Merry Measure - Lily Morton Page 0,64
myself down on the seat and glare at him. “Because he’s lovely, and he doesn’t need you giving him shit about me.”
“And why would I do that?”
I give serious consideration to punching him because he looks so smug at the moment. Like he knows a secret that I don’t.
“Because you still think I’m a child, and I’m not. And I won’t have you mistreat Jack.” I can feel myself winding up. “He needs our family, Tom. We’re actually his family. He needs people who can make him feel safe to be himself.”
“And who is the real Jack?”
I bite my lip, wondering if he’s taking the piss, but his face is absolutely serious. “He’s clever and very kind,” I say slowly. “He’s far too serious for his own good, and that gets worse when he’s nervous. And underneath his control, he’s a bit of a goof, and he’s funny.” I pause to take a breath. “And why are you smiling at me like that?” I say in outrage. “This is serious, Tom.” He leans forward and gives me a smacking kiss on my forehead. “Ugh, stop it!” I say.
He smiles. “It’s not as serious as I thought,” he says.
I blanch. “Oh my God, what did Jack say?” I ask hoarsely.
He holds his hands up in a panicked fashion. “No, no. I don’t mean he’s taking it lightly.”
“Then what do you mean?”
“I just mean that I was really worried about the situation and now I’m not.”
“Just like that?”
“Yes, Tommy Cooper, just like that.”
“Who is Tommy Cooper?”
“He was a comedian. I saw a programme about him the other night and…” He huffs. “Never mind that. Just know that I’m fine with it.”
I stare at him. “You’re not worried anymore?”
“Nope.”
There’s a short silence before I stir. “Was it my incredibly well-organised argument that decided you?”
He snorts. “Definitely not.”
I stare at him some more and then decide not to look a gift horse in the mouth. “Oh, okay then, that’s good. As long as you’re going to be nice to Jack.”
“Oh, I am.”
“Well, then we’re fine,” I say. I gesture at the hotel. “I’ll just…”
“Off you trot,” he says serenely.
I stand up. “You know, being smug is not a good character trait.”
He shrugs. “So you say.”
“Oh, I do.” I pause. “You look like Sally.”
He glares up at me at the mention of our sister. “I do not look like her.”
“You’re doing the same smug face she does.”
“Motherfucker,” he hisses.
I smile and bend down to hug him. He hugs me back tightly and kisses the side of my face.
“I love you,” I say fiercely.
He chuckles. “I love you too.”
When I get into the hotel, I spot Jack sitting on the acid-yellow sofa in the corner. As soon as he sees me, he gets to his feet. “Everything okay?” he asks anxiously.
I walk straight into him, and I’m gratified when his arms come up automatically to hug me.
“Tom is being weirder than normal,” I say into his shoulder.
He chuckles. “That’s very weird, then.”
I nod and pull back to look up at him. “He’s fine with us.”
“So why do you still look worried?”
“Because he’s acting like he knows something that I don’t know, and I bloody hate it when he does that, Jack.”
“Ah, it’s just the Wright nosiness.”
I shake my head. “Natural curiosity is a desirable trait.”
“How about extreme nosiness?”
“I don’t think that can be applied to me.”
He smiles and brushes my hair back from my forehead. “So, it wasn’t you who travelled ten stops past your stop on the tube just so you could hear the outcome of a couple arguing?”
I roll my eyes. “Okay, I’m nosy. And she was perfectly right to bin him. I’d have done the same in her place, and I told her so.” I stare at him as he passes me my coat. “Why are you giving me this?”
He bites his lip, looking suddenly apprehensive. “It’s cold out. I thought I’d take you for a drink and we can have a chat.”
My stomach flips as I instantly catch his nervous mood. That doesn’t sound good. “Really?” I ask faintly.
“Yes. Get your coat on and let’s go.”
His nervous air doesn’t let up as he grabs my hand and pulls me down the narrow streets. He talks in a fast voice about all sorts of stuff. I don’t contribute much. I feel sick at the thought that he might be going to tell me he doesn’t want to see me anymore. Then Tom will take back his nice words and try to kill Jack.