“To Michael Johnson,” she read. “I wonder who’s been writing him? There’s no return address.”
“Well…” Katy drawled. “I don’t remember him ever to receive mails… at least except bills and official invitations”.
“Maybe…” Alice pulled a mysterious face, “He is seeing someone.”
The thought seemed not that ridiculous at all to Katy. Michael was a quite handsome man: a tall brunette with excellent body. His grey eyes were shining with kindness, always showing some cheerful sparks in his glance. Moreover, he was strong: he could put a fallen tree out of the way, though it took several men only to lift it. Fooling about with his daughters, Michael tossed both of them up at the same time easily, like some balls.
But neither Katy nor Alice had ever seen Michael dating someone.
“Hold on!” Alice stopped suddenly – the envelope in her hands – and snuffled.
“What’s wrong?” Katy got a bit alerted at once.
“Don’t you smell it?” Alice raised her index finger and snuffled even louder. “Chicken wings! Let’s go, I’m starving!”
Michael was indeed taking steaming chicken wings out of the oven. Their fuzzy-wuzzy – a red cat called Boniface – was reeling in his way, hoping some bit might fall off accidentally.
“Hey there, students!” Michael uttered cheerfully. “You’re right on time…
The girls pecked him on his flushed in the oven heat cheek as they usually did.
“Dad, your dish has probably been discussed by all the neighbours already; the smell is magnificent… And what’s for side dish?”
Michael put the saucepan off the stove and took the lid off triumphantly:
“How about that?”
Alice peered into the pan.
“My favourite vegetable stew!” Alice delighted. “Daddy, I absolutely adore you!”
“Enough talks then,” Katy told her sister sternly. “Let’s lay the table…”
“Yes, Sir!” Alice snapped a playful salute. And only now had she remembered of the letter. “Dad, there’s a letter for you,” she passed it out to Michael.
He dried his hands on his apron and took the envelope.
Was Katy imagining things or had his face really been clouded with a shadow? But even if so, Michael got a grip on himself fast.
“Girls, you go ahead with serving the cutlery, and I’ll be right back…” having said that, he went off to his room.
A couple of minutes later Michael popped into the kitchen. Alice had already been sitting at the table and Katy was filling their father’s plate.
“Sit down, quickly,” Katy put the dish on the table. “And… why in the world are you wearing a jacket? Are you leaving somewhere?”
“Have dinner without me.” Michael did well and yet he couldn’t hide his anxiety. “I’ll be back soon. I’ll make it for tea with lemon cupcakes…”
He broke into what was not a really genuine smile – Katy thought – and rushed out the door.
“How do you think, where did he go?” Alice wondered, feeding the last wing off to Boniface.
Katy shrugged her shoulders.
“I don’t know, but he did seem strange to me…”
“Everything always seems like that to you,” Alice razzed her. “That’s because you’re thinking too much.”
Katy wanted to sneer but then she changed her mind.
“Yeah,” she admitted instead, “Name but a few our perpetual moves. What are they for? As if we’re running from somebody…”
“Well,” Alice drawled. “Michael has explained those: he is being offered nicer jobs…
“For almost every year?” Katy wondered mockingly.
“Listen,” Alice took the plates away, “let’s discuss something more interesting. Tomorrow, for instance…”
Katy slapped her forehead:
“I’m so sorry, Alie! Don’t you dare thinking I have forgotten your birthday… How are we celebrating?”
“I’ve got a whole bunch of plans,” Alice brightened in a clap. “It’s not just any birthday, it’s ADULTHOOD! That’s why I’m offering: cinema, amusement ride, an ice-cream parlour, and as for the evening – an awesome party with dancing till the break of dawn! I’ve already invited mates from our class.”
“Could we make all this for the only tomorrow?” Katy wondered suspiciously. “Consider that we have classes!”
“We’re skipping them,” Alice stated, giving her sister a glance of her innocent blue eyes. “You’re having adulthood only once in your life, you know!”
Katy kept silent, indecisive to object. Skipping classes was contrary to her every idea of responsibility. But she really didn’t want to spoil her sister’s celebration tomorrow.
“What would Michael say about that skipping?” she made a faint attempt to bring Alice to her senses.
“Michael wouldn’t mind,” their father had suddenly interfered, entering the kitchen. He looked a bit tired. Or was he upset?… “Indeed, you have adulthood only once in your life. So, girls, have a good blast…And, one more thing, Alice… Add shopping to your list. I thought that only you can pick the best present for yourself. That’s why I want to grant you… some finances for it. Oh, yeah, and something else more,” he added in a hushed voice.
Alice had turned a deaf ear to that “something else”, being more interested in the finances promise.
“Daddy, that’s wonderful!” she jingled in a melodious voice. “And… may I ask how… significant would those finances be? I’m asking to make my mind about the shop to go to,” she added quickly so her father – perish the thought – would not hold her for a plinger.
Michael burst into laughing:
“Enough for you to have a wander round the best Flitton shops. Besides, there will be enough for cinema, amusement ride, and some ice-cream.”
“Fine,” Katy gave up, “we’re skipping classes tomorrow. But promise me we’ll turn to the library to pick up some material for our report… Haven’t you forgotten that, I hope?”
Of course, how could Alice not recall that? She volunteered herself today at Mr. Blake’s class. But the topic was too interesting: Ancient Egypt. And Katy was assigned to assist her.
“Yeah,” Alice had to admit it, “we can’t let Mr. Blake down. Fine, we’ll drop in. I guess it won’t take a lot of time.”
Katy sneered to her sister’s carelessness.
Michael had dinner and lied down on his favourite sofa next to the TV. He had never actually watched the TV itself but he liked lie reading some book or newspaper.
This time, while Katy was washing the dishes, Alice went off to her father’s room and brought him a new detective story they had recently bought at the book store.
Katy was lying in her bed while Alice was combing her hair before going to sleep.
“Alie…” Katy gave way. “You’ve been talking about the birds today… as if the feeling is common to you.”
“What feeling?”
“Well… when you realize you don’t belong here… That you are awaited somewhere else, and everything surrounding you now is not yours, not real…”
Katy bated her breath. She was afraid of her sister laughing at her,