“Maybe. I hope so. It’s weird thinking how much she’s growing up. She’s second year of high school and in another four years she’ll have done her first set of exams, starting college and thinking about going to university. She’ll have boyfriends or girlfriends and I’ll be the awkward parent who embarrasses her.”
“That’s the fun bit. Bringing up kids is never easy but I liked it when you lot got older and started becoming adults. We still worried about you and we couldn’t be in charge of you like we could when you were young, but it was still fun. The chaos was just different.” His eyes were misty, as if he was seeing memories peel through his mind like a movie. “I’m enjoying it now most of all – seeing you all with your own kids and careers and relationships.”
“I can imagine it’s satisfying.”
“It’s happier than I ever thought it would be.” He looked around the room. “I hope the people moving in here have as much fun as we did.”
I wondered how much of the move was Marie’s doing. “Do you want to leave here?”
He looked at me and smiled. “Yes. I mentioned selling to your mum a year or so ago and she was adamant that she didn’t want to go. Sometimes she needs a bit of time to think an idea’s actually hers then she’ll go along with it. This place is too big and it’s a waste if it’s not filled with people. We have other places where we can be.”
“You have plenty of those. I don’t think you’ve been at home – the apartment – much at all. Max said you’d emptied their fridge.” I’d been surprised at how much we’d seen of them this week.
Dad laughed. “Revenge. No, I don’t see as much of Max usually, so it’s been good to hang around there.” He paused, smirking. “Max isn’t a great bowler and Maddox is going to be really good – I didn’t want Maddox learning any bad habits.”
“I take it you don’t want me to repeat that to Max?”
“Feel free. I’ve told him myself and he did well, he only sulked for fifteen minutes.” Dad put his bottle down and picked the cue up again, taking his shot which wasn’t as impressive as his bowling skills.
“Max always said he didn’t want kids, which I never believed.” My oldest brother was probably my best friend, despite blaming me every time the photocopier broke. “He was great with me, Payts and Ava when we were kids.”
“He was good with Callum too. The night Marie got there, he showed her how to look after Callum, and he did better than I ever did, or had done until then. I think he worried that he couldn’t have a successful career and be the dad he wanted to be. He’s actually been amazing at both. I couldn’t be prouder of him. Take your shot.” He pointed to my cue.
I took it, potting a ball, starting to recapture my form – which had never been the best. “Have you told him that?”
My dad paused for a moment. “No. I don’t think I have.”
“Maybe you should. I think he’d like to hear it.”
Rose held my hand when we walked home, the sun already having disappeared into the August evening sky. It wouldn’t be long before she stopped holding my hand, probably not doing it again until I was an old man and she was looking after me. I didn’t like that thought, so I didn’t linger on it.
“You don’t have to pretend you’re not worried about the procedure with me, Rosie,” I said as we walked past Claire’s house. We all lived far too close to each other.
She nodded, not looking at me. “I know you and Mum are worried about it. I’ve overheard you and I can lip read a bit. My friend Eloise taught me.”
Eloise was a girl in her class who was hearing impaired. She’d taught Rose sign as well, which Rose had passed onto Luke so the two of them could communicate without me and Georgia knowing what they were saying.
I’d ended up learning some just to annoy them. That had been one of the greatest days when I signed back at them when they were plotting raiding my chocolate stash that they’d discovered.
“We are worried about it. I know it should be okay. I’ve read loads about it too. But my worst fear is something bad happening to you and your brothers and sister.”
She stopped walking, still holding my hand. “But I’m going to be okay, Daddy. Better than okay and I don’t think you need to be worried. I’m scared about hospital, but that’s normal, I think.”
“It is.”
She put her arms around my waist and I hugged her back, half wishing she’d stay this age forever, but I’d thought that every time she’d hugged me.
“You’re the bravest girl I know,” I said, picking her up to twirl her round, getting in the way of someone on their way somewhere.
“You said that to Mum when she had Luke.”
“I probably did. You’re the bravest one of three girls I know. We have to include Evie too.”
“We should do. What do you want to do tomorrow?” Tomorrow was Saturday and we had no plans, as far I knew.
“Can Eliza come for pancakes for breakfast? Then she’s got kickboxing, so I thought I’d read – not that series though. I’m saving that.”
“Pancakes are fine. I’ll text Auntie Claire. What book are you going to read then?”
