Tasha shook her head firmly. “Juan threatened him with Donny and explained why and no, your dad does not know it was Alex. I didn’t think he needed to know. I am really, really sorry you’ve got caught up in it, though.”
“He’s right. He asked us to look after you and to keep you safe, but I didn’t, so I should be saying sorry to you. Sorry.” Philip reached forward and hugged her as Jim appeared behind them.
“As lovely as this is, some of us have to get to work and everyone is waiting to start breakfast.” Jim was still irritated as they followed him to breakfast.
Lizzie was bombarding them all with questions about the previous night and seemed oblivious to Jim’s annoyance, which was heightened when she asked, “Where are the photos? Have you uploaded them to Facebook yet?”
Tasha looked at Juan who joined her in staring at Philip optimistically.
“Erm, I don’t remember, Lizzie. I’ll check later.” Philip looked increasingly uncomfortable.
Tasha was crying expletive after expletive, if only in her head at the realisation he had. He really had uploaded stuff to Facebook, but what? Was Jim on Facebook? Would he have access to whatever had been put on there?
“I could check on my phone, if Tasha doesn’t mind.” Lizzie was flashing her best, persuasive smile.
“Well, Tasha does mind, so shall we all leave our phones where they are,” she said firmly, hoping she wasn’t being too forceful in her objection.
Jim said nothing, but she knew he was taking it all in; the expressions, the palpable tension and the lack of breakfast being eaten.
As if reading her mind, he spoke, backing her up. “Can we just eat breakfast? Lizzie has come over especially to have breakfast with us before Tasha goes home tomorrow.”
Everyone complied, then Lizzie changed tack. “Do you have Facebook, Tasha?”
She nodded.
“Can I add you?”
“Yeah. Course, or I will send you a friend request.”
“Cool. I can tag you in stuff.”
“Great.” Tasha wanted to stay in touch once she returned home.
Jim checked his watch. “I need to go. Lizzie, Mike will take you to school in a while. Tasha meet me at the studio at about eleven and we’ll do something this afternoon. Mike will bring you down. Philip, just behave and don’t drink.”
They all looked at him as he got to his feet then stood, holding their gazes until they all nodded their compliance.
“Juan, do you want a lift?”
“Thanks, Jim.”
Jim bent down and kissed Lizzie, then Tasha before ruffling Philip’s hair and left followed by Juan.
As the front door shut, they all breathed audible sighs of relief.
“Are you two in trouble?” Lizzie had a wide-eyed stare, but clearly able to read her father’s less than subtle signals she didn’t need a response.
They both laughed and Philip explained, “Me more than Tasha now, but yes. Our night out was a little wilder than Dad had hoped for.”
“What did you do? Daddy looked real mad.”
Tasha was inclined to agree. He had looked very annoyed with them. “Philip got drunk and a strange man danced with me.” Tasha stopped speaking as she suddenly remembered Philip’s social media sharing. “Philip, get on Facebook before your dad does.”
He pulled out his phone immediately. “Ooh, I have a message from Juan. I’ll reply later. Let’s sort Facebook first because I really can’t remember what I’ve put on.”
Tasha and Lizzie moved so they flanked him and as he clicked on his profile Tasha gasped. “Oh shit! I’m on a podium. And me and Juan and me and Alex, shit!” she repeated as
Lizzie laughed at the images filling the screen. “How short is your dress? I think I can see your panties.” Lizzie gasped.
