Page 25 of Play Our Song

“Mind?” Mila laughed. “It’s a joy to have someone at the table who can talk about things other than piano playing andPokemon. Take a seat. I’ll get you some coffee. Want some toast?”

“Just cereal is okay.”

“Then help yourself,” Mila said.

Tilly, who had been hoping to talk to Max, found herself sitting down at a sticky table opposite Dash and next to Ag. “Good morning,” she said politely.

“Would you rather have Kartana or Koraidon?” Dash demanded as she sat down.

“Um, I’d rather have Cocoa Pops if you’ve got those?” said Tilly.

Ag rolled her eyes. “He’s talking about Pokemon. Again.” She handed Tilly a yellow cereal box. “Did you do choir last night? What are you singing? Was it good? Isn’t Billy lovely?”

“Ms. Brooke,” Mila said firmly. “Please don’t use her first name without permission. It’s rude.”

Ag rolled her eyes again. “So?” she asked Tilly.

“Ms. Brooke is very nice, we’re singing lots of things, and choir was… very nice, thank you,” said Tilly.

“Can I come with you next time?” Ag asked, making her big blue eyes wider and fluttering her lashes. “Please?”

“No kids,” Tilly said gravely. Ag’s face fell. “But I can get you VIP seats to the concert,” added Tilly.

Ag grinned. “That’d be ace, thanks. And if you want, you can come to one of my concerts. I’m going to have a big competition soon.”

“Maybe,” Mila said.

“Maybe,” said Ag, but she didn’t look like that was a maybe.

“Really?” asked Tilly, pouring milk over her cereal.

“Yeah, it’s really cool and maybe I could win a big grand piano and maybe go to the conservatory school even though mum and dad say that it’s better to be on the ground or something.”

“It’s better to stay grounded,” Mila said, putting coffee in front of Tilly. “As in, we need to keep our options open and not spend all day, every day, playing the piano.”

“Which sounds awesome,” said Ag dreamily.

Tilly glanced at Mila, who looked suddenly tired and a little pale, worried perhaps. Bringing up two such energetic kids must be pretty draining, she thought. The Brownings had been kind to her, they didn’t have to put her up in their home. She could have been in one of those horrible business hotel places.

She coughed and dug her spoon into her bowl. “Um, if you and Max want to go out one night, I could babysit,” she said. She looked over at the two kids. “Once these two are in bed, of course,” she added, because she wasn’t sure she could handle them both awake if she was alone.

“That’s very kind,” Mila said. “We might take you up on that.” She turned to her children. “Come on, I’m going to change this shirt and then we’re out of here. Leave the table and get your school things ready. Two minutes, chop-chop.”

Mila and Max passed each other as she left and Max came in. He swooped down and kissed both his children before ruffling their hair and sending them out to get their schoolbags. Then he sat down at the table and pulled cereal toward himself. “Sleep alright?” he grinned at Tilly.

“Great,” Tilly lied. “I’ve been thinking.”

“Oh yeah?” asked Max, busy getting himself some breakfast. “What about?”

“Stealing cars.”

“Um, wouldn’t advise it,” Max said. “It can be dangerous and you’ll probably end up in trouble with the police.”

“Ha ha,” Tilly said. “No, I was thinking about your stolen car problem. And I think you need to pursue it from the other side.”

Max put his spoon down and looked interested. “How do you mean?”

“Well, we’re not getting anything from the theft sites,” Tilly said. “So perhaps we should look at where the cars might end up. I mean, you don’t steal a car to do nothing with it, do you?”

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