The House of Many Lives by L.K. Wilde

Author:L.K. Wilde [Wilde, L.K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

KATE STEPPED OUTSIDE carrying a full bin bag and narrowly missed tripping over the boy on her front step.

“Ryan? What are you doing out here?”

Ryan tried to blow smoke out from the corner of his mouth, but ended up choking and needing a few back slaps from Kate before he could catch his breath.

“Does your dad know you’re out here smoking?”

“Yeah, none of his business though.”

“Fair enough. I don’t suppose you can spare one of those?”

“I’ve only got rollies.”

“Even better,” said Kate, taking a pinch of tobacco from the offered tin and expertly twisting the thin paper into a tube. Ryan offered her a light, and she sat beside him on the step, taking a deep drag and trying not to cough.

“You don’t look like a smoker.”

“I’m not really. Gave up a few years ago, but the odd one now and then can be very tempting. Anyway, I thought all young people were into vaping these days?”

“Yeah, most are.”

“But not you?”

“I like to be different.” He smiled at her, the first open, warm smile she’d seen from him since he arrived.

“How did you get on today with the surfing?”

“Good yeah, I stood up a few times. Dad properly stacked it, thought he was going to need CPR.” He laughed and took a puff of his rollie.

“I’m glad you guys are having a good time.”

“Yeah, I didn’t want to come if I’m honest, but it’s not been as bad as I thought it would.”

“Why didn’t you want to come?”

Ryan looked at his feet.

“Sorry, you don’t have to answer that if it’s too personal a question.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t really know my dad. I only met him a couple of months ago.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, mad isn’t it? He didn’t abandon me if that’s what you’re thinking. Him and Mum lost touch, and by the time she knew she was pregnant she had no way of contacting him.”

“That must have been so hard for her.”

“It was. I’ve always hated him for leaving her, but he didn’t really, did he?”

“So how did you get in touch with him after all this time?”

“Mum found him on Facebook after I started hassling her about tracking him down. Knowing how old he was, Facebook was the obvious place to start the search.” Kate winced, wondering if her own Facebook account put her in the old category. “They didn’t have Facebook back when they got together, or she could’ve found him sooner. It was only a one-night thing between them, so she didn’t know where he lived or anything like that.”

“How do they get on now?”

“It’s a bit frosty. I think Mum feels he owes her big time for all the years she’s spent looking after me by herself.”

“That’s understandable. So, this was a getting to know you sort of trip?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’m still not sure I like him, I mean, he’s well embarrassing. But he’s sort of growing on me, you know?”

“He seems a decent bloke from the little time I’ve spent with him. Will you

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