Read Online Turned by Clare Revell - Free Book Online Page B

kitchen. She didn’t suppose every battle would be that easy, or even that she’d won this round, but it was a start.
     
    
     
    Dane let himself in. The house smelled wonderful and it was quiet. Was he in the right place? Or had everyone gone out? He hung his coat on the rack on the wall. “Hello?”
    Amy appeared from the kitchen, drying her hands on a tea towel. “Hello. How was your day?”
    “Busy. I’m sorry I’m late. How did it go today?”
    “It went all right. Vicky is in the bath, and Jodie is in the study doing her homework. She and I cooked, and we saved you some.”
    “You didn’t need to do that. I’d intended to do so when I got in.”
    “I know, but we thought it’d be nice for you to be cooked for, for a change.”
    “Thank you.” He went through to the kitchen, taking in a deep breath. Whatever she’d cooked smelt wonderful. His mouth watered, and his stomach gurgled in anticipation. He picked up the pile of mail and flicked through it. Bill, bill, bill, bill…nothing changed. He sat down, opening them. “So it went all right today then? Did you do much?”
    Amy put his dinner in the microwave. “I tided Jodie’s room.”
    “Oh, I bet that went down like a dose of salts.”
    Amy put the kettle on. “It did. But she now has carpet on the floor and clothes in the drawer. We’ll see how long it lasts.”
    He raised an eyebrow as the microwave beeped. “I’m impressed.”
    “Don’t be. She wasn’t.” She brought over his dinner and set in on the bench in front of him. “I shall get Vicky out of the bath.”
    Dane closed his eyes and said grace. Picking up his fork he started to eat. It was good, far better than anything he’d have made. The sauce was slightly spicy, and he couldn’t put a finger on what was different about it.
    Jodie came in and stood on the other side of the bench. “Hi, Dad.”
    He smiled at her. “Hello. How was your day?”
    “It went.”
    “I heard you helped make this.”
    “Yeah. It was fun.” She shifted from one foot to the other, but didn’t seem as stressed as normal. No doubt that wouldn’t last. “Do you like it?”
    “I really do. Trying to figure out what’s in the sauce.”
    “That’s Amy’s secret ingredient.”
    He pouted. “So you won’t tell me then?”
    “No, ‘cause if I did it wouldn’t be a secret.”
    “OK, but you’ll have to make it again.” He took another bite.
    Jodie nodded slightly. “Dad…”
    Here we go. Didn’t think it would last. That was her I’ve-got-a-complaint voice. He swallowed. “Yes?”
    “Amy tided my room.”
    “I know. She said.” He took another bite. The casserole was all the better for not having cooked himself.
    “She said that you said she could, but I don’t want her to.”
    He swallowed. “Then you have to tidy it up yourself. She needs to be able to get in there to clean.”
    “But, Dad, I don’t want—”
    Dane resisted the urge to snap. “Otherwise she’ll keep doing it. It’s not hard, Jodie. If you get something out, you put it away when you’ve finished with it. And if it’s dirty—”
    She sighed. “I know. I have to put it in the wash.”
    He nodded. “So how was school?”
    “Pretty rubbish.” She gave the standard response. “How was work?”
    Well, two could play at that game. “Pretty rubbish.”
    Vicky came in and hugged him. It looked like she’d been crying, but maybe she’d just gotten soap in her eyes.
    He pulled her onto his lap and cradled her. “Hey, sweetie. How was your day?”
    Vicky shrugged and leaned against him, picking at his sleeve.
    Concern gnawed at him. This was unusual, even for her. He glanced over at Amy as she came into the kitchen, then back down at his daughter. “What did you do today? Did you have PE?”
    All he got in response was a shrug.
    He picked her up and hugged her. “What about drawing? Or music?”
    Again a shrug.
    Dane looked at Amy.
    “She’s been like that since I picked her up from school,” Amy