“Yup. High ones, so they’re like Bucky’s ears.”
“You don’t want to look like Jenny?”
“Ew. No. I don’t like cats.”
“Seriously? I thought everyone liked cats?”
“Not cartoon ones. I like real ones, like Knob Cat.”
“Knob Cat?”
“I brought one home once,” Rupert said from the doorway. “Rescued it from a tree. You called it Knob Cat.”
Jodi winced. Knob Cat? Seriously? The old Jodi sounded like a bit of a dick. “Bet you didn’t like that.”
“You’re quite right. We changed it to Bob Cat until her mummy came to get her. Speaking of which, Indie, go and say goodbye to your mum. She’s waiting.”
Indie bounced on her heels. “I’m staying?”
“Until Thursday.”
“Yes!” Indie spun around and planted a lightning-fast kiss on Jodi’s cheek. “We can go ice skating.”
She darted out of the room. Jodi watched her go, bemused. “Knob Cat?”
Rupert treated him to a tired grin. “It took you a while to get used to having a kid around who repeated everything you said to everyone she met. You didn’t mean any harm, and it was pretty funny until she said it at nursery and Jen went ballistic.”
“Jen’s your ex?”
“Ex-wife, yeah. We don’t get on much, but we tolerate each other for Indie’s sake.”
“She seemed like a bitch.”
“She is.” Rupert’s eyes flashed with an emotion that made Jodi lean forward, his hands half outstretched, but Indie returned before he could pull Rupert to him and examine his face until he understood the pain Rupert tried so hard to hide.
Indie returned to her position between Jodi’s legs. “I’m back.”
“So I see,” Jodi said. “Bunches. Right. Have you got bands?”
Indie held up her hand, which was filled with brightly coloured hairbands. “Lots.”
“Okaaaay.” Jodi studied her hair. He’d had an ill-advised man bun for a few months at uni,waybefore they’d become ubiquitous with twats, but it had been a while since he’d last attempted to manipulate long hair. He looked at Rupert. “Have I done this before?”
“Aye, you’re much better at it than I am. I’m not allowed to touch her hair if you’re here.”
Fair enough. Jodi set about wrestling Indie’s hair into two high pony tails.
“Fold them,” Indie instructed. “So they’re like ears.”
Jodi obeyed and the result wasn’t half bad. Rupert seemed impressed. “Amazing what you can do when you don’t think too hard, eh?”
“Hmm?”
“You couldn’t move your hands like that a month ago. You’re fucking amazing, boyo.”
“Daddy!”
“Sorry, kiddo.” Rupert winced. “I’ve made you some lunch. Why don’t you go eat it in the living room while I have a chat with Jodi?”
