Unsuitable

Sky said nothing as he dug it out of his pocket, but she didn’t have to, her discontent was evident in the set of her jaw, the way she swung a hunk of hair over her shoulder like it was a weapon. He didn’t look at the screen, just sent the call to message bank. He didn’t get it in his pocket before it rang again. Sky breathed heavily and he glanced at the screen. Etta. He sent it to message bank.

“Don’t hang up on your boss for me. If she needs advice on putting her kid to bed you’d better snap to it.”

He took the last piece of bread in the basket without offering it to her. “Was Etta.”

Sky got like this sometimes, begging for a fight. He wasn’t going there. She didn’t mean to disparage Audrey or knock him in the process. His phone peeped, the text sound. Etta again. Pick up. We’re in trouble. Need you.

That was harder to ignore. He texted. Don’t F around. I’m busy. That should stop any nonsense. He put the phone back in his pocket. It rang.

“Oh God, Reece, answer it.”

It was Polly. “Mate, you gotta talk to Etta.” He mouthed Polly to Sky, but needn’t have bothered, she was doing something with her own phone.

“She rang you?”

“She fucked up, her and the twins.”

“Anyone hurt? Where’s Flip?”

“Flip’s at a sleepover. The girls aren’t hurt.”

“What did they do?”

“Got themselves kind of arrested.”

“What?” he said too loudly.

Sky looked up with curious eyes.

“Skateboarding in the Food Plus car park.”

“What?”

“Security guard picked them up, fined them. Dude is holding them for a parent to collect. Etta wants you, not Charlie.”

“Fuck.” Charlie was out on a girl’s night. Something she rarely got the chance to do. At least Etta didn’t wreck that.

“I’d help out, but—”

“I’m on it. Thanks, Pol.”

He disconnected. Sky was standing, wallet in hand. “I’ve got this. Go. Do what you have to do.” She smiled. “It’s all right. I’ll see you at home.”

“You hate me.” She was remarkably calm given the night was ruined and she’d need to get a cab home.

She shrugged. “You’ll make it up to me. Bring ice cream.”

He left her settling the bill and drove to the Food Plus, dialling Etta’s phone.

“Reece, Jesus, were you just going to leave us to rot?”

Etta sounded freaked out. “Thought about it. What’s going on?”

“This fascist mall cop is holding us because we can’t pay the fine.”

“Where are you? Is the fascist mall cop listening?”

“We’re in his office, and yes.”