‘So, what’s up?’ I ask, as soon as I’m out of earshot.
‘It’s nothing, really.’ There’s a long pause. ‘Are you going to be here soon, Dad?’
‘Yeah, few days. Not long.’ I kick at a lump of turf that’s been turned over by Betty’s wheels, pressing it back into place with my Croc.
‘OK.’ Another pause.
‘Louis, you can tell me anything, you know,’ I prompt, bracing myself.
‘Oh, it’s nothing… I just… I’ve been wondering, Dad. How do you know when someone’s the one?’
‘The one?’
‘Yeah. How do you know when it’s right? Really right?’
I’m not completely without skills or life experience. If he wanted to know something about troubleshooting software, I’m his guy. Minor STIs? I probably know more about them than some, unfortunately. I know how to wriggle out of situations and cook a basic lasagna. I can give advice about talking to a girlfriend’s mum or what to say if your boss’s demands are taking the piss.
But this? Knowing if someone is ‘the one’? I’m far from qualified.
The post-question silence is stretching though, and I need to say something. ‘Is this about Summer? Is everything OK?’
‘Yes! No. Well, not really. I love Summer. And you know, I’m pretty excited about getting married. Just… I suppose I want to be sure. I mean, you’re with Georgie, right? But is she the one? And how would you know?’
‘Ah, yes. Georgie.’ I don’t tell my son that my former girlfriend is ghosting me. And that, actually, I don’t blame her. I haven’t been a good boyfriend. Or even, well, a good guy I suppose. ‘I’m not… we’re not seeing each other any more.’
I hear Louis sigh quietly and there’s an air of disappointment in the noise. I scramble in my brain for something great to say. ‘Look, son, I haven’t been that lucky in love, I guess. Since your mum. I know we were just kids, but I thought she was the one. We made each other laugh. We had fun.’
‘Aw.’
‘And she’s obviously sexy as hell.’
‘Oh my God! Dad!’
‘Sorry. Sorry. I suppose I never found “the one”. At least I haven’t yet.’ I remind myself that it’s not too unusual for a guy to be forty and still hope to settle down. Plenty of fish and all that. ‘I suppose I like to think that when someone’s the one, you just want to spend every day with them. That even when things are difficult or boring or go disastrously wrong (my brain helpfully provides a flashback of flying swimming trunks at this point, but I blink it away), you’d still rather have that person by your side than any other. And you can tell them anything and they won’t judge you. I guess, it’s when a person feels like… well, when you feel more at home with them than you do when you’re alone.’
There’s a silence. ‘That’s nice, Dad. But you’ve never found that?’
I decide that the best thing to do is to divert his attention back to his own relationship. ‘Honestly, Louis. I love Summer. And you guys seem really happy. But youareonly twenty-two. If you don’t want to get married yet, you don’t?—’
‘Gran said you’d say that.’
‘Gran knows you’re asking me this?’
‘No! No. Notthis. Just back when I was going to call you, you know, to tell you about the wedding, she said “Don’t be surprised if your dad tries to talk you out of it!”’
‘Seriously?’
‘Seriously. Anyway, she was wrong, wasn’t she? You were completely made up about it. If anything, it was Mum who brought down the aura.’
‘Sarah didn’t like the idea?’ I interpret.
‘Not really,’ Louis scoffs. ‘She came round. But I’m pretty sure she thinks we’re too young as well. And I’m fairly certain she hated the fact that Gran had persuaded us to do it here.’
‘Granpersuadedyou?’
‘Not persuaded, not really. Offered, I guess. Summer and I got engaged. I’d already planned the holiday to Gran’s, but then when we arrived and told her, Gran said to stay longer, maybe even arrange a wedding. It’s hardly going to cost anything, and she’s helping us out with the rest.’
‘Oh.’
