Read Online The Learning Curve by Melissa Nathan - Free Book Online Page A

again?’
    Nicky’s stomach flip-flopped. She started giggling. She couldn’t stop.
    ‘Well,’ said Ally. ‘There you go.
    ‘What?’ snorted Nicky.
    ‘Now you know.’
    ‘Know what?’
    ‘How you’d react if he asked you out again.’
    ‘How?’
    Ally gave her a warm smile. ‘Like a fourteen-year-old convent girl.’
    Oscar woke at six, got out of bed, padded through the hall and nudged his dad. Mark, eyes closed, went, ‘Ugh.’
    ‘Da-ad,’ said Oscar. ‘Can I go on the computer?’
    ‘What time is it?’ managed Mark.
    ‘Six.’
    The pause that followed told Oscar that his father was not best pleased. Then, after a while, it told him that his father was asleep.
    ‘Da-ad. Can I go on the computer?’
    Mark surfaced slowly from his dream. He wanted to say no. He wanted to say that they had a deal not to go on the computer until at least eight o’clock, as Oscar well knew. He wanted to suggest reading a book until then. He wanted tosuggest they go and play a board game together until then. He wanted to sleep.
    ‘Yes,’ he said.
    Two hours later, Oscar was back.
    ‘Da-ad.’
    ‘Ughmn.’
    ‘Can I watch TV?’
    ‘Mm.’
    Four hours later the best TV was over. Oscar flicked through the Sky channels again, then went into his playroom and looked at his toys. He plodded upstairs, his pyjama bottoms trailing, got into his own cold bed, and started reading his book.
    At one, he went into his dad’s room. He sat on the bed. Nothing. He got up and sat down again, harder. Still nothing. He bounced on it. Nothing. He started whining. Mark opened one eye.
    ‘What’s that revolting noise?’ he growled.
    ‘I’m bo-ored.’
    Mark turned over so he was lying on his back. He opened his arm and Oscar lay down next to him.
    ‘On a scale of one to ten,’ started Mark, ‘how bored are you?’
    ‘Ten.’
    ‘Don’t hold back now,’ said Mark.
    ‘Ten.’
    ‘Be completely honest.’
    ‘Ten.’
    ‘I can take it.’
    ‘TEN!’
    ‘Goodness me! Ten!’ said Mark. ‘We’ll have to dosomething about that.’
    Five minutes later, Oscar jabbed him in the ribs and Mark woke with a start. He jabbed Oscar back. Then he started tickling him. Oscar leapt away and shouted ‘TEN!’ in his ear.
    Mark hefted his body up a bit and leant against the headboard, the skin round his eyes aching.
    ‘Right,’ he said. ‘I’ve got about an hour’s work to do, then I’m all yours. What shall we do today?’
    ‘Go to the park and play football.’
    ‘Excellent. I was worried you’d say watch more TV. Bagsie in goal. Just . . . give me ten more minutes in bed –’
    The pillow landed on his head.
    ‘Good shot!’ he muffled from under the pillow. ‘You’re getting better at that.’
    His duvet was pulled off him, leaving the rest of him naked to the elements.
    Working at the dining-room table wasn’t ideal, but Mark wanted to be in the same room as Oscar. Oscar wanted Mark to be in the same room as him too, but he also wanted to watch his James Bond video at top volume. After half an hour, Mark looked up from his work and watched his boy staring contentedly at the television. Eventually, he picked up the phone. Lilith answered.
    ‘Hi, it’s me,’ he said.
    There was the slightest pause. ‘Hmm?’ she said.
    He sighed. ‘I’ve got this stupid deadline –’
    ‘How long?’ Her tone was dull.
    ‘One hour. Max.’
    ‘Which means two. And don’t call me Max.’
    ‘Fantastic. What time can you pick him up?’
    Lilith exploded into laughter at the other end of the phone. ‘You can drop him off here within the next ten minutes or we’ll have gone to Brent Cross.’
    ‘Oh God,’ moaned Mark, ‘he hates Brent Cross.’
    Lilith sighed. ‘So does Daisy. But I’ve got to go. It’s the only time I get all week.’
    ‘OK,’ said Mark, ‘how about Daisy comes here to play with Oscar and I work upstairs?’
    ‘Perfect. Thought you’d never ask. I’ll bring her round in ten.’
    Mark rang off and found Oscar