Page 23 of Atticus Arnott's Great Adventure
‘What the HELL are you doing?’ Mungo’s face yelled from the screen.
‘Morning, Mungo.’ Atticus wondered why he could only see his own nose yet hear Mungo loud and clear.
‘WHERE in God’s name are you?’ Mungo ranted. ‘Dad! Tilt the phone – I can only see your eyebrows.’
‘Well, I was enjoying a quiet parking space by the sea in Portsmouth.’
There was a silence, and Atticus knew Mungo was digesting his words.
‘Hello?’ Atticus said, holding his breath as he waited. He fumbled with the screen and blinked hard. A random filter had given him cat’s ears.
‘I’m still here,’ Mungo replied. ‘For goodness’ sake, sort your phone out!’
Atticus wondered if his son was counting to ten before he continued, and sure enough, within seconds, as Atticus corrected his settings and Mungo’s face appeared on the screen, his son set to again.
‘I cannot believe that you furtively disappear in the middle of the night without so much as a hint of discussion about your proposed trip!’ Mungo snapped. ‘You leave a curt note under the door in the office that simply reads…’
Atticus heard a rustle of paper.
‘Off to Spain. Don’t worry about me. Love Dad. Contact number below.’
Atticus thought about the note. Mungo had a point; it wasn’t his finest move. ‘You would have talked me out of it,’ he reasoned.
‘Of course, I bloody well would!’ Mungo yelled. ‘The idea is crazy! You could be killed in that ancient camper. She’s not fit to travel across countries with an old man at the wheel.’
An old man at the wheel!Atticus digested Mungo’s comment.
Mungo continued to yell, but Atticus wasn’t listening and held the phone away.
Don’t let the old man in…Clara’s voicewhispered through the open window, and Atticus returned to the phone.
‘Now, Mungo,’ Atticus began, ‘calm down.’
‘How the hell can I?—’
But Atticus interrupted, ‘This is why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d kick off and create a fuss.’
‘A FUSS?’
‘Aye, exactly. But this is one occasion where I won’t give in.’ Atticus felt his muscles tense. ‘I gave in to all your ideas about the farm and even gave up my precious Herdwick sheep,’ he paused. ‘But this is the one time where I get to choose what I want to do with the rest of my life.’
‘But I saved the farm! You would have gone under without all the changes,’ Mungo spluttered.
‘Well, that we’ll never know.’
‘You know damn well that if…’ Mungo began to shout again.
‘Stop it!’ Atticus raised his hand as though the act would silence Mungo. ‘I’m not changing my mind, so unless you want to wish me a bon voyage and a happy holiday, I suggest you leave me alone.’
He tapped furiously to exit FaceTime but inadvertently turned on a voice filter. ‘I do not understand your concern, human child…’ a robot voice said.
Moments passed in silence before Atticus spoke again. ‘Hello?’ he said. ‘Mungo, are you there?’
But Mungo had disconnected the call.
With a heavy heart, Atticus turned to Ness and picked up Jake’s carefully compiled folder. Determined not to let Mungo ruin his trip, he resolved to become more familiarwith his iPhone. Opening the folder, he began to study Jake and Arthur’s concise instructions.
As Ness nestled her head on his knee, Atticus said, ‘Well, that’s that, old lass.’ He reached out to gently stroke her head. ‘It’s just you and me now, and whatever unfolds beyond that wide-open sea.’
