Page 94 of Merrily Ever After
‘I will think about it,’ Emily promised. ‘Although, for all I know, Will already has his own plans. We’re not even officially a thing yet. Listen, I’d better go, I think Dad is coming out of the bathroom.’
‘OK. Good luck,’ said Izzy with a squeak of excitement. ‘And go slowly with your dad. I know you want this to work, but don’t force it.’
‘Roger that,’ Emily said and blew a kiss down the phone just as the bathroom door opened and Dad emerged wearing only his underpants. Her heart sank. ‘Everything OK, Dad?’
‘I’m very tired.’ He yawned and headed towards his bed. ‘Goodnight.’
Emily leapt to her feet in a panic. It was seven-thirty; Merry was going to be here any moment.
‘Here are your pyjamas.’ She pulled them out from under his pillow and took his arm. ‘You go back in the bathroom and put them on. And I’ll make you some hot chocolate to have before bed, it’ll help you sleep.’
He probably didn’t need help, but it gave her an excuse to stay.
‘Don’t need help,’ Ray replied, for once making perfect sense. His fingertips rasped against his stubble. ‘You can go now.’
‘I am going,’ she said firmly. ‘After you’ve put your pyjamas on.’
Dad muttered something under his breath about being as bossy as her mother and dropped his pants to the floor. Emily turned away quickly; some things were better not seen.
The phone rang in the flat and Emily hurried to pick it up.
‘I have clean pyjamas on Sundays,’ he said, kicking the ones Emily gave him to one side.
‘Luckily, it’s Monday today,’ Emily replied and answered the call, already knowing who it would be. ‘Hello, Ray Meadow’s room.’
‘Hey, it’s Kylie on reception. There’s a lady called Merry Shaw here.’
‘Thank you, send her up.’ A surge of nerves overtook her as she ended the call.
Ray was still struggling with his pyjamas. Emily braced herself and tried not to look as she bent down and held the bottoms out for him to step into, grateful that he’d given up his battle for clean ones, and by the time there was a knock at the door, he was at least clothed.
Dad looked at the door sharply. ‘That’s all we bloody need.’
‘Coming,’ Emily called out.
‘No, she’s not,’ Dad shouted.
‘You’ve got a visitor, Dad.’ Emily looked him in the eye to make sure he was listening. She smoothed his hair down tenderly as if he was a little boy about to leave for school. His eyes had a faraway look in them, and she wondered where he was, what he was thinking about.
‘Hot chocolate and bed,’ he noted grumpily. ‘That’s what you said.’
‘You remember that then,’ she said dryly. ‘This is a special visitor; I think you’re going to want to see her.’
He made a big show of his displeasure, but Emily opened the door anyway.
There was Merry, holding a big bunch of flowers in one hand and a small bag in the other.
‘Shut the door,’ Dad yelled. ‘Don’t let her in, she’s after my money!’
Emily shot a look of apology at Merry before turning to comfort him. ‘It’s OK, Dad, this is a friend. We can let her in, it’s safe.’
He pushed past her and slammed the door in Merry’s face. ‘They’re always here. Banging on my door. They pretend they just want to talk and then they try to steal from me. They’re from one of those cults, wanting to brainwash me.’
‘Good luck trying to brainwash you,’ Emily replied. Her heart was pounding, this was not the tear-jerking family reunion she’d envisaged. She gently pulled her dad into a hug. ‘My friend is here to see you. My friend. OK?’
He nodded sceptically.
Emily took a deep breath. ‘I’m going to open the door now, Dad.’
