Free Paper Alice by Charlotte Calder Page A

doing it, but it hadn’t inspired him to carry on with anything else like that.
    I could hardly accuse Mum of not doing anything for the greater good. She’s been the chairwoman of a high-powered professional women’s group that’s raised a heap of money for various charities over the years.
    â€˜Anyway,’ I finished, ‘you wouldn’t really know what he’s like! You make him so nervous whenever he’s here that it’s a wonder he dares open his mouth!’
    â€˜Al-ice,’ growled Dad, into the ensuing silence.
    But I was looking at Mum, gratified to see a tiny look of shock, then hurt, register in her eyes. Her gaze met mine.
    â€˜Nonsense,’ she said, but I knew I’d hit a nerve. I waited.
    â€˜Well,’ she said finally, slowly, ‘I’m sorry if I . . . scare Dunc. I don’t mean to . . .’
    She broke off, looking at Dad for support. He frowned.
    â€˜I think you’re laying it on a bit thick, Al–’
    â€˜No, I’m not !’ I cried recklessly. Things had gonefrom bad to worse; I might as well drag them right to the bottom.
    I swung back to Mum.
    â€˜It’s just that you’re so . . . judgemental sometimes, and not just about Dunc! About heaps of things.’ I folded my arms, staring down at the remains of my dinner. ‘I’m sorry I’m not Miss Perfect; neither of us are.’ Then I realised what I’d said and added, ‘He’s not Mr Perfect, I mean.’
    Mum’s hand came onto mine. I looked up and was amazed to see that she suddenly seemed to be about to cry, something I’ve hardly ever seen her do.
    Then I glanced at Dad again. By now he would normally well and truly have taken up the role of arbitrator and peacemaker; yet here he was staring down at his plate again, detached, almost remote.
    Desolation flooded through me like a tide of dirty brown water.
    â€˜I’m sorry, darling.’ Mum was blinking, squeezing my hand in hers. ‘It’s just that . . . well, we really like Dunc and everything, don’t we, Pete?’
    Dad, still not looking up, nodded slowly.
    â€˜It’s just that you’ve been going out with him forever – he’s the only real boyfriend you’ve ever had. And we worry about you getting tied down so soon, that’s all . . .’ She trailed off and I could feel her looking at me, but I’d dropped my gaze and was staring fixedly at the bowl of oranges in the middle of the table.
    â€˜Perhaps,’ she went on, after a moment, ‘you should think about going out with other boys for a while.’
    More silence.
    â€˜I’m not tied down ,’ I muttered finally. I’d grabbed thepepper grinder and was batting it back and forth between my fingers. ‘And I don’t wanna go out with other boys.’
    Even as I said it I knew it wasn’t the absolute, one hundred per cent truth. Then again, what is?
    I glanced surreptitiously at the two of them. Right now there was quite enough going on in my life without any more changes taking place.

CHAPTER
FOUR
    D unc and I ate lunch together on the lawn outside the library the next day, sitting facing one another cross-legged, knees brushing occasionally.
    â€˜Brrr,’ I said after a while, reaching for my jacket. ‘I can’t work out whether I’m hot or cold.’
    It was one of those days when you don’t realise there’s a breeze – until the sun goes behind a cloud.
    â€˜Cold!’ cried Dunc automatically. ‘How can you be cold?’
    I wouldn’t mind a couple of bucks for every time we’ve had this conversation. He as usual was in just his T-shirt – he only adds another layer if it’s about to snow.
    I made a face at him as I stuck my arms in the sleeves and pulled it on.
    â€˜Well,’ he said, swallowing a mouthful, ‘are you coming tonight?’
    He was talking about a