Operation Eiffel Tower (13 page)

‘Mum’s having a cup of tea with Auntie Joyce. She’s been here all night. Dad just left.’

‘He left?’ Ruby’s voice was weak and croaky, but she still managed to sound hurt.

Lauren nodded. ‘He was sent home really. Auntie Joyce said it was better for him to wait at the B and B.’

‘Why?’

The question hung in the air between them. Jack shuffled his chair closer to the bed. ‘What do you remember?’ he asked.

Ruby frowned. ‘Dad was home. And then he was leaving again. And then, there was a big noise and my leg hurt and my tummy, and then I was asleep.’

‘A car hit you,’ Lauren said simply. ‘A car hit you and you came to hospital.’

‘So why isn’t Dad here?’ The last word was more of a choked sob.

Jack flashed a look at Lauren.

Lauren sighed. ‘Don’t get upset. Do you want a drink of water or something? Shall I get Mum?’

‘I want my daddy,’ Ruby whispered.

Lauren frowned, then reached out and stroked Ruby’s face. ‘Listen. He was here, but he had to go. Mum’s cross with him.’

‘Why?’

‘I don’t know.’ Lauren sighed. ‘Maybe she thinks that if Dad hadn’t come to the house then you wouldn’t be in hospital. Who knows what they’re thinking.’

‘But,’ Ruby whispered, ‘that isn’t fair. I didn’t look before I crossed the road. That isn’t Dad’s fault.’

‘Don’t worry,’ Lauren said. ‘Really, don’t worry. You just need to get better. You’re going to be OK. It’s good, it’s all good. Don’t cry.’

‘But I’ve made it worse.’ Ruby’s voice was so quiet, Jack could hardly hear her. ‘Now Dad will never come home. And it’s my fault.’ She pulled the sheet up over her face.

‘We’ll fix it,’ Jack said. ‘Please don’t cry.’ He stroked the top of her head where her brown curls spread across the pillow.

Ruby quietened slowly. Jack eased the sheet down off her face. She looked grey and tired. Her eyelids drooped, then closed. She was asleep again.

‘Well done,’ Lauren said sarcastically.

‘What?’

‘Why did you tell her you’d fix it? How exactly do you plan on fixing it? Mum’s going to be furious with Dad over this.’

Jack had a horrible feeling that Lauren was right, but he refused to admit it. He had said he’d make it right and he would. ‘We have to make it all right. For Ruby. And for us. And for Mum and Dad.’

‘They’re not even talking to each other.’

‘That’s exactly why we need to do something. We’ve already got some of the money we need to get them to Paris. How far would ninety pounds get them?’

‘Somewhere in Kent, probably. Jack, how can we get them to Paris when we can’t even get them in the same room?’

‘They are
not
going to turn down a free holiday. They’re cross with each other, they’re not
mental
.’

‘Aren’t they?’ Lauren said bitterly. ‘They seem pretty mental to me.’

Jack frowned. Lauren had a point.

Chapter 24

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject: Ruby’s on the mend

Dear Paul,

I thought you might like to know, Ruby is definitely on the mend. Today, when we went in, she was eating ice cream and watching cartoons on a little telly in her room. She says that except for the needles, it’s a bit like being on holiday.

I hope she can come home soon.

Mum and Dad still aren’t talking. Well, Mum isn’t anyway. Dad goes to the hospital at different visiting times to Mum. The head nurse understands. Her name is Pamela and her mum and dad are divorced, even though they are really old. She gave me orange juice last time we were there and told me that when she got married, her mum and dad had to sit at different tables at the wedding to stop them arguing. She lets Dad visit Ruby even though it isn’t officially visiting time, so that he can avoid Mum.

When Ruby’s well enough to walk around by herself, she’ll come home. That’s what Pamela says anyway. I hope it’s soon.

Love,

Jack

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject: RE: Ruby’s on the mend

Dear Jack,

Why are soldiers so handy?

Because they’re in the army!

Handy, army? Get it? Ooh, you’re a tough crowd.

That’s absolutely blinding news about Ruby. Nice one. I always knew she was tough as old boots. She’ll be back home getting on your nerves and making you play daft games in no time, you’ll see.

Well done on winning the inaugural William’s World of Wonders Open Tournament. I always knew you were a mini Tiger Woods. I’m not getting in a lot of golf here, but I have been practising my running around and climbing things. I finished the assault course today. I won’t tell you my time, because you won’t be impressed. But I finished it! First time I’ve actually managed to get the whole way round without being sick. Go Team Me!

I’m sorry to hear your mum and dad are still fighting. As far as your mum goes, well, she’s angry. There’s no talking to people when they’re angry. We had a lecture on effective negotiating last week. They told us that if the person you’re negotiating with loses their temper, then they can’t hear you any more. It’s like something in their brain switches off. There’s no point trying to win hearts and minds when you’re in the middle of a battle.

