Page 56 of Love, Accidentally

‘I’ve no idea, but it was a clear warning.’

‘Have you asked Will about it?’

‘No. He doesn’t know what his dad said and it’s not really the kind of thing you can bring up in conversation, is it?’

She’s silent, obviously processing what I’ve told her as she makes the drinks.

‘You could ask him about his past relationships,’ she says eventually. ‘That’s natural curiosity about someone and you wouldn’t need to let on what his father had said.’

‘I think that gives off the wrong vibe.’

‘Why?’

‘It just sounds like I’m either interested myself, or I’m sizing him up to matchmake him with one of my friends.’

‘Nonsense. You’re overthinking it. There are lots of ways to bring it up casually without making a big deal of it.’

Thankfully, further analysis of my non-existent relationship with Will is halted by the arrival of Greg, sweating profusely and leaving much less to the imagination than I’d like in his Lycra running shorts.

‘There’s a strange man on our living room floor watching TV with Isaac,’ he tells us with a smile. ‘He says his name is Will and he’s something to do with you, Tilly. Is that true or shall I call the police?’

‘No police required,’ I reply. ‘He’s a friend of mine.’

‘Good. Isaac seems to have taken to him, so having him arrested might have caused a scene. I gather you’ve volunteered to take Isaac out for the day. Is that true as well, or did my wife press-gang you?’

‘No. I volunteered.’

‘Fool. I am grateful though. We both are. We’re going to go out for lunch, to a proper restaurant, did Tash tell you?’

‘No.’

‘I’m excited and terrified in equal measure,’ she says. ‘On the one hand, we’re going to eat real, grown-up food without having to worry about what Isaac will eat or whether he’ll get bored, but what if we find we don’t have anything to talk about without him as the catalyst?’

‘I’m sure you’ll do just fine.’

‘Of course we will,’ Greg assures her. ‘Right, I’d better jump in the shower. Nice to see you, Tilly, and thanks again.’

‘There’s another thing that I’m a bit anxious about,’ she confides when he’s gone. ‘The sex.’

‘Why? You’ve done it hundreds of times, haven’t you? It’s just sex, Tash.’

‘You say that, but I’ve been so focused on baby sex, I worry I’ve forgotten how to do romantic sex. And when do we do it? After lunch seems the obvious time, because he’ll be nice and relaxed, but what if he’s too relaxed and goes to sleep before I have a chance to get him in the mood? If we do it this morning before we go out, it might feel rushed.’

I laugh. ‘Now who’s overthinking? I’m sure you’ll know the right moment. Just make sure you’re done and dusted by the time we bring Isaac back. There are some things a sister definitely doesn’t need to witness.’

As we carry the drinks into the sitting room, I’m amused to see that the episode has finished, but Will and Isaac are engaged in what appears to be quite the debate.

‘Everything all right?’ Tash asks.

‘Absolutely,’ Will assures her. ‘I was just saying to Isaac that the Fat Controller really ought to be put in prison for running a railway that has that many accidents.’

‘And I was saying that it’s not the Fat Controller’s fault because the engines are silly and don’t do what he tells them,’ Isaac retorts.

‘You do make a good point,’ Will concedes. ‘Either way, I’m not sure I’d want to travel on his railway.’

‘You can’t, anyway,’ Isaac tells him good-naturedly. ‘It’s not real, you know. It’s just a story.’

Tash and I settle ourselves on the sofa to drink our tea, but I’m no longer surprised that Will chooses to stay on the floor with his new best friend. What neither of us were expecting is the way that Isaac subtly nestles into Will as he drinks his squash. Tash shoots me a subtle thumbs up but, although I roll my eyes at her in return and I wouldn’t describe myself as especially maternal, there is something undeniably attractive about Will’s natural rapport with Isaac. If nothing else, it makes me feel much more confident about today.

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