The boys thought that a brilliant idea. Quinn accused him of harbouring a secret desire for a shed on wheels, which made him laugh.
‘So,’ he asked when silence reigned again, ‘are you boys looking forward to the move?’
‘Yes,’ said Chase without hesitation.
In the rear-view mirror he saw Robbie frown and chew the side of his thumb. ‘I’m going to miss my friends Luke and Jason.’
Quinn’s hands clenched. He flicked a glance at them before turning his attention back to the road. ‘I know it’s not precisely the same, but you’ll be able to Skype with them, won’t you?’
Robbie frowned more fiercely. ‘What’s that?’
‘It’s like talking on the phone only on the computer, and you get to see each other.’
He stopped chewing his thumb. ‘Really?’ His face lit up. ‘Can I, Mum? Huh, can I?’
Quinn’s hands unclenched. ‘Sure you can, honey.’
She sent Aidan such a smile he was tempted to simply sit back and bask in it. But then he remembered yesterday’s impression. Unfriendly? He wasn’t having a bit of it.
‘And can I Skype with Daddy too?’
He swore every single muscle Quinn possessed bunched at that. ‘I...’ She cleared her throat. ‘I don’t see why not.’ She flashed Robbie a smile. For some reason it made Aidan want to drop his head to the steering wheel. He kept both hands tight about it, though, and his eyes glued to the road ahead. ‘You’ll have to ask him the next time he rings.’
‘’Kay.’
‘Look, kangaroos!’ Aidan hollered, pointing to the right and blessing Providence for providing them with the perfect distraction.
Both boys strained in their seats, their mouths open and their faces eager as they watched four large grey kangaroos bounce through the scrub beside the car.
Quinn leant her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.
Aidan pulled in a breath. ‘Okay, Robbie and Chase, I think it’s time I taught you a song.’
‘Is it a fun song?’ Chase demanded, as if that was the only kind of song he was interested in.
He scrubbed a hand across his chin. ‘It has a yellow submarine. Does that make it fun enough?’
‘Yes!’ the boys chorused.
Besides, it was a classic. If they were all so hell-bent on novelty songs they might as well learn the best. So he taught them the Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’. By the time they’d finished they’d reached their first rest stop. While Quinn spread out the picnic blanket in the park area behind the lone roadhouse, Aidan grabbed his laptop and downloaded the song so the boys could listen to the original version. The three of them sang along at the tops of their voices.
When they’d finished, Aidan turned to find Quinn curled on the blanket, fast asleep. He thought of his exhaustion of the previous day. He thought about how she was turning her whole world on its head. He swung back to the boys. ‘How about we kick a ball around and let your mum sleep?’
‘I’m tired of kicking a ball around,’ Chase grumbled. ‘I wanna play hopscotch instead.’
Hopscotch?
Without a murmur, Robbie went to the boot of the car and pulled out a plastic mat which, when unfolded, formed a life-sized hopscotch...court, shape or whatever one called it.
‘Uh, guys...’ Aidan glanced at Quinn. He shook his head. ‘Never mind.’
So they played hopscotch.
And darn if it wasn’t fun!
‘Are you guys worried about making friends in your new home town?’
Chase hopped. ‘Mum said it’ll be really easy to make friends in school.’
‘I expect she’s right.’ Aiden patted Chase’s back. ‘Well done, buddy; that was a big hop to end with.’
Robbie took his turn. ‘Mum said I can play Saturday morning soccer in Pokolbin, just like I did in Perth.’
‘Sport is a great way to make friends.’ He stepped back to give Robbie plenty of room to finish his turn. ‘You’re quick at this.’
‘I know.’ Robbie nodded, but as Aidan took his turn he could tell the boy was pleased with the praise.
‘You’d be quicker if you had play clothes.’
Aidan puffed over the finish line. ‘Ain’t that the truth? I’ll have to buy some when we get to Norseman this afternoon.’
Robbie squinted up at Aidan, chewing his lip. Aidan mightn’t have a kid of his own, he mightn’t have friends with kids, but it didn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that Robbie had something he wanted to ask. ‘Out with it, buddy,’ he advised.
‘You gotta promise to tell me the truth.’
Jeez! He rubbed a hand across his jaw. ‘I’ll do my best.’
‘Is hopscotch a girls’ game?’
Aidan automatically went to say no, that anyone was at liberty to play hopscotch, which wasn’t really a lie, but... He closed his mouth. Kids could be cruel and, as far as he could tell, political correctness wasn’t high on their radar, regardless of what their parents tried to teach them.
He squatted down in front of Robbie and Chase, a glance over his shoulder confirming that Quinn still slept. ‘Okay, it shouldn’t just be a girls’ game, but it kinda is.’ He didn’t want these kids getting bullied. ‘So I wouldn’t play it at your new school.’
‘Right.’ Robbie nodded, evidently glad the question had been settled.
Chase leant against Aidan and the rush of the child’s heat against his arm did something strange to Aidan’s stomach. He had a sudden primeval impulse to take out anyone who tried to hurt these kids.
‘But,’ Chase whispered, ‘I like playing hopscotch.’
And nobody should be allowed to prevent these kids from enjoying such an innocent diversion. ‘That’s why I think you should play it at home whenever you want. If anyone finds out about it and gives you a hard time, tell them your mum makes you play it with her. In fact—’ a grin built through him ‘—when you have friends around, tee up with your mum beforehand to make you all play it.’
They’d all love it. He’d tell Quinn to make cake...or chocolate crackles. Kids would forgive any eccentricity for chocolate crackles. They might groan to their parents or other kids that Ms Laverty made them play hopscotch, but then they’d remember the chocolate crackles and still think she was great.
It’d be a win all round.
He beamed at the boys. They beamed back. ‘C’mon, who’s up next?’
* * *
Quinn woke to find Aidan playing hopscotch with Robbie and Chase. She blinked. She sat up and then had to blink again. He actually looked as if he was having fun!
She suddenly grinned, all trace of her thundering headache gone. The sun, the clear blue sky and the dry dusty smells of the rest area seemed filled with a promise they’d all lacked earlier.
She lifted her chin and pushed away the doubts that had spent the night harrying and hounding her. This new beginning should be savoured, not dreaded. Mindless worrying wouldn’t help any of them.
Aidan glanced around as if he’d sensed her gaze. Her heart did a silly little flip-flop. Actually, maybe it wasn’t so silly. Perhaps it was entirely understandable. Aidan looked a whole lot more...uh, personable without his jacket and tie...or his shoes and socks.
‘You lot