‘No,’ said Nick. ‘Actually… I’ve got a job.’ He could start with the good news. See if it helped.
‘A job?’ His mother raised her delicate eyebrows. ‘Where are you working?’
‘I’m working for Luke.’ It came out more defensive than Nick intended.
‘Labouring?’ His dad huffed. ‘You’re worth a lot more than that.’
‘At least hehasa job, David.’
‘I had hoped for higher aspirations by this age.’
‘Leave the boy alone.’
Despite her earlier anger, Nick’s mother sprang to his defence. She always did, Nick realised. For once, he took no comfort in having her to hide behind.
‘He’s only twenty-seven,’ his mother protested. ‘He’s got plenty of time to work out his path through life. You should never have cut off his allowance, David. The poor boy—’
‘You’re always making excuses for him, Elaine. For once—’
‘Mum, Dad.’ Nick raised a hand. ‘I don’t want to talk to you about money. My news isn’t about a job. It’s… she… it’s complicated.’
‘It always is with you,’ said his father.
Nick sipped his beer, head whirling. He should go for the brutal approach, like ripping off a plaster. Hit them with the shock. There was no gentle way to break the news that they had a grandchild they never knew existed.
‘The thing is…’
‘Nick!’
Three heads turned toward the small voice. Emily stood in the corridor, her thumb in her mouth, teddy in her arms.
‘Nick, I had a bad dream.’
‘Oh no.’ Nick rushed to the little girl and knelt in front of her. ‘It’s OK,’ he said.
‘I’m scared,’ Emily sobbed.
‘Come on.’ Nick scooped her up in his arms. ‘I’ll take you to bed and stay with you until you’re asleep,’ he said, carrying her along the corridor. As he walked, he imagined the confusion on his parents’ faces. Too bad. Emily was his priority.
It only took five minutes to settle her, and soon she was returned to dreamless sleep. Nick found his parents sitting on the sofa, their heads huddled close, speaking in low voices.
‘Who is that child?’ asked Nick’s mother. ‘And precisely what is she doing in our house?’
Nick stayed standing. At least he had the advantage of height, which stopped him from feeling like a small boy about to be told off. ‘That little girl is Emily. She’s my daughter.’ Hisheart hammered, whether with nerves or pride, he wasn’t sure. Probably both.
Nick’s father broke into a guffaw, slapping his hand against his thigh, mouth hanging open as he roared. His mother was white as a sheet, frozen in place, staring at Nick with cold eyes.
‘Iverymuch hope that is a joke, Nicholas,’ she said tightly, ‘although not a very funny one.’
‘It’s not a joke.’ Nick stood his ground. ‘Emily is my daughter.’My daughter. He liked saying it again. ‘I only learned of her existence a week ago, but I have no doubt she’s mine.’
‘You didn’t know?’ His father stopped laughing, stood up to match Nick in height, and stepped forward. ‘You didn’tknowyou had a child? How is that possible?’
His mother scoffed. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me, David, if you had a few children dotted around the country after all those “conferences” you used to disappear off to.’
‘That was business, Elaine,’ said his father.
‘This isn’t aboutus,’ said his mother, even though she was the one who’d brought it up. She turned her attention to Nick. ‘It sounds to me, Nicholas, as if you are being scammed.’
