Read Online Life Or Something Like It by Annie Lyons - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Annie Lyons
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would enjoy it.’
‘They did. Sort of.’ She frowned at him and he put his arm around her. ‘Ellie really enjoyed the National Gallery. She said you showed them a Christmas picture and a painting of some dead flowers.’
Cat gave a reluctant laugh. ‘And what about Charlie?’
Andrew shrugged. ‘He is sorry. I think he’s struggling with Mel being away. I will get him to apologise.’
‘Hmm,’ replied Cat.
‘He admitted that he should have told you not to let Ellie have a Coke.’
Cat sighed. ‘I thought he was being too nice to me at that point.’
‘I’m sorry. That was partly my fault. You sort of assume people know this stuff but why would you?’
‘Well when you say it like that,’ said Cat a little hurt.
‘Sorry,’ said Andrew. ‘I don’t mean to preach. You’re doing me a huge favour and I really appreciate it. It’s just that kids aren’t really bothered about grand gestures. The best thing you can give a child is your time.’
‘Not an Xbox then?’
Andrew laughed. ‘Not even that.’ He stared at his sister for a moment as if he were choosing his words carefully. ‘Don’t take this the wrong way but I’ve sorted out an activity for you for tomorrow.’
‘Oh yes?’
‘Ye-es. You’re meeting up with some people at the park.’
‘Oh right,’ said Cat, not used to having her life organised for her.
‘Honestly, it will be fine. I promise. You’ll have a good time. It’s just a picnic in the park but it will mean that you don’t have to do all the running. I know it can get a bit intense if you’re on your own with the kids. Even I find that and I’m their father.’
Cat shrugged. ‘Fine,’ she said taking a biscuit. ‘But you’re making the picnic.’ That night, despite her exhaustion, Cat couldn’t sleep. She lay in bed feeling irritated by the day’s events; it wasn’t so much Charlie’s behaviour and Ellie’s vomiting drama that was bothering her, it was the looks she’d received from Caroline Henderson and the feeling that she had been shut out of the world she loved. She felt in limbo at the moment – her life hovering just beyond her control – but she told herself that as soon as Melissa was back, she would skip back to her old world without a backward glance. She was certain of this. It was another hour before she fell asleep.
Chapter Five
It was a perfect summer’s day; the temperature warm without being too hot, the sky a pleasing shade of blue with the odd wisp of cloud floating by. It was glorious. They were due at the park at eleven and, true to his word, Andrew had packed a picnic, read Charlie the riot act and left Cat directions so that there could be no hiccups.
Cat tried to ignore the way Ellie clung on to her father’s leg as he made his way to the door.
‘Have fun!’ he cried with only the merest hint of irony. Cat’s heart sank as she heard the door shut behind him. She poured herself another coffee and padded into the living room. Ellie was sitting on a beanbag, chewing a piece of dry toast and watching
Tom and Jerry
. She still looked a little pale but had thankfully lost the greenish hue of yesterday. She glanced up at her aunt and then back at the screen.
‘Do you want to watch with me?’ she asked.
Cat remembered Andrew’s comment about giving children time. ‘Okay,’ she said, sitting on the sofa, wondering how much she would need to contribute. Ellie’s eyes didn’t leave the screen so Cat took out her phone, longing for a moment’s connection with the outside world. She didn’t get very far.
‘You have to watch,’ said Ellie. ‘This one is really funny.’
Sighing, Cat put down her phone and glanced at the screen. Tom was wearing a concert pianist’s outfit, his face composed and serious as he played a sombre piece of music. It wasn’t long before Jerry made an appearance.
‘Look!’ cried Ellie. ‘He’s sleeping
in
the piano.’
As Cat watched, she began to feel a disconcerting sense of déjà
‘They did. Sort of.’ She frowned at him and he put his arm around her. ‘Ellie really enjoyed the National Gallery. She said you showed them a Christmas picture and a painting of some dead flowers.’
Cat gave a reluctant laugh. ‘And what about Charlie?’
Andrew shrugged. ‘He is sorry. I think he’s struggling with Mel being away. I will get him to apologise.’
‘Hmm,’ replied Cat.
‘He admitted that he should have told you not to let Ellie have a Coke.’
Cat sighed. ‘I thought he was being too nice to me at that point.’
‘I’m sorry. That was partly my fault. You sort of assume people know this stuff but why would you?’
‘Well when you say it like that,’ said Cat a little hurt.
‘Sorry,’ said Andrew. ‘I don’t mean to preach. You’re doing me a huge favour and I really appreciate it. It’s just that kids aren’t really bothered about grand gestures. The best thing you can give a child is your time.’
‘Not an Xbox then?’
Andrew laughed. ‘Not even that.’ He stared at his sister for a moment as if he were choosing his words carefully. ‘Don’t take this the wrong way but I’ve sorted out an activity for you for tomorrow.’
‘Oh yes?’
‘Ye-es. You’re meeting up with some people at the park.’
‘Oh right,’ said Cat, not used to having her life organised for her.
‘Honestly, it will be fine. I promise. You’ll have a good time. It’s just a picnic in the park but it will mean that you don’t have to do all the running. I know it can get a bit intense if you’re on your own with the kids. Even I find that and I’m their father.’
Cat shrugged. ‘Fine,’ she said taking a biscuit. ‘But you’re making the picnic.’ That night, despite her exhaustion, Cat couldn’t sleep. She lay in bed feeling irritated by the day’s events; it wasn’t so much Charlie’s behaviour and Ellie’s vomiting drama that was bothering her, it was the looks she’d received from Caroline Henderson and the feeling that she had been shut out of the world she loved. She felt in limbo at the moment – her life hovering just beyond her control – but she told herself that as soon as Melissa was back, she would skip back to her old world without a backward glance. She was certain of this. It was another hour before she fell asleep.
Chapter Five
It was a perfect summer’s day; the temperature warm without being too hot, the sky a pleasing shade of blue with the odd wisp of cloud floating by. It was glorious. They were due at the park at eleven and, true to his word, Andrew had packed a picnic, read Charlie the riot act and left Cat directions so that there could be no hiccups.
Cat tried to ignore the way Ellie clung on to her father’s leg as he made his way to the door.
‘Have fun!’ he cried with only the merest hint of irony. Cat’s heart sank as she heard the door shut behind him. She poured herself another coffee and padded into the living room. Ellie was sitting on a beanbag, chewing a piece of dry toast and watching
Tom and Jerry
. She still looked a little pale but had thankfully lost the greenish hue of yesterday. She glanced up at her aunt and then back at the screen.
‘Do you want to watch with me?’ she asked.
Cat remembered Andrew’s comment about giving children time. ‘Okay,’ she said, sitting on the sofa, wondering how much she would need to contribute. Ellie’s eyes didn’t leave the screen so Cat took out her phone, longing for a moment’s connection with the outside world. She didn’t get very far.
‘You have to watch,’ said Ellie. ‘This one is really funny.’
Sighing, Cat put down her phone and glanced at the screen. Tom was wearing a concert pianist’s outfit, his face composed and serious as he played a sombre piece of music. It wasn’t long before Jerry made an appearance.
‘Look!’ cried Ellie. ‘He’s sleeping
in
the piano.’
As Cat watched, she began to feel a disconcerting sense of déjà
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