Page 23 of The Plan
“Thank you. Dad did all the work and I picked all the colours and furniture,” she states proudly.
“Really?”
“Yep, I spent ages looking through all the catalogues picking everything. It was great fun.”
“You’ve done a great job.” She beams at my praise and it makes my heart swell. “Come on then, have you got an apron? We’ve got some baking to do.”
Five hours and sixty cupcakes later, Sinead and I flop back on to the sofa. I’d discovered Blake had already left to sort out whatever job he’d been called out on. Sinead said he doesn’t mind her being home alone now she’s twelve, but not all night, which is why either Aunt Addy or Blake’s mum comes over on the evenings he works.
I look over to Sinead and can’t help laughing. She looks exhausted and she’s covered in icing sugar.
“What time are you meant to do to bed, by the way?” I ask, thinking I should probably try being a little bit responsible.
“I don’t really have a bed time at the weekends.”
“Okay, well, I think it’s probably best you get yourself up in the shower.”
“Yeah, me too,” she says as she wipes a bit of butter icing from her chin and licks her finger. “I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten too much sugar to be able to sleep tonight.”
“Maybe we can find a film to watch or something. What time does your...dad usually get home?” I stutter because it feels so weird calling Blake a dad. I know he’s the same age as me, but I feel far from ready to be a parent, so the fact he is—to an almost teenager—is a little weird for me.
“Late. He’ll have gone to the pub with Nate and Jason.”
“Oh, I thought he was working.”
“Yeah, but sometimes he goes to the pub afterwards.”
“Okay.” I guess I can’t argue with that, seeing as he’s a single dad who works a lot. “Go and have a shower, you,” I say, tapping her knee. “I’ll finish the kitchen and have a hot chocolate waiting for you when you get down.” That thought perks her up a bit. I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t be giving her any more sugar, but what the hell?
* * *
“Here you go,” I say as I place the two mugs of steaming chocolate, cream and mini marshmallows on the coffee table. “I didn’t think I’d find all this.”
“Dad makes them for us when it’s cold.” Of course he does. I can see him sitting here drinking this to make her happy. I bet he’s a great dad.
I sit myself down on the sofa next to Sinead and pull the blanket over my legs when she offers it to me.
We sit in a comfortable silence, sipping our chocolate and flicking through the channels. I stop when I see a movie I haven’t seen in years.
“Have you seen it?” I ask Sinead, nodding towards the TV.
“Miss Congeniality? No.”
“It was one of my favourites when I was your age. And the main guy’s hot,” I explain, but one look at Sinead’s face tells me she’s not impressed, maybe she’s going through that boys are gross phase.
“Addison…?”
“Yes, sweetheart.”
“Are you going to be Dad’s girlfriend?” I splutter but just about manage to keep the hot chocolate in my mouth.
“Um…uh… what makes you say that?”
“It’s just how he is when you’re around. He smiles like he used to. Like I remember from when Mum was here.”
My heart’s pounding as I take on board what she’s saying.
“No sweetheart, we’re just friends.”
