‘I don’t know. Everything feels such a big deal, and other parents all seem so . . . funny the whole time. They laugh and joke and everyone says you should play with children, and I don’t like playing, I didn’t like it even when I was a child. So I’m worried the child’s going to be disappointed. Everyone said it would be different when I got pregnant, but I don’t actually like all children. I thought that would change, but I meet my friends’ children now and I still think they’re annoying and have a lousy sense of humour.’
Anna-Lena spoke up, briefly and to the point:
‘You don’t have to like all children. Just one. And children don’t need the world’s best parents, just their own parents. To be perfectly honest with you, what they need most of the time is a chauffeur.’
‘Thanks for saying that,’ Julia replied honestly. ‘I’m just worried my child isn’t going to be happy. That it’s going to inherit all my anxiety and uncertainty.’
Estelle gently patted Julia’s hair.
‘Your child’s going to be absolutely fine, you’ll see. And absolutely fine can cover any number of peculiarities.’
‘That’s encouraging.’ Julia smiled.
Estelle went on patting her hair softly.
p. 303