Page 104 of Little Miss Fortune

‘Nothing.’ She shakes her head and bites the octopus’s head.

‘You know something. You two were acting weird last month. Is it related?’ I hiss at her with a low voice and a pointed finger.

‘No, you’re acting weird, bruv,’ she hisses back, and I feel like a cat tucking its tail. ‘Nothing of the sort. I just think he is pulling a sickie after a leave to get more time off.’

I suppose that might be true. Steven confirms that Toby is working from home in between his fifteen-minute chat of absolutely zero substance or opportunity for me to interject or respond to any of the tasks he’s piling onto me now that I’m off the learning programme.

After dinner, I hover around my sister’s room.

‘What do you want?’ she shouts.

‘Did you say anything weird? To Toby about me?’

‘No? Why would I?’

‘I don’t know. He’s being weird. Elusive, even.’

‘Oh.’

‘What?’

‘He is probably scared of Dad.’

I click my tongue and shut the door. He definitely isn’t. No one is scared of Dad. Dad is a typical middle-class white man. But maybe there is something to the family dynamics. Maybe having dinner at mine after what went down at his... Maybe that was too much.

That’s probably it. I should just give him some space and ask him about it after his birthday. What should I get him for his birthday?

I replay our conversations in my mind, ignoring the ache that his sudden shift in communication has caused. He was so honest before. What happened?

Wait, stop. Presents.

What would Toby want for his birthday?

He never really talks about what he wants. He has so much money he just gets it for himself.

It was the first time I wanted someone.

He wanted you, and now he doesn’t anymore.

Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

This is just a blip. Don’t read too much into this, Fuko.

I guess I could get him a movie poster. Something to decorate his walls with. Would An Interview with the Vampire be a bad shout? On one hand, we kissed during that event; on the other, I was a total bitch during it. And lost my job and my friends and, for a minute, Toby.

Might lose him again.

Right, enough.

A silly thought crosses my mind. What if I get him... Can I get the exact colours? For a man that has everything, this could work. Express delivery and gift wrapping—placed.

Can’t wait to see the goofy smile on his face when he sees it.

If he sees.

Nothing is wrong, Fuko. It’s all in your head.

CHAPTER 35