Darren laughed awkwardly.
Ophelia looked sick.
“I’m so sorry if she said anything offensive. She’s at that age when they ask endless questions and—”
“You don’t have anything to worry about,” I interrupted to reassure her.
“Mummy, can I get ice cream?” Isobel asked.
“Sure, let’s find Grandpa first,” Ophelia answered. “Thank you so much for bringing her back to me. She was right beside me. I didn’t even know she had wandered off,” she continued to Darren and me.
“It’s no problem,” Darren answered for us. “Are you sticking around for the party after the lighting of the bonfire?” he asked.
“I wish, but this one needs to have an early night. You’re going to the Insect Zoo with school tomorrow, aren’t you?” she said, looking down at Isobel, whose hand she held onto.
“Yes!” Isobel sang and jumped up and down in excitement.
“Oh, cool,” Darren said, kneeling to her height. “I went when I was your age and held a spider bigger than my head,” he told her.
“A spider?” she asked, moving to hide behind Ophelia.
“Huge spiders,” Darren continued excitedly, oblivious to the fear on her face.
“I’m sure they have other insects too,” I said and nudged him.
“Yeah, like pretty butterflies,” Ophelia offered, communicating her thanks with a smile.
Darren seemed to catch on then that spiders probably weren’t what most children were excited by.
“Oh yeah, a lot of pretty butterflies. They land right on you,” he said with just as much enthusiasm as he had for thehugespiders.
“I can pet them?” she asked.
“Maybe not,” Ophelia answered. “Wait and find out tomorrow.”
Darren stood back up.
“It was nice seeing you, Isobel, but try to stay beside Mummy from now on, or a big spider will get you tomorrow,” he said, far too pleased with himself.
“Darren!” I chastised, shocked.
“What?” he asked.
Isobel looked like she might cry.
“I think we should go find Grandpa now,” Ophelia said, her smile a strange mixture of amusement and strain at the same time.
“Did I do something?” he asked after they walked away.
I handed him his plate of food back, and he took a bite of his burger.
“I don’t know much about children, but threatening them with giant spiders, I’m guessing, probably isn’t the best way to get them to behave.” I laughed.
“Huh,” he said around his food. “It would make me behave.”
It wasn’t long before the bonfire was lit, to roaring cheers.
It was like osmosis the way the crowd changed, families leaving as others arrived, and the music switched from clean radio pop to something with more bass and rhythm.
