ODDS OF LOVE SEASON TWELVE

Episode 88

" So , you my aunt, my mum's sister,  you are ? ," Nigel asked with a curious laugh as he lay in the hospital bed chatting with the older woman.

Margaret smiled softly. " Yes. We were very close growing up. But also fairly competitive.  About most things. Clothes. Hair. Schooling. She was smart. I was smarter. " Her smile grew. " And boys when we were just wee girls. Men when we got older. "

Nigel looked over at her. " Like my Dad ? Nicholas? Were you all .... rivals for his affection back then ? You did say you almost were my mum ? "

Margaret was looking through the enormous bag she carried as she laughed wistfully. " I wouldn't say rivals. She stole him from me. Although maybe I was as wrong as her. He was married after all. And even though he had his little moment with Tilly he would never have left his wife and children. Nicholas is all about his family. At least he was once. He would do anything for you if you were his. " She pulled out a large worn looking cracked leather photo album and opened it to flip a few pages until she found what she wanted. She showed it to him , pointing a long slim finger at one faded picture of a younger Matilda smiling prettily in a brightly colored cotton dress with her arms around a younger Nicholas as they stood in a cozy crowded pub.  Matilda was gazing at Nicholas, and he her. Nigel thought he saw love in both their eyes. His parents had once loved each other....... It wasn't just sex or whatever apparently.

" They're so young. Who took this? "

Margaret's smile froze on her lovely slightly lined face. " I did. Yes. We were all so very young. That was before you were born. Not that we even knew about you. Tilly didn't associate with us all in the family then. It was before she met Race or Horace as he was christened. Before I met my late husband Peter. I was just starting out as a photojournalist. I did a lot of traveling. Saw a lot of things. Had many adventures. So did our Tilly. " She laughed and took out the picture to press in his hand. " Here. You keep it. I doubt your mother has shown you any pictures of back in the day. She's not really that sentimental , our gal. She takes after our Da. " Her smile turned bitter.

He gazed at the picture he held , trying to see resemblances between himself and his parents. Matilda, yes. He had her blonde hair and unique eyes but with Nicholas he didn't see much that was in himself. Except for maybe the cheekbones and shape of the nose. Yes. He had Nicholas's cheekbones and nose. Maybe his chin , he thought as his fingers touched his face faintly.

" So you were married yourself, Aunt..... Margaret ? "

" Oh yes. I had my Peter. We were not as blessed as Matilda with children. We were both photojournalists and so busy. We had the one son though. Peter Jr. He's.... away. Peter died of cancer. Lung. He was a big smoker. Liked his cigars , he did. I miss him. You would have liked your uncle. Everyone did really. Especially Matilda when they did meet. " She stopped smiling then.

Nigel was still enamored with the old picture he held. He couldn't wait to show Richard when he visited. He hoped his aunt would stay long enough to meet his husband. He liked her. She seemed like a strong straight forward woman with a lot of intelligence.

" So , did you ever remarry? "

The smile came back slightly to her face but didn't reach her eyes. " Oh , no. Peter wanted me to. He told me not to waste my life mourning him. You know he tried to find my next husband before he passed away?  Can you imagine such a thing? But.... there is someone special in my life. He's younger actually. "