Intrigued, I pushed. “Now I want to know.”
“You do?” Jo smirked. “Okay, your mum asked your dad to give her flirting and sex lessons and that’s how they ended up together.”
Despite the ick factor of it being my parents, I kind of loved that. It was like a romance novel. “Really?”
“Don’t.” January glared. “Don’t encourage this line of discussion. It’s yucky.”
“What a mature descriptor.”
She stuck out her tongue at me.
“I think it’s romantic.” I smiled.
“You would.”
“It was and it wasn’t.” Mum gave me an understanding look. “I was attracted to your dad before all of that started. He only saw me as a friend. It could have destroyed our friendship.”
“Except I didn’t only see her as a friend.” Dad’s voice had us turning to look toward the sliding doors. He stepped inside with Uncle Cam and Louis at his back, his eyes on Mum. “I was lying to myself. But you can only lie to yourself for so long before you risk losing the best person you’ve ever known.”
Mum smiled sweetly as Dad reached her and pulled her in for a kiss. He nuzzled her neck, wrapping his arms around her waist before he looked at me. “What prompted the trip down memory lane?”
“Your daughters were trying to traumatize Liv, so I thought I’d try to traumatize them back. Didn’t work out with Lily. January looked faintly green, so that’s a win, I suppose.” Aunty Jo shrugged.
“Traumatize your mum how?” Dad narrowed his eyes behind his glasses.
Jan answered while I smiled up at Uncle Cam as he cuddled into Aunty Jo’s back. September was proving mild this year, so he wore only a T-shirt, showing off his tattoos. Jo’s younger brother, Cole, had a full sleeve (fair, considering he was an award-winning tattoo artist), but Uncle Cam was catching up to him, having added to his collection over the years.
“Hey, Uncle Cam. How are you?”
“I’m good, sweetheart. How are you?”
“Same.”
“Final year. Dissertation?”
I nodded, thinking about the workload awaiting me back at the flat. “I have a ton of interviews to conduct for mine, so I’ve spent the last few nights sending out a bunch of inquiries.”
“You’ve decided on a topic, then?” Dad asked, having overheard.
“I’m starving,” Louis grumbled as he rounded Mum’s side. “Is it ready, Aunt Liv?”
“Louis,” Uncle Cam warned. “That’s rude.”
“I’m getting ready to serve, sweetie. Soup first and then the roast. Sound good?”
“I could eat the entire fridge, so, aye, that’ll do.”
“Where do you put it?” January eyed the thirteen-year-old. He was tall like his dad but thin and wiry.
“In my gob.” Louis shrugged as if to sayduh.
“Lily?”
I looked back at Dad. “Oh, sorry. I have.” I told him my plans for the dissertation.
“I’ll be interested to read it,” he said honestly.
“Me too.” Mum smiled proudly at me.
