Straight to You Page 0,27

and weak. 'How are you?'

'I'm all right. Dad,' I replied. 'I've had enough of this heat though. It's a bit hot, isn't it?'

'Too bloody hot,' he snapped bluntly as he pushed his aching frame up and out of the chair. I held his arm to help him but he brushed my hand away. 'I'm all right,' he grumbled. 'Just a bit stiff, that's all.'

Dad moved away from the support of the deckchair, turned and shuffled towards the open back door. I watched him sadly as he moved. Dad had always been such a fit and active man that to see him like this was heartbreaking. I knew that Mom was right and, although she hadn't said as much, I could see that the incredible conditions were killing him.

We sat around the kitchen table to eat our meal and, for a while, things were just like they had been before I had left home. Mom sat opposite Dad and I had the pleasure of sitting directly across the table from my little sister. Although Mom had struggled in the kitchen for a long time to prepare our meal, none of us seemed able to eat much. I toyed with the food on my plate while I thought of Samantha and I chewed a couple of hot, filling mouthfuls. I looked up to see that Michelle was staring at me and I was sure that she wanted to ask something. Her intuition seemed to have told her that I had begun seeing someone and then, with her usual disregard for tact and decorum, she began to pursue the issue with unavoidable and embarrassing questions.

'So, Steve,' she began, 'am I imagining things or are you happier than usual tonight? Have you finally managed to find yourself a decent girlfriend?'

I almost choked on the mouthful of food that I was eating.

'What makes you think that?' I asked, keen not to give anything away without a struggle.

'I know you too well,' she replied. 'You're being nice to me and that's a sure sign that something's up.' Michelle smiled sweetly, desperate for information and gossip.

'That doesn't mean that I'm going out with anyone, does it?' I said with deliberate ambiguity. 'Does anybody want another drink?' I asked, trying unsuccessfully to change the subject. My love life was not something that I wanted to discuss in front of Mom and Dad.

'I bet you are,' she said, putting down her knife and fork.

'Well, as a matter of fact, I am,' I said, shoving more food into my mouth. That was all that I wanted to say but Michelle, typically, had other ideas.

'I knew, I could tell!' she shouted. 'What's her name? Where did you meet her? Come on, I want to know everything.'

'Her name's Samantha, and that's all you're going to get,' I said with my mouth still half full of food.

'Leave your brother alone,' Mom interrupted. 'He's come over here for his tea, not to be questioned by you.' She turned to face me. 'I'm sure she's a lovely girl and you'll tell us all about her when you're ready to.'

'It's too bloody hot in here,' Dad suddenly shouted angrily.

The rest of the family around the table became silent as he threw down his knife and fork and stood up. After waiting for a couple of seconds to get his balance, Dad shuffled away from the table and disappeared into the dark living-room. Mom watched him go and I saw that her eyes had filled with tears.

Michelle became quiet, fearing guiltily that she had angered our father with her excited behaviour. I pushed my plate away from me, unable to eat any more and watched as Mom stood silently and went into another room.

Later that night, I sat in the living-room with Dad. The windows were all fully open and a gentle breeze fluttered into the room which gently lifted the lace nets and light curtains which hung around them. The only light came from a dull table lamp at Dad's side and the only sound from Mom and Michelle talking in the kitchen.

'How are you feeling now, Dad?' I asked.

'Oh, not too bad, son,' he replied, calmly. 'I'll be glad when this heat finally eases off though.'

'Mom was telling me that you don't like it. It'll be better when you get up to Uncle George's though, won't it?'

'It won't be the heat getting to me then, it'll be that bloody wife of his,' he snapped. 'Still, your mother seems to think that it'll do us all