‘It’s no problem, Dad, honestly.’ Lucas held his phone up to the card reader.
‘Lucas!’ His father shook his head. ‘You can pay when it’s your house.’
‘OK then.’ He stepped back and watched as his father used his phone to pay, admiring the fact that the older man was au fait with doing so.
‘All done.’ His father tucked his phone back in his pocket, then said, ‘It’s easier to use my phone than struggle to get a card out of my wallet. Thank goodness for modern technology, eh!’
‘I see!’ Lucas said, ‘I was very impressed that you used your phone. A lot of people are still coming to terms with that technology.’
‘I have a lot of time on my gnarled old hands.’ His father winked.
‘OK then, I’ll get the tree in the car and then we can head home and trim up.’
‘Sounds like a grand plan.’
On their way back to Porthpenny, they sat in silence, but this time Lucas felt more comfortable. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but it was a start. Lucas still had reasons for feeling angry with his father, but they could wait on the back burner for now. He wanted to build some bridges while he was here and being on the attack would not help with that. So, he’d try to be helpful and positive and to encourage his father to be the same. Only then could they get to know each other well enough to have the tough conversations that Lucas had played out in his head so many times before. The tough conversations that his father had shut down on more than one occasion. Lucas knew they needed to have these tough conversations, even though he dreaded them, or he’d always wonder what would’ve happened if he’d been brave enough to be honest.
7
THORA
Dressed in her favourite fleecy pyjamas, fluffy socks, and an oversized sweatshirt with the sloganWorld’s BestDog Momon the front, Thora padded down the stairs and into the lounge. Big Barry, her black and white chihuahua, lay stretched out on the sofa, snoring with his tiny pink tongue lolling from the side of his mouth. She smiled as she gazed at him, resisting the urge to pick him up and hug him. He was a cuddly little boy but he also liked his sleep and she didn’t want to startle him by disturbing him when he was out cold.
It was Saturday evening, and she had the house to herself. The twins had both gone out with friends and would be back later, so that meant she could eat what she liked and not have to cater to their food preferences, and she could have the TV all to herself too. She’d soaked in a bubble bath, put on a face mask and read her book. When she’d got out of the bath she’d wrapped herself in a fluffy towel then slathered herself in a body butter that claimed to be good for mature skin. She didn’t get much time to pamper herself these days, and was often too tired to bother, but after her shift at the café, she’d decided to make the effort.
She opened the fridge and peered inside. What could she have for dinner? There were a few things in there but none that she really fancied so she could order a takeaway. Ordering just for herself went against the grain for her but she knew she needed to get used to it because when the twins left home, she’d need to embrace single life.
Grabbing her phone from the kitchen table, she was about to check the food delivery app that her daughter had downloaded for her, when the doorbell went. She hurried through the house to the front door, hoping to make it before whoever it was disturbed Barry. Once he started barking, it took a while to settle him so she wanted to avoid that if possible this evening. He seemed to be even more protective of her when the twins were out and made it his business to warn off any intruders who might threaten his mum and his home.
She unlocked the door, then opened it.
‘Oh … Hello.’
Her ex, Finn, smiled at her. ‘I brought food and wine!’ He held up two bags.
Thora swallowed a sigh of disappointment. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Finn, obviously, just that she’d been looking forward to a quiet evening. But she also suspected that when the twins left home, she’d end up longing for some company.
‘Quietly, please. Big Barry is sleeping.’
‘Oh … Of course!’ Finn knew the drill with Barry. She’d adopted him after Finn moved out, but he often spent time with the small dog when he came round and they got on well. But Barry was definitely a ladies’ man, and she knew he liked having Thora all to himself.
‘Where’s Titus this evening?’ she asked.
‘Out with some friends. They’ve gone to stay in Exeter so he’ll be back tomorrow.’ Finn came inside and she closed the door behind him. ‘So lucky me I get to spend some time with my favourite ex-wife.’
‘Your favourite ex-wife!’ She laughed. ‘How many do you have exactly?’
‘Just you, darling.’ Finn went through to the kitchen. ‘One is quite enough, thank you. Right, I got Chinese takeaway, ice cream and two bottles of red. That OK?’
‘Sounds perfect!’
She got some plates out, and he loaded them up with food while she poured some wine.
They took their plates through to the lounge and she sat on the sofa with Barry — who opened one eye as the aroma of food woke him up — and Finn took the chair near the log burner.
‘Nice and cosy in here, Thora.’ He nodded his approval.
‘I know. I’m so glad we got the log burner put in.’ They’d had it done before Finn left, and it was a very welcome addition that she appreciated more every winter. It made the lounge so warm and cosy that she often nodded off there with Barry, only to be woken by one of the twins when they got home from a night out, or when they came downstairs to check if she’d gone to bed. They were both kind and caring, and she appreciated how they looked out for her.
