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The three of them moved across the park. Mia on her scooter. Reece saw them coming. Hopefully he hadn’t seen them playing peekaboo. Hopefully he couldn’t see the ambivalence in her expression. He detached himself from his entourage at the same time as Mia dumped her scooter and made straight for the playground network of tunnels, ramps and bridges. Audrey scooped her up and copped an elbow in the ribs. There were a lot of other kids using the facility, most of them bigger than Mia. When she looked up, Reece was there with his youngest sister.
He smiled. “Hi, Audrey.” He ducked so he was level with Mia. “Hello, Mia.” Mia slammed her face into Audrey’s neck. “This is my sister, Pippa.”
Audrey eased Mia to her feet and she buried her face in Audrey’s hip. Pippa put her hand out to shake, she took it. “Everyone calls me Flip.”
“Hello, Flip. This is Mia and my friend, Leslie.”
Reece held his hand out to Les and she took it and murmured her hello, call me Les. She might as well have had her head in Audrey’s other hip. She might as well have said call me Less. She’d reverted to type. Reece pointed over his shoulder. “My sisters, Etta, Neeva and Ginnette. My girlfriend, Sky, and my best mate Marcus.”
“Everyone calls him Polly,” said Flip.
Reece went to his haunches. “Hello, Mia. Did you forget me?”
Mia shook her head, but she wouldn’t look at Reece, except for sneaky little glances. Monkey wasn’t scared of him, she was making this a game. And he knew it.
“Oh no, Mia doesn’t remember me. It’s young for treat ‘em mean keep ‘em keen, but I gotta respect that.” Mia giggled. “How will I make Mia smile?” Mia turned her face away from Reece, but it was all teeth and shiny eyes. Audrey could feel the tremble of Mia’s excitement against her leg. She didn’t react like this with any of the other applicants. At this rate there was a new dressing gown in Audrey’s future.
Reece sighed, elaborate and theatrical, and that was all it took for Mia to launch herself at him. He laughed and let her push him over so he sat on his backside on the grass, his long, strong legs sprawled in front of him, and Mia giggled in a wet her pants way. Reece did have that effect on you. He looked up at Audrey, a whole lot of what else do I have to do to get this job in his green eyes. As a negotiation tactic, it was impressive.
“I’ve spoken to Nina Flannery and Karla Ramsey. Both families gave you great references.”
Reece rocked into his hand and flipped over to his feet, his broad back and taut butt to them momentarily. Les whimpered and covered with a fake sneeze. Mia clapped like he’d performed a circus trick. This was so unfair. Why couldn’t he be a studious clown type or a nerdy neat freak? He was this charismatic gentle giant and that was too bad.
“I know you wanted to talk to Flip,” he said.
Flip nodded. She glanced at Reece and took a deep breath. “Do you want me to tell you while he’s listening?”
Audrey laughed. Mia reached for Reece’s hand and was content to simply watch the other kids on the play equipment.
He groaned. “There’s no way this is not going to be embarrassing.”
Flip scowled at Reece. “I’m not going to embarrass you. I won’t.” She faced Audrey. “We want Reece to get the job so that we can toss for his bedroom.”
Reece closed his eyes and put a hand to his forehead. “Flip.”
She rounded on him. “You told me to tell the truth.”
He ducked his head and laughed. Audrey’s phone beeped. She pulled it out of the side pocket of her bag. “Excuse me, this might be work.” She checked the screen. Les. She opened the text message. He blushed. I die. She tucked the phone in her pocket and refocused on Flip and Reece. He had blushed. He’d also cringed, his big shoulders trying to muffle his ears momentarily.
He pointed at the gym equipment. “Going to play.” Mia took the hint and dragged on his hand.
Flip told her how Reece was strict but a good brother. How he was there when their mum had to work, and when she was studying. How he cooked and made them do their chores. Helped with homework and knew when Gin’s asthma was bad. He was expert at making sure Etta and Neeva didn’t kill each other. He’d promised to teach Etta how to drive and he fixed things around the house. Her love for him was so evident it made Les text again. Twice.
The first read, If you don’t take him I will. The second came through before Audrey managed to re-pocket her phone. Is it poss to get preg from looking at a guy? Think I’m six months.
She gave Les a cease and desist look and when she turned to Flip, Faux Mo was there.
He stuck his hand out. “Hi, I’m Marcus, but call me Polly.”
“Audrey.” She shook a hand attached to a sleeve of intricate tattoos. “That’s Mia with Reece, and this is my friend, Leslie.” She had to elbow Les, to get her to take Polly’s hand.”
“Hi, Leslie, but call me Les.”
Polly laughed. He held Les’s hand longer than a random handshake in the park warranted. “Polly and Les. Two identities in crisis.” When he released her hand, Les looked at it as if it might’ve developed magical properties. Audrey looked upwards to make the point. Seagulls on the wing.
“I’ve known Reece since primary school. You can trust him with your kid,” said Polly.
“I already said that,” said Flip.
