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She didn’t get a chance to finish, as Harry bounced into the conversation. ‘We’re going to Florida! Yeah!’ He did an uncoordinated little dance of joy.
‘You’re taking Harry to Florida?’ Amy said.
‘We’ve rented a villa,’ Laurie told her.
‘A villa?’
‘It’s got a pool!’ Harry said.
‘You know how much he’s always wanted to go,’ James said, almost apologetically, but he hadn’t remembered correctly. It wasn’t Harry who had always wanted to go to Florida. It was Amy who had always wanted to take Harry to Florida.
‘You’re really taking him to America?’ she repeated softly, in case she’d misheard, and James and Laurie had actually told her they were going to Filey. After all, James had resolutely refused to go to America when she had tried to persuade him, so she might have misunderstood.
‘Yes, Florida.’ Laurie took a step towards Amy, her face alight with enthusiasm. ‘Mummy and Daddy used to take me when I was a little girl, and I thought it would be a great way of bonding with Harry.’
‘You can’t!’ Amy blurted out.
‘What do you mean, we can’t?’ James placed his hand protectively on Laurie’s shoulder.
‘You need my permission to take him out of the country, don’t you?’ She was grasping at straws, and she knew it.
‘That’s ridiculous. Don’t you try to —’ James said, but Laurie intervened.
‘James, please be quiet, you’re not helping,’ she said, and to Amy’s surprise, he raised his hands and took a step backwards. ‘Amy, I know you only want what’s best for Harry, and you wouldn’t deny him a trip of a lifetime, would you?’
Laurie looked her straight in the eyes, right through the sunglasses. Sensible, calm and organised, there was none of James’s bluster about her, but she was so smug and patronising with her constant research and her helpful suggestions. Amy sighed. No, of course she wouldn’t want to deny Harry the trip of a lifetime.
‘I guess not.’ It wasn’t as if she didn’t trust James and Laurie to bring him back again. James had too much to lose to take off around the world in an attempt to kidnap their son. ‘Of course he can go.’
Harry cheered, loudly, and started to chant ‘Mickey Mouse is in the house!’ over and over again, hopping from one foot to the other. Amy smiled at his enthusiasm. It was good to see him so happy.
‘Harry, stop that! You’re messing up the drive and getting gravel all over the lawn!’ James reached out a hand to catch hold of Harry’s arm, pulling him back.
‘He’s happy! Can’t you let him express himself for once?’
‘Let him express himself with your gravel!’ James said. ‘And I’d rather he spent less time expressing himself, and more time learning to control himself. He’s told me about what happened on Friday. Another trip to see the headteacher, eh, Amy?’
‘You know it’s not been easy for him recently.’
‘Laurie, why don’t you take Harry to get his things from the house, while I talk to Amy?’ James suggested. Laurie nodded and ushered Harry back into the house, out of earshot.
‘I know it’s not been easy but I don’t blame him. I blame you.’ James continued, once Harry had gone. ‘You’re too soft, you don’t make enough effort to manage his behaviour. This ‘expressing himself’ nonsense is the thin end of the wedge.’
‘Let’s look at it from Harry’s point of view, shall we? He doesn’t like change and he’s had a tough time since we split up.’
‘Not this again,’ he said. ‘He’s fine.’
‘He is not fine. He’s unhappy, and he’s struggling to deal with everything. Of course he’s acting up! The divorce hit him really hard.’
‘He’s never said a word to me about it!’ James folded his arms across his chest.
‘Exactly! That’s the problem, isn’t it? He never talks to either of us about it.’
‘That’s because he’s got nothing to say. He’s a tough little lad, he can deal with it. No need for navel-gazing and tears.’
James was infuriating. He didn’t understand his own son. ‘Will you stop saying things like that? You’re such a dinosaur! It’s okay for boys to cry.’
‘Not my son.’ He wouldn’t look at her, fixing his attention on the trees on the street.
