Twenty Eight

We stood around sipping our morning drinks in silence. You know you're in trouble when you sip your drink so that it won't run out. Check out the sippers at the next party and then tell me they're not the socially stunted.

'I should be going,' said Lisa.

'No, don't,' I reflexed.

Dad slurped the dregs of his mug. 'I'll go. You two are busy.'

Relief and mild anguish warred inside me. 'Was there something special you wanted?'

Dad looked from me to Lisa and back again. 'Nah.'

'Well...' I wasn't sure whether to try and stop him or not. After all this could have been a breakthrough moment for us, but Lisa might still be up for it - technically we hadn't had breakfast yet. '...if that's what you want.'

Dad chucked his stoneface at me like that would explain something. 'I'll show myself out.'

'That wasn't very nice of you,' said Lisa after Dad left.

'What?' What was I supposed to do?

'He obviously wanted something. What's the deal with you guys anyway? You're like a couple of polar bears stuck on the same iceberg.'

I huffed. That was a pretty impressive analogy - on account of polar bears being anti-social and all that. Lisa was full of surprises, and so far, they were all good. 'Stuffed if I know. He's been weird ever since I got my own opinions.'

Lisa shook her head. 'Men.'

Whatever that meant.

Twenty Nine