Ask Nora - The Baby Blues

This is the last (for the time being) of Nora's series of FAQs for the soon-to-be-weds.

But from next week we will be continuing with a look at interior design advice from Creative Entertaining (1972), Interior Decorating For You (1952), as well as a couple of other titles from the Charles' considerable library (although not as extensive as the library belonging to Nora's Mum - Hi Mum!).

Today's picture is almost like a vegetarian's cruel joke:

Hey come on over for a seafood platter! Ha! fooled you it's just vegetables.

Well if that's the case, you might need to drown your sorrow with this (several, actually):

Rock Lobster
1/2 oz White Creme de Cacao
1/3 oz Irish Cream
1 dash Amaretto
Layer in order and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Now, on to the advice to the love-lorn.

Q: Five years ago when I was a student, I had a baby by a boy I didn’t love and my parents persuaded me to have my son adopted. Now I am engaged to a marvellous man who loves children, I would like to tell him and try and get my son back again. My two worries are: how my fiance would take the news, would he hate me for not mentioning it and also whether it would be possible to trace my son after all this time?

A: Under no circumstances try to trace your child. Think of his welfare: it would be seriously disturbing for him. He has been legally adopted, so you have no rights to him at all. From every point of view, it would be better left alone. But you should tell your fiance before you get married. This is something that is terribly difficult to keep to yourself. Other people were involved and it’s bound to come out. If your fiance found out by chance, it could be disastrous. Take courage and tell him as soon as possible. He may be shattered at first but try and help him understand the circumstances. If, as you say, he’s marvellous man who loves children, he will probably be very sympathetic to your situation. After all, he knows and loves you and will appreciate the misery you must have gone through. You are taking a risk that he won’t be able to accept the situation but this, I’m afraid is a risk you’ll have to take.