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‘Do you really want your son going into reception class talking about tits?’ Melanie whispered.
‘You heard him as clear as I did, he’s going to be talking about the Twits, and the teacher will be impressed his reading is so advanced.’ Emily smirked and Melanie couldn’t hold in the laugh. Emily spoke again, ‘I know we don’t get chance to properly hang out. But I am here, you know? If you want to talk about Paige or anything at all. Wait did you send her a picture of your downstairs?’
‘No!’
‘Auntie Mel doesn’t have a downstairs she’s in a flat remember.’
The pair of them burst out laughing.
‘He’s too smart for his own good,’ Emily said.
‘Just like his mother. Right go, you’re going to be late for work.’
‘I mean it, but you’re right, I’m going.’
Melanie watched as Emily quickly kissed Alfie, told him she loved him, and left, calling down the hallway, ‘I think you should send Paige a picture of your twits,’ before shutting the door behind her.
‘Right then my man, you finished your cereal?’ Melanie noticed three things in quick succession as she turned towards her nephew. Alfie had her phone in his hand, it was lit up and now that it was quiet, she could clearly hear a little voice saying, ‘Hello?’.
Melanie quickly grabbed her phone and . . . of course.
Of freaking course.
Her stomach hollowed out.
Her brain frazzled out.
It was Paige.
Melanie quickly hung up and immediately regretted it.
Hell.
Had Paige called her or had she, or rather Alfie somehow managed to call Paige? Oh God how long had she been on the phone for? Had she heard about the downstairs and the twits? Melanie rested her head on the cool marble-topped kitchen island. She was desperate to let out a swear word but realised Alfie going into school talking about twits and some version of forking hell made it unwise.
A little hand patted her back.
‘Are you poorly, Auntie Mel?’
Melanie sat upright and pulled him into a hug. ‘No, I’m fine. Right, come on, finish your cereal or you’ll be late.’
Melanie gingerly approached the phone like it was venomous, and slowly unlocked it, trying not to spook it. But as she did her phone buzzed in her hand and Melanie nearly threw the phone to the floor.
Paige: Just calling to say hi but think Alf got there first. Hope you’re OK this morning? x
Well, that was fine. We could all move on from here. That was totally fine. Melanie could actually feel her blood pressure lowering. Everything was going to be OK.
But then she saw the three dots and a second message came through. When she saw it, Melanie seriously considered calling it a day and going back to bed before it could get any worse.
Paige: I do enjoy the Twits but my favourite is the giant peach x
And there was a laughing emoji.
‘Right OK little man go upstairs and brush your teeth please.’ Melanie tried to get herself back on track as he headed to the bathroom.
The only thing to do here was to take charge, then they could all move on with their lives.
Melanie: Well, you’re not having a picture of either so don’t worry about it x
