Dreamers- Book 1

Chapter Fifteen- Pippa

The smell of bacon wafting through the house roused her from her sleep with a smile on her face.

"Morning my most beautiful, amazing daughter in the world." Her dad said, backing into her bedroom with a breakfast tray.

Pippa watched sleepily and bemused as he proudly laid the laden tray on her lap.

"There's a bacon sandwich, extra ketchup, no crusts. But I know that sometimes you don't want hot food in the morning so I also did you vanilla yogurt, chocolate chunk granola with chopped bananas and blueberries. There is also a cup of tea, one sugar or if you don't want that there is a glass of orange juice."

"Dad." She said, catching on to what he was doing.

"Yes, my favourite daughter?" He replied, smiling brightly at her.

"Firstly, I'm your only daughter. Secondly, what do you want?" She asked, taking a bite of her bacon sandwich before it started to get cold.

"Exactly, that means you're my favourite. As for me wanting something, nope. Nothing." Her dad shuffled from one foot to the other.

"Dad." Sighing, Pippa gave him a 'look'.

"Ok, ok fine. Your Aunty May is coming with Gran and Gramps for dinner tonight."

"Oh boy."

Aunty May was the type of woman who would be better suited to the 1800's. Change and different were not something she tolerated. And dad couldn't stand her.

It was as though they were going into battle.

Stood hours later in the kitchen, ten minutes before their guests were scheduled to arrive, Pippa and her dad were going through their battle plan.

"-And if she mentions work?" Her dad said, chopping the vegetables vigorously for the steamer.

"Regarding me, I tell her I am still enjoying my time in the library and a librarian is a noble profession for a woman, wouldn't she agree?- Regarding you, I steer the conversation into how now you have retired you have more time to be a manly man and that your tool shed is overflowing." She said, wrapping the chicken breasts in pancetta.

"Honestly you too, the way you've gone on today, people would think my sister is a monster!"

Both Pippa and her dad stared blankly at her mum before resuming their cooking tasks.

"Are you really not going to speak to her all evening David?" Her mum asked, sighing with exasperation.

"Not if I don't have too! Not after last time." He resumed chopping, the memory of her dad's and Aunts last encounter sending shudders down her spine.

The shrill ring of their doorbell brought an end to their conversation. Walking out of the kitchen her mum turned before she opened the front door.

"You two- behave."

Catching her dad's eye she bit back a grin. Tonight was definitely going to be interesting.

"So Pippa, darling. Still going to university?" Her Aunt asked, her dad shifting as her nasally voice grated on their nerves.

"Yes Aunty. I'm still planning on going to university." Pippa replied sweetly.

They had managed to get to the dinner table without incident. Pippa had steered the conversations away from the topics she knew would set her dad off and so far it had all gone well.

"That's lovely dear, we're so proud of you- aren't we Marve?" Her Gran said, patting Pippa's hand reassuringly.

"Oh yes. Very proud, very proud." Her Gramps replied, not raising her eyes from his large plate of roast chicken dinner. Pippa wasn't hurt by his dismissive comment, that's just the way he was.