“Why are we doing dinner with the oldies again?” Philip asked curiously.
“Because we were invited and I thought it would be nice for Pippa and Dan to meet them before the wedding. So long as that’s okay with you?”
“I was only asking,” protested Philip.
“And now I have answered you,” replied Jim tersely.
“Have you and Tasha had a fight?” Lizzie’s question made Philip sigh and Juan look down at his phone regardless of the fact there was nothing there to look at.
“No, we haven’t, but as Dan was feeling unwell, Tasha thought it would be better to give him a while longer and meet us there,” explained Jim.
“By unwell you mean hung over,” said Pippa who had said very little since leaving the house.
“Yes.” Jim smiled at her in the rear view mirror. Her bluntness reminded him of Tasha.
“He is such a lightweight and I reckon Travis is a little more worldly wise than my big brother.” With a smile, Pippa wished she was old enough to go to clubs with Travis.
“Yes, but please don’t say that to Tasha because I think she already holds me responsible for the state Dan came home in this morning after I reassured her Travis would take care of him,” smiled Jim.
“Oh yeah she definitely holds you responsible, maybe more than Travis.” Laughed Pippa. “She is the same with Gerry and Jake when they take Dan out; if he gets drunk it’s their fault, if he snogs an undesirable girl, and they’re all undesirable, their fault and even when he comes home safely, but can’t remember much about the night, it’s still their fault.”
“Does he go out much with them?” asked Jim.
“Not that much, but Tasha trusts them. What she doesn’t know is that he often ditches them once they’re out and hooks up with his own friends,” revealed Pippa.
“I see.” Jim had suspected Dan wasn’t quite as innocent as Tasha hoped or claimed and their younger sister seemed to be confirming that.
“Tasha was flirting with Travis when he suggested taking Dan out, so I bet she does blame you more than him,” Lizzie chipped in, believing she was merely joining in with the conversation.
“No, she wasn’t,” said Pippa defensively.
“She so was and he obviously likes Tasha,” replied Lizzie.
“I don’t think Travis is Tasha’s type,” said Pippa. “But even if he was she wouldn’t be interested, not while she’s seeing your dad.”
Pippa glared at Lizzie and Jim could see that she suddenly sounded angry and a little nervous, almost fearful. He considered pursuing the point, but as he looked at her again in the rear view mirror he saw the haunted, horrified look in her eyes that he had only ever seen in Tasha’s eyes when she was genuinely fearful and usually courtesy of their father.
“She really wouldn’t, Jim. Tasha loves you,” the young girl protested.
“It’s okay,” said Jim gently and reassuringly. The others look on confused. “I know how beautiful Tasha is and lots of men find her very attractive, but I trust her and I love her too.”
“Sorry.” Pippa sounded confused by her own apology, but continued with her explanation. “I just hate it when people get mad at her when it’s not her fault.” Her latest words confused the others now, but Jim knew exactly what she meant. “She is a good person, the best, and she would never do anything bad to anyone on purpose, not ever, quite the opposite. She will take the blame for others if she thinks she can protect them, like she does for me and Dan, always has, no matter how bad it made things for her. She would never cheat but after Kara she would never do that to anyone else,” Pippa said with an air of desperation in her voice, as if she felt the need to make this okay. That she needed to make Jim believe her, as though she needed him not to act on the accusation in the way her father would have.
“I know,” was all Jim said as he turned into the drive of the vineyard.
They were heading up the steps to the door Jim called to Juan. “Would you drive my car back tonight with Philip and the kids?”
“Yeah sure.” Juan agreed without question but added, “I like Tasha, Dan and Pippa.”
Jim frowned at him. “What’s not to like? They’re nice people.”
Juan nodded. “It’s just sometimes they look kind of sad,” He hesitated then added seriously, “She hasn’t said much about her home life, but sometimes what she doesn’t say kind of says more.”
“I guess they do have a sadness, but I intend to change that.” He took a couple of deep breaths, weighing up what Juan had said and whether he should say any more. Then, signalling that the conversation was over, he told him, “This conversation was just between us, but thank you for caring about Tasha. She likes you too and she needs friends she can rely on and thanks for taking my car tonight.”
Jim had completed the introductions when Abby appeared in the lounge with Bobby and Alexi.
“Grandpa,” the little girl called and ran to hug Jack before turning towards Maisie.
