“He never told me.”
“I asked him not to.”
“Well, at least one of them knows how to keep a secret.”
“Do you know what he told me?”
I shake my head.
“That you’d be back one day.”
I smile. Typical Dad.
“And he was right. It doesn’t matter that it took eight years, that we didn’t do everything right. It doesn’t matter that we can’t have another first kiss, or meet each other for the first time – the only thing that matters to me is what wecanhave.”
I squeeze her hand on the grass.
“I’ve told you how much I love you today, right?”
She smiles. “You can tell me again, if it makes you feel better.”
I take a deep breath and lean in to her. I tell her again and again how fucking much I’m desperately in love with her.
* * *
For the firsttime in ages, when we all sit at the table together, I don’t feel a strange atmosphere around us. No one’s going to take the piss – maybe we’ve all changed, we’ve matured. Maybe now we’ve all shed our skin – metaphorically, obviously, because none of us will ever really be able to changethatmuch – we can finally have a normal family dinner.
Maybe I could even bring up a new, mature topic of discussion.
I clear my throat and everyone freezes.
Fuck. Maybe I spoke too soon.
“Er… I’m looking for a house.”
The first fork clatters onto a plate.
“Somewhere around here. Like, in this neighbourhood.”
Fuck, I hear someone murmur.
I know exactly who it is. That little bastard.
“So if anyone’s heard of anything up for sale, then…”
“For sale, Nick?” Mum asks, her voice strained. “Are you planning to stay?”
“What do you think?” Dad smiles at her.
“You know, Nick, I think there’s something on the market in our road…” Chris can’t finish, because someone’s kicking her under the table.
NowthisI don’t want to miss.
Chris snaps her head towards Ryan. “Did you really just do that?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You just kicked her under the table,” Evan pipes up.
