“What did you say?” She was six. Six-year-old’s did not have boyfriends or girlfriends.
“I said no because I was far too good for him.”
“Which is exactly the right answer. Always give that answer, Sadie Grace.” He gave her a kiss.
“Daddy?”
He’d almost managed to get to the door. “Baby?”
“Will Rayah be here in the morning?”
Shit. She’d stayed before. “I don’t know. We’re going to watch a film and then we’ll see how late it gets.”
“Okay Daddy.”
He opened the door and had a foot on the landing.
“Daddy?”
Holy fuck. But one day she wouldn’t call him daddy any more. The though stung.
“Sadie?”
“I love you.”
Now that he’d take any day. “I love you too. Sleep tight.”
He closed the door and checked the boys’ room. They’d been offered the chance to have their own, but neither had been bothered, so they had their own bunk beds with both sleeping at the top. The door was already slightly ajar. He peered in, finding darkness. Once his eyes adjusted, he saw that Charlie’s bed was empty.
In another few years, that would be a sign that he’d sneaked out, probably to meet a girl if he was anything like his father had been, but Jonny knew where he’d be tonight.
He walked quietly over to Harry’s bunks and then heard a giggle. As stealth-like as Charlie could be, Harry couldn’t be quiet for two minutes.
“What are you doing, boys?” He could make out the squirming of legs under the duvet.
A head popped out. “Telling scary stories.” It was Harry, the one who would be waking up with a nightmare later.
“You’ve got ten minutes then you need to be in your own beds.” He turned on a lamp. “With your reading books.” Neither of which were scary.
“When can I stay up later, Dad?” Charlie climbed out of Harry’s bed and jumped part the way down. Rayah would probably think there was a bull jumping around upstairs.
“I’ll think about it.”
“That means no.”
“If that’s how you want to translate it, then that’s fine.”
Charlie’s face dropped.
“Bed. With book. No coming downstairs.”
“Is Rayah staying?” Charlie was looking at him, not even taking a step towards his own bunk.
“She might. If it’s late and she wants to.”
Charlie looked sheepish and Jonny figured he wanted to ask more questions, just not in front of Harry.
“You can help me make breakfast tomorrow.”
