"You're being ridiculous Declan" Anne snapped down the phone line.
"What?" Dec asked surprised,he hadn't expected this reaction from his mother,she was the one person who he was guaranteed to get sympathy and understanding from,no matter what the situation.
"You heard me" Anne replied "you're being ridiculous.You're a grown man,pining for your pal who is away on honeymoon,that's crazy"
"I know how it sounds Mam" Dec sighed "I wish I didn't feel like this,but I do and it's not just the fact I miss him,it goes a lot deeper than that"
"How?" Anne asked sternly.
"Well" Dec replied "I'm not totally sure,it's just a feeling I have,a feeling that things are going to be different now that Ant and Lisa are married and I'm not sure how to deal with it?"
"Well,you may be right about that" Anne informed him "things may well be different,but you just adapt"
"Not sure I can" Dec mumbled.
"Well,you don't have any choice" Anne snapped "peoples lives move on,you just cope with it the best you can"
"Maybe I don't want them to move on" Dec grumbled "things were great just as they were"
"Declan" Anne replied "you're being selfish,you should be happy for Ant"
"I am happy for him" Dec insisted "I hate that I feel this way and I don't plan on saying anything to him,I thought I'd get a bit more understanding from you though"
"Decky" Anne replied gently,her stance now softening towards her sons predicament "I really think you're worrying about nothing.You're as much a part of Ants life as he is yours.I don't know why you're having these doubts,but i know you and I know Ant and I think you're imagining an issue that doesn't even exist"
"Maybe" Dec sighed "what if they have kids?what happens then?"
"So what if they do?" Anne asked,feeling slightly exasperated "that's very likely and one day you might too when you meet the right girl.How would you feel if Ant then had these same feelings that you're having right now?"
"I'd be devastated probably" Dec sighed.
"Well then" Anne smiled "and if they do have kids,how wonderful would that be?"
"Pretty wonderful I guess" Dec smiled.
"You'd love it Decky and you know you would" Anne laughed "you would love their kids and they would adore their 'uncle Decky' just the same as your nieces and nephews do"
"Guess I need to give my head a wobble then" Dec stated.
"I guess you do" Anne agreed "but if you're still feeling bad,then talk to Ant about it when he gets back"
"No" Dec replied bluntly "I'm not doing that,I don't want him to be burdened with my insecurities about this,he already does so much for me,hopefully it will pass"
"I'm sure it will" Anne assured him "just remember how difficult Ants life was when he was younger and how he must have felt on his wedding day"
"He felt very happy" Dec replied.
"I'm sure he did" Anne said "but did you actually ask him how he was feeling?"
"Yes,of course I did" Dec snapped.
"I meant about him not having his dad there to watch him get married?" Anne sighed "that couldn't have been easy for him,I'd imagine that would have made him quite sad"
"Never even thought of that" Dec frowned "they haven't been in contact with each other for years though"
"That doesn't make it any easier" Anne stated "I guess you never discussed that with him on the day?"
