country, and they’re
both frail. Grandma had a minor heart attack when she heard the news about the
accident, and then Granddad was diagnosed with cancer two months later. They
want to help but....”
“You don’t want to put any pressure on
them.”
“Yes, exactly. Besides,
Dee’s about to sit exams. I can’t uproot her to send her to stay with
them. No one else lives close, and people...well, let’s just say we weren’t
exactly deluged with offers to help,” he said bitterly. “Maybe I could hire a
nanny or something? Do they have people like that for older kids? But it would
have to be someone Dee and Alex liked, or it would be worse than nothing.
There’s no time to organise it.”
“I’d offer to help, but I’m going to that
stupid conference too...hang on.”
“What?”
“Where do you live?”
Daniel named a suburb not that far from
Spen’s parents’ house—a fifteen-minute bus ride at most, less in a car.
“Why do you want to know?”
“Because my mum’s a teacher—”
“Aren’t you lucky.”
Spen ignored the uncharacteristic sarcasm.
“No, you’re lucky, I hope. Were you
serious that Dee and Alex don’t expect you home early?”
Daniel frowned in confusion. “Mostly,
though I should call them soon. Why?”
“Because I think you need to meet my
parents. They might be the answer to your problem.”
“Spen, that’s nice of you but I
can’t—”
Spen held up his hand. “Yes, you can.
Unless you really want to start job hunting again?”
“No, but—”
“Then drink up, go wash your face, and I’ll
call Mum.”
~~~~~~~~
An hour later, Daniel could barely remember
the utter despair which had swamped him after the
terse, unfriendly conversation with his boss just before he’d left work. Like a
force of nature, Spen had swept him up and carried Daniel along in his own
optimism, depositing him in the warm, friendly kitchen of his warm and friendly
parents. Spen’s mother had barely let her son explain Daniel’s dilemma before
exclaiming, “Well, that’s easy, child. Why can’t we keep an eye on them while
you’re away?”
“Mrs Reardon, you don’t even know us.”
“Of course I don’t, but that’s easily
fixed. You and Spencer go fetch your brother and sister and we can talk about
this. Good heavens, Daniel. You’ve been struggling on your own all this time?
You poor children.” She stroked his hair, and a few tears leaked out in sorrow
as he remembered his own mother doing the same thing. “Now, don’t cry, dear.
Have you had supper? Have they? Then you call them right now and invite them
over. Spencer, you and Daniel take the car.”
“Yes, Mum,” Spen had said, grinning at
Daniel. “Go on, call them.”
Daniel had, and fifteen minutes later, they
were at Daniel’s house. Alex threw open the door, and took in the entire length
of Spen’s figure. Veen bounced up and down in excitement on his shoulder.
“Gosh, you’re....”
“Black?” Spen said, winking at Daniel who
was both horrified and close to laughing out loud.
“Enormous!” Alex exclaimed. “Dee! You won’t
believe this!”
“Alex, don’t be rude,” Daniel chided. “Dee?
Are you ready?”
She came running down the hall but stopped
short when she saw Spen. “Wow. I wish I was that tall.”
“Spen, this is my sister, Dee,” Daniel
said. “Who usually has more manners.” She made a face
at him. “Everything locked up?”
“Yes, and the stove’s off, so don’t worry. Are you all huge in your family?” she asked
Spen.
“I’m a bit of a freak,” Spen said,
apparently not bothered at all by the kids’ obsession with his height, “but
we’re all pretty tall. Hope you’re hungry. Mum was unloading the freezer when
we left and I think she thinks there are ten of you.”
“I’m starving,” Alex said.
Daniel ruffled his hair. “You’re always
starving.”
“I’m a growing boy. Oooh, he’s cute.”
For a startled moment, Daniel thought his
brother meant
both frail. Grandma had a minor heart attack when she heard the news about the
accident, and then Granddad was diagnosed with cancer two months later. They
want to help but....”
“You don’t want to put any pressure on
them.”
“Yes, exactly. Besides,
Dee’s about to sit exams. I can’t uproot her to send her to stay with
them. No one else lives close, and people...well, let’s just say we weren’t
exactly deluged with offers to help,” he said bitterly. “Maybe I could hire a
nanny or something? Do they have people like that for older kids? But it would
have to be someone Dee and Alex liked, or it would be worse than nothing.
There’s no time to organise it.”
“I’d offer to help, but I’m going to that
stupid conference too...hang on.”
“What?”
“Where do you live?”
Daniel named a suburb not that far from
Spen’s parents’ house—a fifteen-minute bus ride at most, less in a car.
“Why do you want to know?”
“Because my mum’s a teacher—”
“Aren’t you lucky.”
Spen ignored the uncharacteristic sarcasm.
“No, you’re lucky, I hope. Were you
serious that Dee and Alex don’t expect you home early?”
Daniel frowned in confusion. “Mostly,
though I should call them soon. Why?”
“Because I think you need to meet my
parents. They might be the answer to your problem.”
“Spen, that’s nice of you but I
can’t—”
Spen held up his hand. “Yes, you can.
Unless you really want to start job hunting again?”
“No, but—”
“Then drink up, go wash your face, and I’ll
call Mum.”
~~~~~~~~
An hour later, Daniel could barely remember
the utter despair which had swamped him after the
terse, unfriendly conversation with his boss just before he’d left work. Like a
force of nature, Spen had swept him up and carried Daniel along in his own
optimism, depositing him in the warm, friendly kitchen of his warm and friendly
parents. Spen’s mother had barely let her son explain Daniel’s dilemma before
exclaiming, “Well, that’s easy, child. Why can’t we keep an eye on them while
you’re away?”
“Mrs Reardon, you don’t even know us.”
“Of course I don’t, but that’s easily
fixed. You and Spencer go fetch your brother and sister and we can talk about
this. Good heavens, Daniel. You’ve been struggling on your own all this time?
You poor children.” She stroked his hair, and a few tears leaked out in sorrow
as he remembered his own mother doing the same thing. “Now, don’t cry, dear.
Have you had supper? Have they? Then you call them right now and invite them
over. Spencer, you and Daniel take the car.”
“Yes, Mum,” Spen had said, grinning at
Daniel. “Go on, call them.”
Daniel had, and fifteen minutes later, they
were at Daniel’s house. Alex threw open the door, and took in the entire length
of Spen’s figure. Veen bounced up and down in excitement on his shoulder.
“Gosh, you’re....”
“Black?” Spen said, winking at Daniel who
was both horrified and close to laughing out loud.
“Enormous!” Alex exclaimed. “Dee! You won’t
believe this!”
“Alex, don’t be rude,” Daniel chided. “Dee?
Are you ready?”
She came running down the hall but stopped
short when she saw Spen. “Wow. I wish I was that tall.”
“Spen, this is my sister, Dee,” Daniel
said. “Who usually has more manners.” She made a face
at him. “Everything locked up?”
“Yes, and the stove’s off, so don’t worry. Are you all huge in your family?” she asked
Spen.
“I’m a bit of a freak,” Spen said,
apparently not bothered at all by the kids’ obsession with his height, “but
we’re all pretty tall. Hope you’re hungry. Mum was unloading the freezer when
we left and I think she thinks there are ten of you.”
“I’m starving,” Alex said.
Daniel ruffled his hair. “You’re always
starving.”
“I’m a growing boy. Oooh, he’s cute.”
For a startled moment, Daniel thought his
brother meant
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