Page 17 of Just Date and See

Dad’s voice cuts off. I glance at Mum’s phone. The battery has died. I search the island drawer for a charger as Mum and Jess join me. Jess looks half asleep still, her dressing gown belt trailing on the floor on one side of her. My mum grabs it and starts threading it through for her.

‘Did you speak to your dad?’ Mum asks.

‘Yes,’ I reply. ‘Do you know why he called?’

‘Wait, Dad called?’ Jess says, suddenly a lot more awake. ‘What the hell did he want?’

‘He did mention it, yes,’ Mum says softly.

‘Oh, brilliant, so he asks you instead of me – and I imagine you told him he has to ask me himself,’ I say.

‘Obviously,’ Mum replies.

‘And, now that I think about it, he was chatting about his new family, and I thought he was just stalling for time, but now I feel like he was buttering me up, trying to garner some sympathy and—’

‘Erm, can someone please tell me what’s going on?’ Jess asks, interrupting me ranting.

I grab my coffee and hand it to her. I can’t face it now, and they say sugar is good for shock, right?

‘Drink this,’ I insist.

‘Come on, Billie, tell me,’ Jess replies. She does take the coffee, though.

‘His bathroom has fallen through to his kitchen, he needs somewhere to stay,’ I tell her.

‘Right, well, obviously he can’t just turn up and expect to stay here, this isn’t a hotel,’ she points out ironically. I smile for a split second. It’s different, obviously, because Jess is welcome here.

‘He sounded pretty desperate,’ Mum says softly. ‘Good will to all men, remember.’

‘I thought we were only doing good will to allwomen this year, though?’ I reply.

Mum’s phone eventually has enough to restart. It makes a noise as it powers on again.

‘A polite reminder that he abandoned us in our time of need – when we were kids and needed a dad,’ Jess points out.

‘Yes, but Billie isn’t like her dad,’ Mum says with a smile.

‘Ugh, she’s right,’ I say with a sigh.

I grab Mum’s phone and call Dad back.

‘Hello, Billie?’ he says as he answers, after not even an entire ring. ‘What happened?’

‘Sorry, Mum’s battery died,’ I tell him. ‘You were saying?’

‘Oh, that’s a relief,’ he says, and I can actually hear the relief in his voice. ‘I don’t know how long I was talking for before we got disconnected, but can we stay with you, if you have the space for us, that is?’

What am I supposed to say? I mean, obviously my mum has been there for me much more than my dad ever has, and I have an actual relationship with her, but how can I help my mum but not do the same for my dad? No, I’m actually asking. Because I really, really don’t want to do this.

I glance over at Mum and Jess. Jess’s eyes are wide and she’s shaking her head. Mum looks strangely proud of me. I think that’s the reason I do what I do next.

‘Of course you can,’ I reply simply. ‘When do you need to come over?’

‘Today, if that’s all right,’ Dad says.

Bloody hell. I am in no way mentally prepared for this. Physically I am, the house can take more guests, but this is the last thing I wanted.

‘Yeah, of course,’ I insist as best I can. ‘I’ll get your room ready.’