Page 84 of Things We Never Said
Sean catches his daughter’s eye and has to bite his cheek to avoid laughing as April replies, ‘Yes. Well, too difficult for me, anyway.’
Other than showing them around the apartment, Bonnie is unable to answer any of Sean’s questions about the price, the availability, or who the seller might be. ‘I brought the wrong folder,’ she says, waving said folder at Sean, ‘and I’ve a memory like a sieve. I’m so sorry. I’m rubbish today – honestly I am.’
Once they’re safely in Sean’s car with the doors firmly closed, he says, ‘Now, that was cruel. You completely threw poor Bonnie off her stride.’
‘Oh, don’t be silly,’ April says. ‘It was just a bit of fun.’
‘It would have been. If she hadn’t so clearly been a doughnut fan.’
April sniggers and bites her lip. ‘Yeah. I didn’t think about that until I’d said it. You know me. Shoot first, think afterwards. But I don’t think she thought I was getting at her, did she?’
‘No,’ Sean admits. ‘No, I think she thought she’d found a partner in crime. Someone to eat doughnuts with. Which is why it was so cruel.’
‘Hey, I like doughnuts,’ April says. ‘Actually, I could kill for a doughnut right now. Is there a cake shop anywhere?’
‘We could go for coffee at Clowns,’ Sean offers, ‘but I don’t think they do doughnuts.’
‘Ooh, Clowns,’ April says. ‘I wonder if they still do that carrot cake with all the—’
‘They do,’ Sean interrupts, laughing. ‘It hasn’t changed in twenty years. Can you drink coffee though?’
‘I’ll have decaf. Or tea. Or hot chocolate. I’ll have anything as long as I can have cake.’
As they are sitting down with their tray, Sean’s phone rings. ‘It’s Bonnie,’ he says, flashing the screen at April so that she can see. ‘She wants to join us for cake, I expect. Hello?’ He spends a few minutes saying ‘yes’ and ‘no, I see’ and ‘really?’ before finally hanging up.
‘More info?’ April asks through a mouthful of cake.
‘Lots,’ Sean says. ‘The sellers are German, apparently. And they’re going back to Frankfurt because of Brexit. His job’s been moved there.’
‘There’s a lot of that about,’ April says, looking concerned. ‘I think Britain’s going to be like a big empty car park by the time they’ve finished with their Brexit bollocks.’
‘Anyway, that’s good news for me, because Bonnie reckons they’re desperate for a quick sale. She says I should make an offer.’
‘Gosh,’ April says. ‘So, what do you think?’
‘What doyouthink?’ Sean asks, sipping his coffee.
‘Oh, how would I know? I have no idea how much places cost in—’
‘No,’ Sean interrupts. ‘Do you think I should move? Do you mind me moving?’
April shakes her head, slowly but definitely. ‘No, I don’t mind. And yes, you should definitely move.’
‘There’s no spare bedroom,’ Sean reminds her.
‘You’ll have to buy a sofa bed, then. One of those good ones with a proper mattress and springs and everything.’
Sean nods. ‘Plus, Bonnie was right. There really is room for a folding partition in the bedroom. So I could make a box room.’
‘For my doughnut?’
Sean laughs. ‘Yes, for your doughnut.’
‘So, you see,’ April says. ‘It’s made for you. Hell, it’s almost like it was designed for you, Dad.’
‘Hell,’ Sean says, with a smile, ‘it’s almost like it was designedbyme.’
Snapshot #26
