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“That’d be great, thank you.”
He gave me a smiley kiss on the temple and left me alone with my father.
“So, tell me honestly, how was last night?”
Dad was still smiling, not something I saw on him very often. “It was very nice. Honestly. They’re all lovely people. I mean, there were a lot of kids and noise. But the madness is part of the charm, right?”
I chuckled. “It is.”
“And his house...”
That made me laugh. “I know. It’s very big and expensive.”
“I take it they have a lot of money,” he said quietly. “Not that they paraded it or anything. Actually, they’re very down-to-earth people. But, well, you know...”
And Ididknow. When you grew up and lived with only the bare essentials, and sometimes not even that, someone with money was easy to spot. And it wasn’t just the flash cars or expensive jewellery. A lot of it was behaviour that came from a privilege they weren’t even aware of.
“I do know,” I replied. “When I first met Tully, he wore old clothes and drove an old banged-up Jeep. Then he took me to his house. It was quite the separation from who I assumed he was. But he’s just a normal guy, Dad. They all are.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “They said the family business was shipping. Not sure what that means.”
“You know the shipping containers and freighters with the knight’s helmet?”
He nodded, then his eyes went wide. “ThoseLarsons?”
I chuckled. “Yes. Don’t worry, I almost died when he took me to his office and I realised. He’d never told me who his family was. He just said he works in imports and exports. Which isn’t a lie. They just don’t flaunt it. Actually, I don’t think it even occurs to Tully to flaunt it.”
Dad was still taken aback. “Well, I never... I had no idea.”
I smiled and patted his hand. “Proof that they’re just normal people.”
He nodded, then remembered something. “Oh, I met your bird, Mr Percival. Cheeky thing he is.”
“He is.” I was glad to be able to rest my head on the bed. I’d done a lot this morning and was already tired again, even though it was barely 7:30 am. “He’s a real character.”
“Want me to put your bed down a bit?” he asked, concerned. “You can close your eyes for a bit.”
“Maybe later,” I said. “I’m glad you’re here.”
His eyes met mine briefly before he looked away again, embarrassed. “I’m glad I’m here too.”
“How long are you staying for?”
“Three days. It’s all I could get off work.”
He’d always worked so hard, and it helped make up my mind. “I really need to go home today.”
Tully came in with a tray of coffees and a smile that made my heart thump. I glanced at the machine; it didn’t beep but there was a spike.
It made Tully laugh. “I’m definitely gonna get us one of these machines. Do you think they’ll let us keep this one?”
“Highly unlikely.”
He handed us our coffees. “Yours is on skim milk,” he said. “We’re heart-healthy people now.”
Oh good lord. “Are you going to police every single thing I eat and drink for the rest of my life?”
He grinned. “That’s the plan.”
