GOING DUTCH by Katie Fforde

Author:Katie Fforde
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2011-11-09T03:56:09+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

‘OK, you know the way?' asked Jo, a few days later.

‘It's only getting out of London that's the problem,' said Dora, not for the first time. 'I've got my list of road num bers and places to look out for, and Tom's got the map.'

‘Sorry, I'm fussing.' Jo smiled in self-reproach. 'I'm such a mum!'

‘It's perfectly understandable, I'm taking your car.' Dora picked up her bag. She patted Jo's arm and smiled. 'I'd better go - Tom's waiting by the car. What are you going to do while we're away?'

‘Cooking for the trip. I shopped till I dropped yesterday. I'm going to fill the freezer, and then the fridge, with meals that can just be bunged in the oven or microwaved. I'll enjoy myself,' she added.

Reasonably convinced that this was true, Dora kissed Jo's cheek and went out to meet Tom, jingling Jo's car keys in her hand. It was a beautiful summer's day and her spirits lifted. She was nervous and excited at the same time. It was fun to be going off for the day with Tom, but the thought of seeing her parents for the first time since her escape was a bit daunting.

Tom was as relaxed as ever. 'When did you last drive, Dora?' he asked, getting in the passenger door.

‘I didn't have a car of my own but I used to use Mum's quite a lot.' She looked in the rear-view mirror and adjusted it slightly.'And John's?’

She shook her head. 'He always had cars it was too expensive to insure for me to drive. He wasn't a good passenger. But it did annoy me. I'm a far better driver than he is - was.' Her brow wrinkled, remembering how they used to share the driving before he got his own car, but afterwards he was so critical she always let him take the wheel if they were together, whatever car they were in.

‘OK,' said Tom after a moment's pause. 'Turn right out of the car park.'

‘I think I could have managed that bit on my own.'

‘If I'm here as your official navigator, I've got to do my job. Think of me as sat-nay.’

Dora relaxed. Tom wasn't John, he wasn't going to keep his hand on the handbrake and suck his teeth whenever she changed gear. 'Sat-nav gets people into all kinds of trouble, it's well known for it,' she said, beginning to feel confident and in control behind the wheel of Jo's car. She just hoped she went on feeling confident and in control when she got home.

‘The advantage of the human kind is that they can read maps too,' said Tom.

Later, when they were on the last stretch of the journey, Dora said, 'Now Tom, there are a few things I need to tell you about my mother.'

‘I'm sure there aren't.'

‘Yes! For example, you mustn't breathe a word of our bets—'

‘But your dad gave us the tickets to the races.'

‘Yes, but he didn't tell Mum about it first. She'll know by now, obviously, but you must not tell her that you made me get a tip for a race.

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