Love,

Paul

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject: Hearts and minds?

Dear Paul,

What does hearts and minds mean?

Love,

Jack

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject: RE: Hearts and minds?

Dear Jack,

There are two sides to a person, their heart and their mind. Or, to put it another way, emotions and logic. When someone is angry, then they’re all emotion, no logic. There’s just no room inside for their brain to say, ‘Hang on there a minute.’ There’s no point negotiating with angry people. You just have to wait for them to calm down.

You have to be patient with your mum and dad.

Love,

Paul

Chapter 25

Jack logged out of his email. Hearts and minds. Was it true that Mum and Dad were too busy being angry to feel anything else? He thought it might be.

He stood up. He had been at his desk too long. The house was quiet. He wandered out of his room, vaguely looking for Lauren or Billy. Or maybe even Mum.

He found Lauren out in the garden. She was sunbathing. She was wearing her swimming costume and lying back on a sunlounger. Billy was curled up on the grass, fast asleep. The air felt hot and heavy as a duvet. Jack thought it must be nice to just curl up in it and sleep, without a care in the world.

‘Where’s Mum?’ Jack asked.

‘Cleaning the bathroom.’

‘Why?’

‘I don’t know. Go and get me an ice lolly, would you?’

‘OK.’

Inside, at the freezer, Jack suddenly wondered whether Mum would like one too.

Jack went to find her. He pushed open the bathroom door. Mum was leaning into the bath, scrubbing at the sides. The smell of the cleaning stuff made Jack cough. Mum looked up, then sat back on her heels. She wiped a strand of hair out of her eyes with the back of her arm. She looked hot and cross.

‘Hi, Mum,’ Jack said.

‘What, Jack? I’m busy.’

‘Why?’

‘Why what?’ Mum said.

‘Why are you busy? We’re out in the garden. You could come and play. We’re going to have ice lollies.’ Jack wasn’t sure what he meant. It just seemed wrong that Mum should be inside on a nice day when she could be out with them.

‘I haven’t got time to play. I need to get the house straight. It needs to be nice for when . . .’ Mum stopped, her voice sounded shaky. She took a breath. ‘It needs to be nice for when Ruby gets home.’

‘Ruby doesn’t notice the cleaning,’ Jack said.

‘Well,
I
notice. And I want it to be nice for her.’

‘When is she coming home?’ Jack asked.

Mum looked away, then reached back into the bath to carry on scrubbing. ‘Soon,’ she said. ‘Soon.’

Back in the garden, Jack handed Lauren an ice lolly. She bit off the plastic wrapping and crunched into the lolly.

‘Come to the beach,’ Jack said.

Lauren sighed and shuffled lower on the sunlounger. ‘I’m busy.’

‘No, you’re not. You’re just lying there going red.’

Lauren sat up quickly and held out her arms. They were the soft brown of caramel. ‘No, I’m not!’ she said.

‘Yes, you are,’ Jack grinned. ‘Like a lobster. Like a pillar box. Like a London bus. Ruby red!’

He stopped. Ruby’s name seemed to hang in the air between them.

Lauren sighed. ‘OK.’ She stood up. ‘Let’s go to the front.’

‘What about Billy?’ Jack looked down. Billy was still fast asleep in the shade.

Lauren scooped Billy up. He murmured, but didn’t wake. ‘He’s having an afternoon nap. I’ll put him in Mum’s bed. I’ll be right down.’

Jack followed her through the house. He waited at the bottom of the stairs while Lauren tucked Billy in then scrambled into her jeans and T-shirt. Lauren shouted goodbye to Mum then came down.

Outside, Jack took long strides towards the beach. It felt good to be doing something normal. It felt as if too much of their life was spent waiting and watching.

He broke into a trot.

‘Hey, wait for me!’ Lauren yelled behind him.

But he didn’t slow down. As he ran, his face broke into a smile. He raced past the tourists with their sun hats and ice creams; he ignored the slow-loping horses and the swooping seagulls. In a moment, he was at the adventure golf.

‘It’s the Champ!’ William gave him a wave. ‘Four under today? What do you reckon?’

Jack grinned. ‘Five.’

‘We need to think about the autumn repairs soon. The Statue of Liberty has lost one of the spikes off her crown. Some hooligan smashed a ball straight at her. I know he was only a toddler, but that’s no excuse for a bad shot.’ William disappeared into the wooden shed at the side of the course. He reappeared quickly with Jack’s favourite putter. ‘And the Leaning Tower of Pisa is looking a bit too wonky.’

Jack nodded, then picked out a ball and set off for the first hole. Lauren sat on her favourite bench, looking out at the navy blue sea.

Jack lined his ball up on the tee and positioned himself for the shot. The fixed pump on the Niagara Falls meant that water rushed fiercely between him and the hole. He took the holes slowly and methodically. He wasn’t after an impressive score today – he just wanted to be here in the sunshine, putting balls.