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“He’s been ages,” Mum said, as she helped herself to another chocolate. “I wanted to go and watch that new telly program that started last week.”
“What’s it about?” I asked, distractedly as I glanced at the door.
“No idea, Derek at badminton club said it was a little bit cheeky, so I thought I’d give it a go.”
“When you say, cheeky, do you mean there’s sex in it, Nan?” Annie asked, nudging me.
“Ugh.” Charlie gagged. “That’s disgusting.”
“What is?” I asked, turning back to the table. “There being sex on the TV, or your nan watching it?”
“Both,” he groaned.
“You don’t stop having sex the minute you reach sixty you know.”
“Oh God, now I’m going to be sick.” I pulled a face as though I was about to vomit.
My kids all burst out laughing, while my mum shook her head in disgust.
“He has been in there a while though, Mum,” Isaac said.
“Hmm.” I sighed and turned to the door once more.
* * *
Almost an hour after he’d left the kitchen, Dex wandered back in.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, pushing up from my seat. “You look as though you’ve seen a ghost. Isaac, go and get Dex a glass of brandy.”
Dex ran a hand down his face and looked at me with fear in his eyes.
“What is it, Dex? What’s happened?”
“I need to sit down.” He flopped down onto a chair and linked his hands at the back of his neck. “Shit, I’m…I don’t know what to think.”
He looked up at me, his bright blue eyes much duller than usual against pale skin that was normally tanned.
“What is it?” I asked, cupping a hand against his cold cheek.
“That was Social Services, in Houston.”
“Houston, Texas?”
“Yeah, darlin’, Houston, Texas.”
“So what did they want? Was it about your ex-boss, like you thought?”
Dex shook his head and exhaled. “You remember my ex who died?”
I nodded. “It was about her?” I frowned, wondering why on earth they’d be calling about a dead woman.
“Well, kinda...shit.” He blew out his cheeks and then cleared his throat. “She had a kid she never told me about.”
“And what?”
The way his eyes brimmed with tears and his Adam’s apple wobbled, I knew what he was trying to say.
“No way,” I gasped.
