Page 20 of Beyond Repair
‘What’s a dick?’ Benji asked, his ears having automatically pricked up at any hint of swearing.
‘It means your willy,’ Jack said authoritatively.
‘Can I call my willy a dick then?’ Benji asked, his head cocked to the side.
‘No youcan not,’ put in Sarah, glaring at Russell. ‘Now, boys, all of you come with me, we’re going to have a bath; and Russell for goodness sake put some bloody trousers on.’
‘Yeah, put somebloodytrousers on you bigdick!’ shouted Benji, and Sam had to cough behind his hand to stifle a laugh.
‘There you go, mate,’ Rob said gruffly, handing over Finlay for Sam to take in his arms.
‘You’re a messy little blighter, aren’t you,’ Sam told Finlay, holding him at arm’s length.
‘Finlay messy,’ he said proudly, obviously viewing this as a massive compliment. He then raised both his chubby, messy hands and landed them either side of Sam’s face, transferring a fair amount of cake mix and make-up. Complete silence fell in the kitchen, waiting for Sam’s reaction. He stared at Finlay for a second, before a slow grin broke out over his face and he leant into the boy to blow a raspberry into his neck.
Sam had no idea how much that grin transformed his features from forbidding and unapproachable to warm and unbearably handsome. He had no idea how long his friends had been waiting to see a smile on his face that reached his eyes for once. So he didn’t notice Sarah’s eyes fill with tears, or a look of relief wash over her husband’s features, as he squeezed her hand.
‘Right, come on then, you lot,’ Sarah said, her voice a little choked, but holding it together admirably. ‘Bath and bed.’
Chapter 10
Igam ogam
Katie scowled at the pizza boxes as Rob carried them into the kitchen.
‘I did actually make a casserole,’ she said proudly, gesturing to the pot on the stove.
‘K.K., darling, you have many talents but unfortunately cooking is not one of them,’ Russell told her.
‘I’m just a bit off the wall. Your tastes are obviously too suburban for my creativity. I’m like Heston Blumenthal, a bit experimental, a bit edgy, you know?’
‘Heston’s restaurant is world famous and had three Michelin stars. The only edgy quality of your chicken casserole is the salmonella infection you’d be suffering afterwards,’ Russell put in, strolling over to where the pot was sitting and cautiously lifting the lid.
‘That is not true, I’ve never –’
‘Okay, babes, you’re right,’ Russell said, putting a ladle into the pot and lifting up a blackened chicken breast. ‘I will concede that it is unlikely any microorganisms could possibly have survived in this casserole pot. Those that did would be good candidates for surviving a nuclear holocaust, so by rights they woulddeserveto give us food poisoning.’
‘Why, you smug, arrogant little –’ Katie scrambled off her stool and flew across the kitchen at Russell, aiming a kick at his shin, but was held back at the last minute by his hand on the top of her head.
‘Who’s calling who “little”, K.K.?’ Russell said smugly, releasing her head only to grab her into a headlock and start tickling her relentlessly whilst she wriggled and laughed, begging him to stop.
‘Get off her,now,’ Sam’s voice cracked across the room, and both Katie and Russell froze. Russell turned towards Sam. Whatever he saw made him let go of Katie immediately and step away. Katie straightened and looked up at Sam in shock. He was towering in the doorway, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, and his scowling face fixed on Russell, who started to edge nervously away towards the kitchen counter.
‘Um … Sam?’ Katie said cautiously, and although he was giving out vibes that screamedstay away, she could feel herself being drawn towards him. Once she was right in front of him, and she could literally feel the fury radiating off his body, she laid her small hand on his chest and his neck twisted to look down at her in shock.
‘He wasn’t hurting me,’ she said softly, and he frowned.
‘He …’ he started, then shook his head as if to clear it, ‘he was touching you and I …’ Katie could see the exact moment he came back to himself and realized what he was doing. His large chest expanded under her hand as he took a big breath in, and he closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them they were wiped clean of the anger and unreadable again.
‘Waa-waa-wee-waa Weird Rambo,’ Russell sing-songed, oblivious to the tension or the fact that he was taking his life into his hands. ‘Ugh, you girls aresolucky. Why are all the broody-hot ones straight? Why can’t I get me some of thatTop Gunaction?’
Sam’s eyes flashed to Russell and his mouth fell open. Katie thought it was the first time she’d ever seen him truly shocked.
‘Russell, honey,’ Sarah said through a smile, ‘you’re scaring Rob again.’ Rob rolled his eyes and threw Russell’s trousers at him.
‘If you have to flirt with me, fine,’ he said. ‘But do it with goddamn trousers on. And Russell …’
‘Yes?’
