Friday Barnes: No Escape by R.A. Spratt

Author:R.A. Spratt [Spratt, R. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781760895778
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

After a wonderful day sightseeing in Siena with their school group, Friday and Melanie had promised to go over and visit Bernie in the evening. Friday trudged up the four staircases to the apartment with heavy feet. Her legs were tired because they’d climbed all four hundred steps to the top of the Tower of Mangia. But her legs were extra heavy because she was dreading seeing Ian again. If Tatiana was there as well, that would be bad too. But it would almost be worse if he was there alone, because then she’d have to talk to him, really talk to him, with no pretence of being nice and polite for Tatiana’s benefit.

Uncle Bernie was clearly relieved to see them when he answered the door. He had Bella in one arm and chocolate custard all down his shirt front. ‘Thank goodness you’re here,’ he said. ‘Here, hold the baby. I’ve got to clean the carpet before it stains.’ He thrust Bella into Friday’s arms and hustled off to a back room of the apartment.

‘Hello,’ Friday said to her little cousin.

‘Fah-dey,’ said Bella, delighted to have Friday’s hat and hair to play with again.

Friday carried the baby into the living room to play on the floor, glancing about as she passed the kitchen and the dining room.

‘It’s okay,’ said Melanie. ‘I don’t think he’s here. Otherwise I’m sure he would have come out to say something that sounded rude but was really flirty.’

‘He’s got a girlfriend,’ said Friday.

‘Yes, I know,’ said Melanie. ‘But you’re his true love. He knows that in his heart. He’s just got to work through the process of realising he’s made a terrible mistake.’

‘Tatiana seems really nice,’ said Friday.

‘She does,’ agreed Melanie. ‘That’s why it will never work. Ian needs someone more dysfunctional, more like him.’

Uncle Bernie came back in, dabbing his now water-stained shirt with a tea towel. ‘I’m glad you’re here, Friday,’ he said. ‘I love Helena, but when I try discussing work with her, her solution is always that I should consider becoming a vegan. She thinks dairy is clogging my mind.’

‘I don’t think it’s dairy that’s your problem,’ said Friday. ‘Sugar generally has been shown to have a beneficial effect on cognitive processes. So, I don’t see why lactose, a milk-based sugar, should be any different. Unless she is hypothesising that a lack of equilibrium in your gut biome is causing a hormonal response that inhibits your ability to concentrate. Which I suppose is quite possible.’

‘I think she’s just trying to get me to eat all the kale she’s grown,’ said Uncle Bernie, glumly.

‘Kale would cloud my cognitive processes,’ said Melanie.

‘You don’t stay awake long enough for your cognitive processes to get cloudy,’ said Friday.

‘True,’ said Melanie. ‘Naps are good for mental clarity. Although you can miss so much while you’re taking them.’

‘So, what’s the problem at work?’ asked Friday, seeing her uncle frown. He had clearly stopped listening to them and was thinking about something else.

‘What?’ asked Bernie. ‘Oh yes, work.’ He moved closer to Friday and lowered his voice, as if there was a chance someone was listening in.

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