Page 7 of The Notecard
‘Cardigan World magazine wants you for their next front cover?’
‘They’d be lucky to have me,’ says Dad, and I think he really means it. ‘No, love. It’s a bit of a shocker, actually. I wasn’t expecting it at all, but I’m going on a date.’
‘What?’ I say, shocked and completely baffled. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘There’s a woman at the pub, always had her eye on me, apparently. She heard I was separated and asked me out. I didn’t know what to say at first, but then I thought, why not? Why should your mum have all the fun?’
‘But I thought you wanted to get back with Mum.’
‘I do. Of course I do.’
‘Then why are you going on a date with this woman from the pub…’
‘Maureen.’
‘Well Maureen sounds like a bit of a nutter. Had her eye on you for a while and waited until you were single to pounce.’
I’m so annoyed with Dad.
‘I think she’s harmless enough, love.’
‘I don’t get why you’re going on a date with Maureen and why Mum’s messaging Jason…’
‘Jason?’ says Dad, perking up uncomfortably. ‘Who’s Jason?’
‘Some bloke she met on Tinder. She hasn’t met up with him, and honestly, I don’t she will.’
‘She’s on Tinder? Blimey, that’s a bit much.’
‘You’re going out with the local pub stalker, Dad.’
I finish smoking my cigarette and Dad does the same. He has a little ashtray he brings out and we both stub out our cigarettes in silence. After that, Dad brings out a small bottle of air freshener and sprays the car. Then he puts the windows down to air it out. I don’t know what to think about Dad’s news. I’m more surprised by him than I am with Mum going on about Jason and all the things he wants to do to her. I can’t stop thinking about the munch. It’s such an awful word. I think all the Tinder talk is just fantasy for Mum. I don’t think she’ll do anything about it. Dad and I sit for a moment, and I’m trying to think of questions or something to say, but in all honesty, I’m just too shocked and annoyed by them both.
‘We’re going out on Friday night. Maureen’s nice, and definitely not a stalker. You’d like her,’ says Dad, and I attempt a smile, but it isn’t one of my best. Half-hearted. I want to be there for Dad. I want to support him, but I can’t be onboard with him and Maureen.
I think the reason I’m so shocked and sad is that I genuinely thought all of this was just Mum blowing off steam. She needed to do whatever it is she’s doing. Dad would wait patiently until she was done, and then they would get back together. I didn’t imagine Dad would start dating again. Perhaps their separation is a little more permanent than I thought. I don’t want to have to choose between them. I don’t want to have options about which house to go to for Christmas. Will it be Mum and Jason this year, or Dad and Maureen? Strange houses with strange people on the one day of the year when we should all be together like a proper family.
‘I should get back before Mum and Laura suspect something,’ I say disconcertedly.
‘You alright, love?’
‘Yeah, yeah, fine. Love you.’
‘Love you too, Meg.’
I lean across and give Dad a kiss on the cheek. I get out and walk around the cab until I’m standing in the road.
‘Oh, Meg,’ says Dad suddenly. ‘I’m sorry, I nearly forgot.’ I walk across and lean on his open window. ‘I know today would have been you and James’s anniversary. I had it on the calendar. I didn’t want to forget. Sorry, love. How you doing?’
‘Yeah, okay. Keri’s making me a non-vegan vegan chocolate cake,’ I say, and I’m touched that Dad remembered. That he wrote it down on his calendar. I imagine it in pencil in his terrible handwriting. The calendar that’s hanging in the tiny kitchen of his depressing, estranged from his wife, single and not quite ready to mingle flat. The flat he agreed to move into for six months to give Mum ‘some space’. The flat that smells of cats. Dad doesn’t even like cats.
‘If you need anything, I’m here.’
‘Thanks, Dad.’
‘And Meg, don’t mention Maureen to your mum. I don’t want to cause a fuss.’
‘I think that’s what got you into trouble in the first place, Dad. I think all Mum wanted was a bit of a fuss,’ I say, before I give him one last smile and head back indoors.
