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“Eggplant. It's yummy, especially in lasagne.” I held a little piece out for her to try. She stared at me for a long time, before finally reaching out and grasping the piece in her little hand. Simon looked on from the couch, amused.
“Mmm.” Maddie said, nodding her head.
“I can never get her to try new things.” Commented Simon dryly. Maddie turned around and glared at him.
“That's because you're not pretty like Emma, daddy.” She announced. Both Simon and I burst out laughing. “Emma says if I eat new things it will make me pretty like her.”
How great would it be to be five years old again? I thought back to when I used to stuff my sprouts in my socks during dinner when mom wasn't looking so I didn't have to eat them. To this day, I'd never told her that. I think even now she would freak out. I put the lasagne in the oven and went to sit with Simon. I slid onto the edge of the couch, throwing my legs over his. I put my feet in his face, wiggling my toes. I didn't care if they smelt.
“Hint much?” He smiled, grabbing hold of my left foot. He began to massage it.
“Oh god that is so good.” I groaned, closing my eyes. When I opened them, Maddie was standing in front of me looking at me curiously.
“You look really happy.” She finally commented.
“That's because your daddy has magic fingers.” Maddie giggled and danced around the room, wiggling her fingers. Simon glanced over at me and raised an eyebrow.
“I'll show you magic fingers.” He mumbled under his breath, loud enough for only me to hear. I believed it too, after what he'd shown me last night and the night before. He started on the other foot, which of course had me groaning all over again. Maddie continued to giggle.
“I'm going to tell mommy you groan lots.” She laughed. Just what I needed. I could imagine how that would be taken by the Claire. So long as she didn't mention how much I enjoy her daddy's magic fingers too.
“I will tell your mommy you giggle lots.” I shot back, tickling her. Maddie shrieked, dodging away from my grasp.
Dinner was a success, according to Maddie my lasagne was better than anyone's, even nanna Anderson's. The mention of Simon's mother made me glance at him. He winked. I turned back to Maddie.
“And what's Nana Anderson like?” I asked Maddie innocently, well aware of Simon's wide grin. I know, I know. Fishing for information from a five year old. Not cool. Maddie thought hard, as if this question required a great deal of consideration.
“She's nice.” She began. “She smells like soap. And she has a beard.”
“Maddie!” Simon exclaimed, laughing. “Watch what you say. And you.” He turned his attention to me. Me? I mouthed, pointing to my chest. “Yes you, don't pretend to be all innocent. Shaking down a child for information, it's appalling.” He shook his head disapprovingly, a glint in his eyes. I shrugged.
“I know, I know, I'm evil, but where else am I going to get any info?”
“Um, oh I don't know, me?” He shook his head. “Okay, what do you want to know?” I thought about it. What did I want to know? I reeled off a list of random questions. To his credit, he answered everything. He had one brother and one sister. His brother, Andrew lived in London and was married to an Irish girl. They had three children.
His sister lived at home with his mother. She had suffered severe brain damage in an accident when she was 14. She couldn't talk, walk or communicate at all. Simon visited her every week to read to her. His mom and dad had divorced when Simon was 23, his dad died of cancer three years ago. He spoke to his mom twice a week, and Maddie saw her every fortnight.
“Anything else?” He asked, raising his eyebrows. Maddie had long lost interest in our conversation and was curled up on the couch watching cartoons. I shook my head.
“I think that just about covers it.”
“Okay, so your turn now.” I looked up at him, both surprised and slightly alarmed. He knew everything about me, what else could their possibly be?
“Okay.”
“Brothers? Sisters?” I shook my head. “Nope. Only child. Mom got sick after me and couldn't have any more kids. They wanted to adopt, but then...” I trailed off. They had been in the process of filing paperwork to adopt when I was attacked. Both became way too unstable to care for another child after that.
“Aunts? Uncles? Cousins?” He prodded. I tried to think. My dad had a sister, but she lived in New Zealand and I hadn't seen or heard from her since I was about six. I had no idea if I had any cousins or not. Simon was shocked by this. I felt embarrassed. Was it that strange not to know your relatives?
“Next question?” I said defensively. He was being an arsehole. So what if I didn't know whether or not I even had cousins?
“No, give me a minute.” He pulled out his tablet. “Do you know if she's married?”
“Yes, well she was anyway. Phillip Geary.” I rolled my eyes as he tapped away on his tablet. This was supposed to be about him opening up, not about my estranged family.
Why did everything end up turning back onto me?
Stupid Simon and his 'close' family. I was about to get up and join Maddie on the couch when he spun the tablet around triumphantly.
