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“Daddy told me there are sharks at the Aquarium.”
Radleigh nodded. “There are. I heard that some people can even go swimming with them now.”
Jamie's eyes lit up at the prospect. “Maybe a shark will eat Grace!”
“Jamie!” Josh said. “That's a terrible thing to say about your sister!”
“I didn't mean it,” he said, grinning mischievously.
I tapped him on the leg for being so mean but I had to laugh. Josh used to say the same kind of things about me when we were younger.
“Daddy, can Radleigh come with us tomorrow?”
Josh, Radleigh and I fell silent. It was an innocent request from Jamie's point of view. To the rest of us, it held huge implications.
“Oh, Jamie, I don't know,” Josh said. “I'm sure Radleigh has other things to do tomorrow.”
Jamie looked at Radleigh, his eyes wide with hope. I glanced at Josh, and he shrugged.
Did I want Radleigh with me when I was trying to enjoy being with my family? No. Did I want to disappoint Jamie by saying Radleigh couldn't come? Not at all.
If Radleigh had been a decent human being, he would have made up an excuse to save me from this awkward position I’d been put in. He said nothing.
Oh, I see. You’re gonna make me make this decision.
“Are you busy?” I asked, stiffly.
Radleigh smiled. “I'm not busy. But I’ll only come if you're sure it's okay.”
You shit. You know we're never going to say no. Firstly out of politeness, and secondly so as not to disappoint Jamie who will sulk all day if we say you can't come.
“It's fine,” I said, though my eyes were telling him how much I hated him.
“Yay!” Jamie exclaimed as enthusiastically as his tired body would let him.
“And on that note,” Josh said, standing up, “we’d better go to bed.”
Jamie let out another whine but Josh gave him the ‘look’ so he reluctantly climbed off my lap. He gave me a hug and a kiss before taking Josh's hand.
“Goodnight, Jamie,” I said. “Night Josh.”
“Night Leah. Radleigh.” Josh answered, eyeing me a little warily. I smiled reassuringly at him and he nodded in understanding.
“We'll see you tomorrow,” he said
Once they were gone, I turned to Radleigh, fixing him with a poisonous stare.
“You could have said no,” he said, before I had a chance to open my mouth.
“No I couldn't and you know it. If you must come with us tomorrow, can you at least do me a favour?”
He smirked, and catching his train of thought, I said, “Don't be a pervert.”
“What can I do for you then?”
“Just behave yourself, okay? Don't annoy me, don't make me angry, just … don't be yourself. Can you do that?”
“I can, but don't blame me if your family fall in love with me.”
