Page 43 of Alpha's Sunflower Smiles

Chapter 18

Pete

The door to my office opened and I looked up to see Papa walking in. I shot to my feet, and then wasn’t sure what to do with myself.

“Papa?”

He closed the door and then stood there, slightly awkward. “Don’t I get a hug?”

“Yes, of course,” I said, and moved around my large desk to embrace him. “Come and sit down.”

I led him to the comfortable chair and got him settled, and then wasn’t sure what to do with myself.

“Sit down here and talk to me.” Papa always did like to get straight to the point.

I sat and my body was tense. I wasn’t sure what was about to happen and it could be either very good or very bad. I wished I could rush across the street and grab Wilfred and bring him over here. It would be much easier with him sitting beside me, radiating calm and happiness.

Papa didn’t give me a chance to do that, though.

“Your partner came to visit me this morning.”

“Wilfred?”

“Unless you have any more partners you haven’t told me about.”

It was a statement, but the sharp tone in Papa’s voice told me that it wasn’t just a throwaway remark. It needed an answer.

“No, Papa.”

“You know, he’s a very talented man.”

Okay, that was not what I had been expecting him to say. Not that it wasn’t true, because it was, but still… not what I thought Papa would lead with.

Slowly, I nodded.

Papa continued. “He made the most beautiful candle holder. It was even prettier than the one you gave Xavier.”

I decided that it was time to speak up. Clearlynotspeaking up for myself had been a bad tactic, over the years. I might not have had the courage to do it before but I had Wilfred now and I needed to make it very clear where I stood.

For the record, I stood right beside Wilfred. Metaphorically speaking.

“Papa,yougave that to Xavier. I bought it as a gift foryou.”

“Is that when you met Wilfred?”

“Um, actually I already knew him a bit before that. His shop is only over the road.” I gestured out the window.

I saw Papa’s eyes catch on the beautiful display and realised that, if this went well and Papa accepted us, he’d be over in Sunflower Smiles all the time. He’d probably need to be restrained from spending a fortune on Wilfred’s crafts. Wilfred made beautiful things and Papa had a real weakness for them.

“I see. So you’ve been after him for a while, then.”

Again, it was a statement and I wasn’t sure if I was meant to answer.

“Yes, Papa. I love him.”

“That’s very fast.”

“Yes, but it’s true.”

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