Page 131 of How To Not Need You

“I know.”

Dad stares at me. I stare back. He walks towards his bedroom. I wait until he’s gone before running to the window.

No Liv. I keep watching. Still no Liv. Maybe she knew I was lying. Maybe she isn't coming. Maybe Operation Verandah Step has failed. I press my nose against the glass.

“What are you looking at?”

I jump. Dad is behind me. He has clothes on now.

“Nothing.”

“Tilly.”

“Birds.”

Dad looks outside. There are no birds.

“Right.” He walks back towards the kitchen. I keep watching. A car turns onto our street. My stomach jumps.

That’s Liv’s car. She came. She really came. Her car pulls up outside and she gets out almost before she's finished parking. I grin. Operation Verandah Step worked.

Liv hurries up the path. Dad hears her on the verandah and comes back. Then he sees her. He opens the door and then just stops.

“Liv?”

Liv stops too. For a second, neither of them moves. They just look at each other. Then Liv looks Dad up and down.

“Are you okay?”

Dad frowns. “Yeah.”

“You fell.”

“What?”

“Off the verandah.”

Dad looks at the verandah. Then at Liv. “I didn't fall.”

Liv's forehead wrinkles. “Tilly called me.”

Uh-oh.

“She said you were fixing the step and fell. She said you were lying down.”

Dad slowly turns his head towards me. Liv does too. I stand very still, maybe if I don’t move I won’t get in trouble.

“Tilly.”

I don’t like that. He said my name all mad. I fold my arms. “You weren't talking.”

Dad stares at me. “So?”

“So I fixed it.”

Liv makes a funny noise. I think she is trying not to laugh. This is not funny. This is very important.

“You were both sad,” I tell them. “And Leo says Liv loves you.”