Page 89 of Good Sisters

We took turns spying on Marco, who was chatting animatedly with his friends.

‘He looks very relaxed and he has kind eyes,’ Julie said.

‘You think everyone has kind eyes,’ Louise replied.

‘Not everyone. Victoria has snake eyes.’

‘He smiles a lot, which is always a good sign,’ I said.

‘Stupid people smile a lot,’ Louise said.

‘He seems popular,’ Julie said.

‘He’s talking to two people. He’s not exactly being mobbed.’

Julie looked at me, raised her eyebrows and sipped her drink.

‘Okay, Dad,’ Louise barked suddenly, making us jump. ‘Go over and chat to him. Sophie, go with him so he doesn’t insult anyone. You’re good at all that boring small-talk.’

Louise had a knack of insulting you and paying you a compliment at the same time.

Dad and I rose from the table and walked over to where the three men were standing.

I waited for Dad to say something, but he seemed to have frozen.

‘Good evening, do you speak English?’ I said.

‘A leetle bit,’ the tall friend said.

The other two just stared at him.

‘Okay, so, we were wondering if … uhm … if you could recommend any special things to do in the area?’

‘Do you like walking?’ the middle-sized one asked.

‘I guess so, yes.’

‘Many beautiful walks ’ere. But maybe your ’usband is too old for long walking?’

‘Mother of God, she’s my daughter, not my wife.’ Dad finally found his voice.

‘I was thinking you were a very lucky man.’ The two men laughed.

‘Are they you seesters?’ Marco asked, nodding to Julie and Louise, who were doing a very bad job of pretending not to look over.

I looked at him directly for the first time. Julie was right, he did have kind eyes. Lovely soft, kind brown eyes unlike my eldest sister’s steely blue ones.

‘Yes, we are.’

‘Why are you ’ere?’ the tall one asked.

‘You bringing Papa on ’oliday?’ the middle one asked.

‘Kind of,’ I fudged.

‘Where are you from?’ the tall one asked.

‘Ireland,’ I answered.

---