By that one look, I know what she’s asking.“Are you two a thing?”I subtly shake my head.
“Uncle Aiden,” Logan says, taking Pi aback with a surprise cuddle. “Where’s Auntie Bum Bum?”
“Megan,” I mouth to Pi. “She’s in Kent.”
Jody motions for us to come inside out of the mizzle. Trekkie runs ahead, sniffing everything, but my ex waves away Pi’s pre-apologies. “I love dogs. Love to get one when I’m not working full time.” She turns to me, her lips pursed into a cryptic smile and one eyebrow raised. I know that look. I have a lot of experience with that look. If I’m being honest, I fear that look. “So, you and Auntie Bum Bum are still dating?”
I kick my shoes off the second I cross the threshold. “We are.” I don’t offer any further details, no matter how obvious the desperation on her face is.
“Aiden, can I get you a drink? Bailey’s?” Jody says, while still looking at me.
“Oh, no thanks, I’m driving.” He clamps his lips together and holds his hands behind his back like a bobby on the beat.
“Tea?” she says.
“Sure, thank you.”
“Will you help me with the tea, Aiden?” she says sweetly.
I see the panic in his eyes, but what can I do? I don’t want to leave him alone with Jody of all people. That woman should be working for MI6 the way she can extract information from anybody. But if I protest too much, she’ll know something’s going on between us, so I shoo him away, Trekkie at his heels, and head to the living room with Logan to find out what Jody’s sister bought my kid for Chrimbo. I just have to pray Pi can hold his tongue.
A full proper electric organ, that’s what Auntie Livvie’s given Logan. It’s a vintage secondhand job from Marketplace, but it has a stand, and a seat, and a whole heap of preprogrammed tunes. I turn the keys off and pretend I’m playing track one, “House of the Rising Sun,” and for thirty seconds Logan’s mind is blown by my apparent skills. Until he tries to destroy my set by banging on the lower keys, which obviously affects nothing.
“Dad! I thought you were really playing!”
In response, I grab him, tickle him, and then cuddle him.
Jody walks in a moment later, a cup of tea—presumably hers—in one hand, and a beaker filled with blackcurrant squash for Logan in the other. She’s also wearing the smuggest, most self-satisfied grin known to man, and I just know she’s broken him already. Damn.
Pi follows behind her, holding full mugs for me and him. He looks like a scolded puppy.
“Please don’t tell Megs,” I whisper, getting to my feet.
“I’m not going to do that, babes. This is better than Corrie,” she says. She leans in close under the guise of handing me a drink. “I really, really like him. I hope this works out for both of you.”
Either Pi doesn’t hear her, or he pretends not to. She takes the other mug of tea from him and sips it.
“Aiden, do you know how to play the keyboard?” Jody asks, changing the subject.
“Uh, yeah, I do, actually.”
Almost everyone in the room is stunned into silence.
Everyone except Logan, who loudly demands, “Show me!”
“Sure, okay.” Pi spares me a look, but it’s not a scared or guilty look. It’s different. Actually, he’s smiling. He takes a seat at the electric organ and fiddles with some settings, testing the keys now and then. “What should I play?”
“‘Your Idol!’” Logan yells.
“Oh, hell, I mean . . . heck. I don’t think I know that one.” Pi starts humming the tune to himself, presses a few buttons, and hums a bit more. Then he plays a few notes. It’s not exactly like the song, but it’s recognisable, and Logan is already screaming.
“Yoooooo!Bruh!”
We’re all laughing.
“Do you like Adele?” Pi asks. I’m not sure if he’s talking to me or Jody, but she answers.
“Ungh.” She clutches her chest. “I love Adele.”
