grandfather, Uncle. That’s wonderful.”
    “Isn’t it? For once I’ve beaten this character to the punch.” Uncle Phil flung an arm around his brother-in-law’s shoulder.
    “I’m not