Spence:What did you mean?
Corey:I can’t go out on a whim. Lexi.
Spence:The offer’s there.
8
Corey
“Daddy!” Lexi rushes to hug me as soon as she and Blake get home, though she’s careful not to knock her cast.
“Did you have a good morning?” I ask, ruffling her hair.
“The best! We saw a film, and I had popcorn and a slushy. Is my tongue still blue?” She sticks her tongue out.
“A little.”
“Then we went for ice cream, and I had one that was as big as my head!”
I raise an eyebrow at Blake. How much sugar has my brother fed my daughter today?
“Then we went to McDonald’s, and I had a Happy Meal and got a toy.” She produces a mini plushie from her pocket. It’s a little red bird that I think is supposed to be a phoenix. “There’s six to collect. Can we go again? Can we? Can we?”
“Maybe,” I say noncommittally.
“Then we went to the playground,” Lexi carries on. “And Uncle Blake pushed me on the swing and the round-a-bout.”
“We were careful,” Blake says quickly.
There must have been a panicked look in my eyes or something.
“I’m glad you had fun, pudding.”
“Can I watch TV?”
I should probably say no, seeing as she’s already watched a film today, but I need to talk to Blake. “Okay. One episode of something and then it’s homework time.” I might as well put her excess sugar energy to good use.
She clasps her hands behind her back. “Twoepisodes?”
“One.”
Lexi pouts. “Please?”
Blake sniggers behind her.
I sigh. “Fine. Two episodes.”
“You’re the best, Daddy!” She smacks a sloppy kiss to my cheek and skips into the living area.
“Thanks for taking her out,” I say to Blake. “I know you’re not exactly a morning person.”
“Truer words have never been spoken,” Blake says. “Getting up and out to the cinema by nine was hard work.”
I chuckle. “I appreciate it.”
He narrows his eyes. “Okay, what do you want?”
“Nothing.” That’s a lie.
