Everything In Between by Vanessa More

Author:Vanessa More [More, Vanessa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: women's fiction, Romance, Fiction
Publisher: Vanessa More
Published: 2023-02-01T06:00:00+00:00

22

While walking home from my catch up with Lily, the sun makes a rare appearance, inspiring me. When I get home I announce to Dad, who is sitting outside beside the lemon tree with Jinx on his lap, that we will eat our lunch out here in the backyard beneath the sunshine.

We enjoy curried egg and lettuce sandwiches and hot coffee from a flask, sweet and strong the way Dad likes it, and the way I like it too.

‘This is nice,’ says Dad, gazing around him like the yard is brand new and he’s seeing it for the first time. His gaze rests on what used to be our vegetable patch but is now a bed of weeds. ‘We need to do some weeding. Your mother’s going to be madder than a cut snake when she sees the state of her garden.’

I smile and I’m sure my mother is somewhere above the clouds having a good giggle at what dad is saying about her.

‘Maybe we could pull some weeds after lunch.’

Dad nods. ‘Maybe. But I could do with a nap first. The suns making me tired.’ He yawns and picks up the plate resting between us and offers it to me. ‘Go on, you have the last one. I know it’s your favourite.’

I take the triangle of sandwich. ‘Thanks, Dad.’

He winks at me. ‘Anything for my special girl,’ he says, and then his face drops and his chin begins to quiver.

I abandon my sandwich and meet Dad’s eyes.

‘Dad, what’s wrong?’

‘You’ll always be my special girl. Always.’ He glances at the fence. ‘I don’t care what David says. His head’s all mixed up. The amount of booze he’s been drinking lately, and all that eating... he’s going to have a heart attack one day.’ Dad gnaws on his bottom lip. ‘He’s my mate, but he’s been different lately. He’s changed ever since he found out. Sonja should never have told him.’

A monarch butterfly flutters over our picnic and lands on the edge of my coffee cup, its wings opening and closing gracefully before it flies away.

‘What did he find out?’

Dad frowns at me and yawns again. ‘Time for a nap I think.’ To my great disappointment, he gets up, oblivious to what he’s let slip. ‘Let’s pack this up before your mother goes crazy at us for leaving a mess.’

‘Okay Dad.’

Together and in silence, we collect the plates and coffee cups. I shake and fold the blanket we sat on then we go inside.

After Dad disappears into his room for an afternoon nap, I open my laptop and make myself comfortable on the couch. Jinx quickly seeks me out and after a bit of nudging of my laptop so that I move it from my lap to the arm of the couch, he scratches around and turns a few times on the spot, then curls on my lap and promptly falls asleep.

I stroke his fur and open my search engine. After taking a deep breath, I finally type what I’ve not allowed myself to ever look up.

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