Read Online No Going Back by ALEX GUTTERIDGE - Free Book Online Page B

his face to break into a smile, but it didn’t happen. Obviously I had to try harder.
    â€œHang on a moment, maybe you’re not my dad after all. Maybe you’re an imposter in a ghostly dadlike disguise. Maybe I don’t know you at all and you have some deep, dark secret buried deeply in your past.”
    He looked shocked, upset even.
    â€œYou don’t really think that?”
    â€œNo, of course I don’t,” I laughed. “I’m only joking.”
    â€œPhew!” he said, with a wobbly grin and an exaggerated sweep of his hand, but just for a second or two, for some reason, I’d definitely had him worried.

T ENSION
    L iberty was busy for the next couple of days but to be honest I didn’t mind. In fact, secretly I was quite pleased because I wanted to spend the time with Dad. And obviously he wanted to be with me, which was lovely, but there are times a girl needs a bit of privacy.
    â€œDad, I’m going to the toilet,” I hissed as he followed me into the cloakroom during our first day together. “You don’t have to hold my hand any more. I’m not scared that a rat is going to appear from the U-bend or I’m going to fall down and be flushed away!”
    I thought he’d got the message but then that night he stood by the bathroom door.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” I asked.
    â€œJust checking that you’re all right,” he replied.
    â€œI’m fine,” I said. “I’m going for a bath.”
    â€œYou won’t nod off and slip under the water willyou?” he fretted.
    â€œUh no,” I said. “I’ve never done that before.” I waved my book at him. “This should keep me awake.”
    Big mistake. I knew it as soon as he peered at the cover which had a boy and girl in a hot clinch.
    â€œLaura!” He looked genuinely shocked. “I don’t think that’s suitable reading.”
    He made a swift movement as if to grab the book from me. But I was quicker. I whisked it behind my back.
    â€œIt’s perfectly all right,” I replied, making a wafting movement with my hands in order to get him to step back across the threshold.
    â€œIt doesn’t look it.”
    â€œNo,” I said slowly, trying to be serious, “but appearances can be deceptive. All the girls keep their clothes on and the boys are perfect gentlemen.”
    â€œHmm,” he said in a disbelieving way.
    He took a step back onto the landing and I thought for a moment that I’d placated him. “But what if you feel dizzy again?” he persisted. “Youmight fall and knock your head and…”
    Time to get tough.
    â€œDad,” I said firmly. “Stop worrying. I’ll be fine.”
    His shoulders slumped. “If you’re sure?”
    â€œI am. Go and… I don’t know… do whatever ghosts do when they’ve got some spare time.”
    I closed the door and slid the bolt across. It was actually nice to have a bit of space.
    There was a light knock on the door.
    â€œWhat now?”
    â€œYou will remember to brush your teeth?”
    I smiled and shook my head.
    â€œYes, Dad, I’ll remember. I’ve managed without you for the last ten years and my teeth haven’t gone black and fallen out yet.”
    â€œPoint taken,” he murmured.
    At last he was quiet.
    The trouble was that Dad seemed to think I was still the same person he’d left behind all those years ago. He still thought of me as four years old and needing to be looked after. Some things were the same of course. I still hated drinking orange squash and eating cheese and onion crisps together becauseit made me feel sick, and big, hairy spiders still made me shriek until I shook. But in other ways I was a totally different person. Sometimes I wondered what I would have been like if Dad had lived. Would that free-spirited little girl in the photographs have grown up differently? Would I have felt