Free I Think My Dad Is a Spy by Sognia Vassallo Page A

standing behind her puffing up a cushion and placing it gently down her back.
    What a brown-noser, I thought shaking my head. Grandma was overly grateful for the gesture as she wriggled into the back of the two-seater couch, and the empty seat next to Grandma became occupied when the Idiot-Boy sat down next to her.
    The only spot left was Dad’s farty leather armchair. I wondered who was going to sit in that. Several minutes had passed when Dad finally entered the room. Chelsea shot a quick uneasy glance over to him as she poured the last of the tea out into her cup. I could tell she was the most anxious person in the room, especially after she had just overheard us talking about Dad outside.
    Chelsea didn’t even thank Dad when he offered her his armchair to sit in. Carefully she sat down in the farty-chair, but it just made a soft squeaky ‘eewWWPhffft’ as she settled fully into it. Several of us still giggled at the sound it made.
    â€œSorry,” whispered Chelsea looking around embarrassed.
    As our tiny lounge room was filled to capacity, I decided to sit on top of the sideboard. I gently wriggled my bottom between a photograph of my mum holding me as a baby and my short film documentary trophy that I won last year.
    â€œSophie George, do you have to sit up there?” Dad asked looking around the crammed room.
    â€œBut there’s nowhere else to sit,” I whinged also looking around the crammed room.
    Grandma, being Grandma, wriggled over a little to make room for me on the couch between her and Idiot-Boy. She patted the sofa cushion as a gesture for me to come and sit down between them. I smiled politely trying to think of something other to say except, “Eeew! Are you ­serious?”
    Dad gave me a harsh stare so I hopped off the sideboard and leant against it instead.
    â€œA-hem,” Dad said clearing his throat, “I have gathered you all here today because I feel the need to explain my curious behaviour of late.”
    Chelsea moved uncomfortably in Dad’s chair.
    â€œSome of you may or may not know that a rumour circulated about me running off to New York with a Russian woman.”
    Chelsea snorted a loud nervous giggle and everyone’s eyes fell upon her.
    â€œWell some of that was true—you see Zoe is my mother’s assistant in the United States and she also happens to be Russian,” he explained.
    The room fell silent and again all eyes fell on Chelsea for a reaction, but she looked frozen. Her eyes were fixed on her tea cup sitting on her lap.
    â€œA few weeks ago I had a mission,” Dad continued.
    â€œOoooh,” gasped Janice loudly looking at me.
    â€œMy mission was to find an item I had seen when I flicking through a magazine—an item so precious and beautiful. After many emails and phone calls I realised I couldn’t get this thing in Australia. So I asked my mother who kindly put her assistant on to finding it for me in America. Zoe flew here to meet with me and we discussed the object I desired and I have been completely caught up with it ever since. Unfortunately as you know when mother had her accident it meant Zoe and I had to fly back to New York at a moment’s notice,” Dad said looking at me apologetically.
    â€œBack in the States I was able to finalise my plans and bring, not only my mother back to Australia, but also the thing I have been desperately keeping from you all,” he finished.
    He’s going to announce he’s a spy, I thought looking around the room anxiously.
    Dad picked up his briefcase and opened it. He pulled out a little blue bag, inside the bag was a quaint blue box. Dad surprised us all when he dropped down on one knee in front of Chelsea; everyone gasped with excitement.
    As he took Chelsea by the left hand, I looked around the room nervously. Suddenly I felt hot and the walls felt like they were closing in on me. Out the corner of my eye I saw Theo scrambling over the ottoman