A Spot Of Bother

122

Katie told Mum that Jamie was still looking for Dad. Mum panicked. Katie reassured her that Jamie knew where the register office was. He could be heading there at this very moment. Mum stopped panicking.

They were all standing outside the house. The air was full of aftershave and perfume and Uncle Doug’s cigarette smoke and the mothbally scent of best coats. Was it sad or funny, Jamie missing the wedding? She couldn’t really tell.

Sarah and Jacob were sitting next to each other on the wall. He hadn’t found her hiding place, but she’d given him the twenty pence anyway. If he was any older Katie would have called it a crush.

“Dog’s bottom scrapings,” said Sarah.

“Poo from a horse,” said Jacob, laughing like a maniac.

“Dog’s bottom scrapings and a big jug of old lady’s wee,” said Sarah.

Katie walked over to Dad. “How’re you doing?” She tried to make the question sound neutral so he didn’t realize how much she knew.

He turned to her and took her hands and looked into her eyes and seemed almost tearful. He said, “My wonderful, wonderful daughter,” which made her tearful, too, and they hugged briefly, which was something they hadn’t done for quite a while.

Then Mum looked at her watch and officially gave up waiting for her son to arrive and the tension broke and everyone poured toward the cars.