Instead, Kim slumped back into her leather chair and looked totally defeated. "Things aren't going well at home," she admitted.

Sean looked up in total surprise. Kim and Penny had been an inseparable item for three years now. They were a team in every sense of the word. Penny was a beautiful woman both inside and out, and her impact on Kimberly Dawson and Dawson Fashions had been nothing but positive.

Sean crossed his legs and leaned forward sympathetically. "Talk to me. I've never been in love with a woman, but when it comes to handling domestic crises I'm an expert. I've lived through thousands. Ask any of my old boyfriends."

Kim smiled. She was a very private person but she did need to talk. Sean was a pain in the butt yet he was discreet and loyal. Maybe she had been difficult lately.

A red blush crept up her throat. "We've been trying to have a baby. Penny can't seem to conceive. She wants me to try. I'm...I just don't want to. I mean, I want a child, I guess, but I don't want to be pregnant."

'"I guess?"

Kim squirmed with discomfort. "Okay, I'm not sure. I mean, if Penny wanted a kid, I was willing to pay for her to have artificial insemination. I'd do anything for Penny, but, well, I don't know if I'd make a good parent. I mean, Penny has always reached out to others and shown such kindness. I built a design empire on ambition and some talent. Sure, I've achieved money and power, but what have I done that's good? What kind of mother and role model would I be? Maybe the fact Penny couldn't get pregnant is a good thing."

Sean pulled a face. "Ouch."

"Yeah."

"Have you told Penny about your insecurities?"

"No. She wants this child."

"But you don't?"

"Well, yeah I do, but...I'm just scared what kind of parent I'd make."

Sean frowned and drummed his long fingers on the arm of his chair annoyingly. "Okay, okay. We've got to get you mom lessons. You know, to see if you can handle it."

"Mom lessons. I don't want mom lessons. Kids scare me. They wet and cry."

"My point exactly. You can't have a kid if you're afraid of them. I have a sister who's a teacher."

"You have a sister? I thought you hatched from an egg in a gay bar."

Sean looked indignant. "Yes, I have a sister and she does this maternal thing really well. She teaches kids to play nice and not bully others. They call it kindergarten."

Kim smiled. "I think I was there once for a year."

Sean looked at his boss. "Sometimes they're not always successful. You probably should have repeated."

"Thanks. Kick me while I'm down."

"Okay, it's decided then. I'll call Patricia and make arrangements for you to spend a few days in kindergarten."

"No. I have a business to run. I haven't got time to go back to kindergarten. I hated sand box. It was a jungle. Kids always wanted my favourite dump truck."

Sean hit low. "It's for Penny."

Kim looked miserable. "Okay."

Penny LeFleur no longer worked with Sean Rutley. She felt that working out of her partner's office sent the wrong message. She

now worked in personnel with Gail Collins. That had been difficult at first. Gail didn't have a very high opinion of Penny being hired simply because she was a minority and poor. The fact that Penny was living with the boss only made her view of Penny worse. But Penny worked hard and never shared with Kim her work problems or asked for any special favours. She had proven herself to her new supervisor and they now got on very well.

Busy updating files, she did not at first notice Gail standing at her desk. "Oh sorry. What can I do for you, Gail?"

"Sean phoned to ask if you could meet him for lunch at Sparks."

"Uh oh."

Everyone knew that when Sean had lunch with someone, he was usually ironing out a problem for the boss.

"Ahh, take as long as you need. Look, Penny, you've looked stressed lately. If there's anything...well, you know, I'm in your corner."

Penny smiled and stood to give her boss a hug. "Thanks, Gail. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Penny found Sean already holding a table in the popular lunch time cafe. "Hurry, I can't hold the patrons off for much longer. Honestly, I had to practically wrestle your chair back from someone. I ordered the special for us. Is that okay?"

"That's fine. So, I never thought I'd end up having to have lunch with you, Sean. Why am I in trouble?"

Sean waited while their lunch was served. "I tried to quit today. Kim has been impossible, and I know impossible. We had a heart to heart talk about...well, you know, your difficulties."

Penny paled. "Oh. Look, Sean. It's personal. I don't think I want to talk—"

Sean raised his hand for her to stop with a dramatic flourish. "I'm not going there. What would I know of such things? No, I'm here to explain and share my plans because Kim is very busy rearranging her schedule. She sends her love by the way." Sean stopped talking and leaned over to drop a kiss on Penny's cheek. "There. Now, where was I? Oh yes, you two have a failure to communicate and someone has to get some dialogue going here."

Penny leaned back. "No, Sean. If Kim trusted you with her worries, it's not right that you share something with me that she told you in confidence."

Sean rolled his eyes. "Will you work with me here, Princess Perfect? Kimberly is afraid of kids."

Penny blinked. "What?"

"She wants you to have a child but she's scared. She doesn't think she'll make a good parent. She was an only child, you know, and she never managed to learn to share in the sand box centre. I've sent her back for retraining."

"What?" Penny had tried hard to follow Sean's disjointed explanation but failed.

"She's going to spend a few days with my sister, who teaches kindergarten."

"You have a sister?"

Sean frowned. "I've heard that question a lot lately. Yes, I have a sister. And she is going to help Kim get over her fear of kids."

Tears filled Penny's eyes. "Kim is going to do that for me?"

"Honey, Kim would move mountains for you."

"Why didn't she just tell me she was afraid?"

"Admit she was sacred? Kim would rather die. Besides, she wanted you to have this baby."

Penny bit her lip. "But I can't and Kim refused."

Sean rolled his eyes. "Okay, so Kim is not the child bearing sort. So we get her over her fear of kids and then we mix up her eggs with a good strong sperm and you carry the kid. Problem solved."

"I need to talk to Kim."

The hand rose again. "No, Kim needs to talk to you. But first she needs to iron out a few problems in her own head. I'm talking to you simply because I don't want this situation getting any worse. Another week of Kim-the-bitch-on-a-stick and I'll have to see a shrink. Now eat your lunch up and try not to worry. Uncle Sean will solve this problem."

But Penny had worried. Especially when Kim phoned to awkwardly explain that she would be out of town for a few days to learn more about children by visiting a kindergarten class.

"Kim, you don't have to do this. If you don't want children you should have just said so."

"I do need to do this, for you and for me. I love you. I'll be back soon."

The house was lonely without her. Kim was larger than life and Penny loved the ground she walked on. She knew that not having a child would be disappointing for her, but Kim's happiness was far more important.