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She had to make it up to him.
It was just starting to get dark, the twilight sky filled with clouds of blueberry and plum.
As she bumped up the tiny dirt track that traversed across the hills towards her home, she saw Daisy walking back towards the house. She stopped and buzzed down the van window.
‘It’s not far, but do you want a lift?’ Pe
‘That hill is steep, eh, I’m sure going to get fit climbing up and down that all day,’ Daisy said, shutting the door behind her.
‘You’ll get used to it.’
‘Dad’s really mad at you, he very rarely gets angry. I mean, he can be grumpy sometimes, but never angry.’
‘I called him a pervert, which would upset the calmest of souls.’
Daisy giggled. ‘I can’t believe you thought we were together. I mean, he’s so old.’
Pe
‘He will. Come for di
‘I really don’t think he wants to see me right now, let alone eat with me.’
‘Come on, what’s the worst that can happen? He can’t possibly be angrier than he is now.’
Pe
‘I bought him some flowers,’ she said lamely, as she got out the van, holding the bunch of bright orange and purple blooms aloft.
Daisy laughed. ‘You bought him flowers, that’s hilarious.’
Pe
Daisy encouraged Pe
‘Hi Daddy,’ Daisy sang.
‘I was just about to come looking for you. I said to get home before it’s dark.’
Although Henry was keeping it light, Pe
‘That hill took a lot longer to walk up than I thought, besides it’s not dark, it’s twilight, dusk at best. I’ve brought a friend with me, can she stay for di
‘You’ve made a friend already? Of course she can stay for di
‘She’s outside, she’s a bit scared of you,’ Daisy giggled.
‘That’s ridiculous, I don’t bite.’
Pe
‘She’s my friend, and you said she could come for di
Henry sighed heavily and stepped back to let her in.
‘I, erm, bought you some flowers to apologise.’ Pe
Henry stared at them in confusion. ‘No one has ever bought me flowers before. That’s normally a woman thing.’
‘Why should it be though, Dad, they don’t come with labels saying for women only,’ Daisy protested. ‘I think it’s a fantastic idea.’
Pe
Henry took the flowers, holding them like they were an unexploded bomb. He found a pint glass, filled it with water and shoved the stems into the glass, the flowers still wrapped in their plastic.
He turned back to face her, folding his arms across his chest, his eyebrows slashing down across his eyes.
‘I really am very sorry.’
‘You said that.’
Wow, he really wasn’t going to make this easy on her.
‘I’m just going to send an email,’ Daisy said. ‘How long until di
‘About five minutes,’ Henry said, not taking his eyes off Pe
Daisy turned from the room and Pe
He stared at her for a moment, the awkward tension hanging over them like a black cloud.
‘It’s OK, I don’t have to stay for di
She moved to the door and he didn’t even try to stop her.
She stepped outside, let herself into her own kitchen and switched on all the lights. Bernard popped his head over the arm of the sofa, but seeing it was her and not a burglar he went back to sleep again. Even if she had been a burglar she was pretty sure she’d get the same reaction from him.
She sat down at the kitchen table with her head in her hands. Life was going to be pretty unbearable between them. If there had been a fledgling friendship developing between her and Henry, it was well and truly gone now.
The co
‘Are you coming for di
Pe
‘Putting up with my grumpy face has surely got to be better than sitting in here on your own. Daisy will talk to you even if I don’t.’
It was hardly the best offer she’d ever had but it didn’t seem there was any room for arguments as he disappeared back into his own home again.
She stood up and followed him in. He was already dishing up three plates of a cheesy tomato pasta bake.
‘Daisy, get your arse down here,’ Henry called, but it was said in good humour and she heard Daisy laughing from upstairs.
Henry put the plate down on the table in front of Pe
Daisy came ru
‘Dad, don’t be an arse,’ Daisy said.
Henry sighed and put down his knife and fork. Pe
Suddenly a piece of pasta splatted against the side of Pe
Pe
‘Don’t ever call me a pervert again.’
‘Did you just throw your pasta at me?’ Pe
‘He and his sister do it all the time, you’d wouldn’t believe they were grown adults,’ Daisy said.
Henry shrugged. ‘I think we’re even.’
Pe
‘No, don’t you dare,’ Henry laughed.
Pe
Henry’s face lit up at hearing it. ‘Did you just snort?’
Pe
Henry’s big booming laugh filled the kitchen and he picked up his knife and fork and carried on eating. The atmosphere between them had vanished.
Henry watched Pe