Just for You

Chapter 12 - Working Together

Sunday morning comes and I am blinded by the sunlight coming through my window. I try to cover it with a blanket but it doesn't work. I really need to get curtains.

Dad is making pancakes and singing along to the radio. He looks so ridiculous in his stripped Pjs with his hair sticking up at weird angles, that as I enter the kitchen, I burst out laughing.

Dad looks up from the stove, surprised. “What?”

“You looked so-” I start giggling again before I can finish the sentence.

Dad sticks his tongue out at me and then swats my hand as I reach for a pancake.

“Not yet!”

I pout, “What! You're going to starve me?!”

Dad flips another pancake over and wipes his hands on a tea towel. “Wait for Todd.”

Todd comes waddling down stairs a few minutes later, a cardboard box on his head with a slit cut out so that he can see. He is holding a water gun and wearing Dad's ugg boots on his feet.

“Bye.” He says as he heads for the door.

“Hang on!” Dad calls, placing his hands on his hips, “Where are you going?”

“To the moon.”

“The moon?”

Todd nods like it's the most obvious thing in the world, “Yeah, Jeremy and me are going to the moon. We'll be back around lunch time. Maybe we'll bring you some moon rocks.”

“Jeremy lives a 20 minute drive away Todd. I can't take you today. You can play at school.” Dad turns back to the stove and plops another golden pancake on the pile. I motion for Todd to sit at the table. He shakes his head vigorously.

“No Dad, I'm going in my space ship and he's going in his. Where meeting on the moon!” Then he turns away and opens the door. “See ya!” He calls as he scurries out.

“Stay near the house!” Dad yells as the door slams. He shakes his head and smiles. I take the opportunity to grab my pancake.

As I drizzle it with honey and a blob of ice cream in the middle, the phone rings. Dad flips another pancake and picks it up with his other hand. "Hello?"

He is silent for a moment, then glances over at me with one eyebrow raised. "Sure, I'll get her."

He holds the phone out to me. "Your friend, Connie."

I frown and take the phone.

"Hello?"

Hey, Phoebe, your Dad sounds really nice!"

"Ur, thanks." There is a muffled voice in the background and a bit of static.

"Ok, ok!" Connie moans at the voice. "Phoe, meet me at your gate in ten minutes, ok? See ya there!"

"Wait, wha-" Dial tone.

"What was that all about?" Dad asks.

"I don't know," I reply as I begin to shovel down my breakfast. "But I'm gonna find out." Connie's got me curious, and even though I'm still a bit peeved with her and Violet, my curiosity is winning by a long shot.

I hurry through my pancakes, then shoot up stairs and change into jeans and boots. As I leave the house, Dad reminds me that he is slashing a back field today and won't be around. I reassure him that I will be fine as I race out the door and down the driveway.

I reach the gate a few minutes later and lean against it as I wait. Less than a minute later a ute comes bumping down the road and slows at my gate. I can see Connie waving to me from the passenger seat, but what surprises me most is Chad, sitting in front of the steering wheel and staring at me.