Page 132 of The New Place

Pat? Abbot’s lost him in the whirl of people. Chris and Susan too—though no, there’s Chris blowing up a balloon just to release it, to Liesl’s delight.

“Big kangaroo negotiation in the works,” Dan says.

“Ned,” Abbot says more urgently. Don’t, he thinks at his father. Don’t sneer or sniff or give Dan that cold, cold look for being his wonderful, enthusiastic self.

“Patrick!” Ned holds up Pat’s phone, a call lighting up the screen.

“I haven’t seen him, but Ned—” Abbot beckons Ned over.

“Just think how lovely Europe would be in the summer.” Cheryl lays her hand on Dan’s arm. “It’ll be so cold in Australia. It’s winter there.”

“Does Australia get that cold?” Dan asks.

“I suppose parts of it,” Charles says.

“I can find him,” Abbot says to Ned, tipping his chin at their parents, trying to nudge Ned toward the conversation.

Ned looks at the screen again and taps it to answer Pat’s phone. “Hey, it’s Ned. I’m looking for Pat for you.”

“The little island, down south,” Dan says.

“Tasmania?” Charles asks.

“That must get chilly,” Dan says.

“Ned,” Abbot says, louder.

Ned nods, holding a finger up, and then finally crosses the room to them, pushing the phone at Abbot.

Abbot fumbles to take it and quickly raises it to say, “Hello?”

“Pat?” a woman asks.

“No,” Abbot says. “But he’s here somewhere.”

“Abbot? Hey. What’s all that noise?” a voice he recognizes as Claire asks.

“Our—ah. Wedding.”

“What?”

“Ned and I are getting married,” Abbot says. “At Pat’s cafe. In just a moment.”

“Oh.”

“Claire?” Abbot asks at the sigh in her voice.

“No, no. Congrats. That’s—wow. Cool.”

“Are you alright?”

“I just…” she laughs. “I put off this call to Pat all damn week, and I apparently have great timing to finally find the balls to do it right now.”

“Let me get him for you.”

“No, no, I’m not going to interrupt.”

“It’s fine,” Abbot says.