Page 114 of Merrily Ever After
It was lovely to hear him laugh. ‘Harley, it might not seem like it just now, but you are loved by so many people. But especially by your mum and dad.’
‘They think I’m a kid,’ he said, the smile falling from his face,
‘We-ll.’ I raised my eyebrows. ‘You know being a kid isn’t such a bad thing. Because although you might feel like you don’t have much control over stuff, you also have your parents and other people in your family to lean on and learn from. And even when you’re an adult and you leave home, we’ll still be there cheering you on.’
He looked at me for a long moment. ‘I guess you didn’t have that, did you?’
I shook my head. ‘I had to grow up quite quickly. I don’t recommend it.’
‘But you’ve found your dad now. That’s cool.’
‘Very cool,’ I agreed. ‘A bit like my bare legs out here in the freezing cold.’
‘Oh sorry.’ He unzipped his gilet and put it over my knees.
‘Thanks.’ I grinned. ‘But I was sort of hoping we could go in.’
‘In a minute.’ He bit his lip. ‘I just want to say I’m sorry I said no to performing at the wedding.’
‘You’ve changed your mind?’ My mind rushed ahead, imagining everyone clutching tissues and singing Harley’s praises. It would add even more emotion to the day.
He shook his head. ‘I’d be too nervous.’
‘But you sang a solo in front of everyone at the Christmas Fair,’ I said, disappointed. ‘And you were brilliant at it.’
He shrugged. ‘I know. But that was OK because they were strangers. Well, they were supposed to be strangers. If I’d known you were going to be there, I wouldn’t have done it. Singing is a new thing, I’m not ready to share it yet.’
‘I understand,’ I said, giving him a hug. ‘But maybe you could be in charge of the music in the registry office for us? We’re taking our own speaker.’
‘Cool,’ said Harley with a grin.
‘Harley Robinson!’ Cole’s voice reached us from the top of the garden, startling us both.
‘Dad!’ Harley sprung up, his voice breathy with nerves.
‘Come here.’ Cole opened his arms and Harley bounded into them. He grabbed his son’s head and pressed loud kisses to his forehead. Normally, Harley would wriggle away, but tonight he buried his head in his dad’s chest.
‘Sorry for worrying everyone.’
‘That’s OK, son.’ Cole ruffled his hair. ‘And will you accept my apology too? I should have listened more, noticed more and I’m going to try to do better. But running away is never the answer.’
‘And you should know,’ Harley said, looking at me with a conspiratorial smile.
Cole frowned. ‘I don’t—’
‘Apology accepted,’ Harley interrupted.
Cole blew out a breath. ‘I’ve got to the age of thirty-eight without a single grey hair and now I could well have gone totally white in the space of an hour.’
Harley scoffed. ‘Sorry to break it to you, old man, but you’ve got loads of grey ones at the back.’
‘What?’ Cole’s hand flew to the back of his head in absolute horror. ‘You’re kidding.’
‘Don’t worry, darling, it’s distinguished,’ I said, my eyes dancing with humour.
‘Ah, well, goodbye youth. Listen, mate, your mum and I have been talking. We don’t know all the answers, but we want to get it right. You’re growing up and we need to start giving you more independence.’
‘So can I get a Saturday job?’ Harley jumped in quickly. ‘With Merry, she’s offered me one?’
