“We sure are! So, make sure you’re packed and ready.”
“I am. Mum already bugged me about it.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Excuse me! I did not bug you. I simply reminded you.”
My dad chuckles and walks over, pressing a soft kiss on my forehead.
“Hey, petal. How are you?”
“I’m good, Dad. Though… my second island drawer is missing a handle now. I’m so sick of this place falling apart.”
“Have you called that carpenter I recommended to you, Mark Avery?”
“Not yet, but I will first thing Monday.”
“And what about the built-in-wardrobe in the master and guest rooms? Has that been fixed?”
“Nope.”
“What about the laundry door and shelves?”
“No, and no.”
“Hope, have you managed to get anything fixed besides the holes on the walls?”
“I’m slowly getting to them, Dad. You do realise it’s just me taking care of everything around here. I’ve managed to get the ensuite tiles and the guest room carpet replaced, but aside from that, I’m making my way through the rest, bit by bit.”
“Why don’t you let me help you?”
“No, it’s okay. I can manage everything on my own, just at my own pace. I’ve been tired from work lately, that’s all. This time of the year at the hospital is always hectic, so I’ve been doing a bit of overtime. But I’ll be fine. I promise.”
“Well, just remember, I’m here if you need any help.”
“Thanks, Dad. I will.”
“Alright, buddy. You ready to go?”
“I was ready five minutes ago.” my son quips.
My dad and I exchange a look and, on cue, roll our eyes at the same time.
“Zac, wait for me outside for a minute,” my dad asks. “There’s just something I need to talk to your mum about.”
“Okay.” He shrugs his shoulders, then, saunters out of the room and out the front door.
My dad turns back to face me, and the warmth in his expression fades instantly.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” I ask, a hint of nervousness creeping into my voice.
“Why did I have to hear from your mother that Adrian’s been seen with a different woman every month for the past year, like he’s some twenty-two-year-old playboy?”
“First of all, I told her that in confidence. So, I’ll be having a word with her the next time I see her. And secondly, Adrianis free to do what he wants. We’re not together anymore, so why does it matter who he brings home?”
“Because it looks like he’s deliberately trying to humiliate you,” he snaps. “Especially now that everyone knows he had an affair while he was married to you. It’s disrespectful.”
“Look, whatever he does in his own time is his business. I don’t want to know, and I certainly don’t care. As long as he sticks to the parenting order and shows up for Zac, he can do whatever he wants.”
“And how’s that going?” he counters. “Because the last time we spoke, you said he missed a few visits with Zac already for somethingimportant. That ‘something important’ wouldn’t happen to be his latest flavour of the month, would it?”
