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“I was hoping it would be just the two of us. Get out of here for a while.”
“Where’s Mum? And we can do that next week when Anna’s gone,” Jeremy argues.
“I think now would be best.” His dad doesn’t waver.
“It’s fine, we can hang out later. Go with your dad,” I encourage, feeling trapped into being polite.
“No. We don’t need to do it now, and he knows that. He’s just wanting to get out of Mum’s way. I’ll come if Anna comes. She’s not been on a boat before.”
“Anna, would you mind giving us some time?” Mr Archer’s polite, but there’s a threatening tone under the words.
“Sure. I’ll be in the cinema room.” I raise my eyebrows to Jeremy as I leave with my coffee and half-eaten muffin.
The house doesn’t offer many places to eavesdrop, so when I’m clear of the kitchen, I slow my footsteps, hoping to catch a few words before I make my way downstairs. But they wait to start their conversation, so I descend and wait.
Jeremy comes down to find me about twenty minutes later. He looks furious, and the happy, carefree version I’ve come to love is nowhere in sight.
“Everything okay?”
“Fine.”
“Okay. Are you going with your dad?” I don’t say any more but click the remote to start the show.
“What are you watching?” He doesn’t confirm what his answer is, but with his mood, I figure he’ll tell me when he’s calmed down.
“Doesn’t matter. We can change it.” It was some angsty teen drama that, for some reason, I suddenly wanted to indulge in.
“No. Whatever.” He crosses his arms in a sulk. “I’m going to get some breakfast. Want anything?”
“I’ll come. I could do with some more coffee.”
We eat in silence, and the black cloud doesn’t shift from over Jeremy’s head. “You want to go to the beach? Surf? Swim in the harbour?”
“No. Let’s just watch a film, okay.” So, no boat trip with his dad then.
“Cool. No problem,” I agree, sensing the tension in him and not wanting to say the wrong thing.
“Have you decided if you’re staying after your holiday with your mum?”
“Um, well, the rest of the summer is a long time. It’s tempting, but I said I’d spend some time with Sammy and do a few other things with Mum, too.”
His face looks hard as stone as I tiptoe around the offer. I want to, especially after last night, but it feels like it’s all or nothing.
“Fine.” He slams his plate into the sink, the crack of the cutlery echoing in the room.
“Hey, what gives?” Mary comes out of the pantry and scolds him.
“Whatever.” He storms off, and I’m left looking lost at Mary. I shrug and apologise, and instead of going to the cinema room, I go upstairs to my room.
Maybe he should have just gone with his dad.
By lunch, I have to wrestle with myself to stay put and not go and search for Jeremy. I thought he’d come and find me after he cooled off, but no luck. He’s obviously pissed at something, and I hope it’s his dad rather than me, although there’s a nagging feeling that maybe it’s because I turned him down.
It’s not my house, so when I leave the room, it feels a bit like I’m sneaking around. I head to Jeremy’s bedroom first, but he’s not there — he’s not anywhere in the house.
Mary fixes me some lunch, and it feels like the mood from earlier has infected everyone.
It’s nearly dinner time before Jeremy shows his face again.
