Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 103000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
“I’ll get judgy as soon as he steps off the plane. If he’s as much of a jackass as Connor, he can turn straight back round again. I’ll kick his butt right through departures.”
“That’s enough, Ted,” Mum says.
“No, it isn’t. Not where our daughter is concerned. Connor’s a bloody snake, and a fool. I’ll not have Ella walked all over. End bloody of!”
The heartrate monitor on his new watch bleeps at the increase and Mum tells him to calm down. I laugh out loud. I love how protective he is of me. I type out a message to Josh between mouthfuls of hotdog.
My parents are asking when they’ll get to meet you. I’ve been busted messaging.
I see the typing icon.
Well, ditto. Mine have been asking me since I helped chop the veg this morning.
You told them about me??
I grin my head off at the thought.
Sure did. They said they’ll welcome you with open arms, as long as you aren’t a bitch like Amy.
Amy – Magpie.
Turns out she treated Josh pretty bad. We’re in the same boat on that score.
That’s another ditto, then, I type. Dad says he’ll send you straight back to the departure lounge if you’re anything like Connor.
I’m still grinning to myself as I wait for his reply.
Maybe I should take the purple out of my hair, forget about my piercings, and wear a suit on the plane. He sends a laughing emoji.
Don’t even think about it!
“He’s from the same agency as Ella,” Mum tells Dad. “Josh.”
“Josh… right. And what does he do at the agency?”
“Same job as me,” I say. “PR.”
“Good.”
“Yeah,” I say. “It is.”
One day it would be very, very good to work directly with him… I’d love to see Weston in full-on action mode.
It’s been so hard navigating the work questions from my parents – Mum especially. I’ve told her I meet clients to discuss their requirements for corporate socials, and I can blag it all I like, but she knows something more’s going on. Maybe one day I’ll tell her the truth, but for now it’ll be hotdogs by the pool and hugs at bedtime.
She might not be all that happy I’m an entertainer if she knew what it entails, but she’d definitely be happy with how I’ve handled the opportunity I got from Santa. I’ve got just a few thousand left after his Christmas gift – the rest I’ve donated to charity. Something I’ve only shared with Eb, on a strictly ‘secrets for ever’ basis. She couldn’t believe it when I told her. She said she felt like Scrooge for dismissing the desperate proposal so easily, but we all live and learn. Every day is a chance to learn something, and I’m learning a lot right now. It seems every single day has a new lesson for me. Some more philosophical than others…
Dad says again how he’s doing to teach me a bomb dive in the pool this afternoon. No excuses. We’re going in, just as soon as we’re done with our hotdogs!
“Fine. I’ll do a bomb dive, no problem,” I say.
I think he means a cannonball… but they never allowed them at our local pool. It’ll be a new experience for me.
I take my place at the poolside next to him when it’s time, and wave over at Mum, who has her phone in her hand, camera at the ready. But before we take the jump, I put an arm around Dad’s waist and lean my head against his shoulder.
“Thanks,” I say to him, and he chuckles.
“For what? Hotdogs and bomb dives?”
“Nah,” I reply. “For being you, and helping Mum be Mum. Oh, and for Dad’s cab at the airport. This is the best Christmas ever.”
“The first of a load more to come now you’re a PR pro,” he says, and squeezes me tight. “Now, let’s get on with the bloody bomb dive. We’ve got Christmas pudding coming up.”
He launches himself from the poolside like he’s trying out for the Olympics, his arms wrapped tight around his knees as he plunges. Yeah, it’s a cannonball. My dad’s doing a cannonball.
“COME ON, ELLA!!!” he yells, but I can’t jump in straight after him. I’m laughing way too hard, and so is Mum at the other side of the pool. My dad’s a champion, an absolute superstar, just like Mum is.
I can’t wait for Josh to get to meet them…
THE END