The Little Things

“Hello, David.” My mother-in-law kisses my cheek warmly.“To what do we owe this pleasure?”

“It hasn’t been that long, Lily,” I say with a smile.

“Long enough for Simon to grow a beard and the conservatory to be built.”

There’s a twinkle in her eye, but I can’t help feeling guilty.

“Actually, I came to ask you a favour. Is Simon in?”

“He’s in there.”A sound of banging is coming from the living-room.“Goodness knows what he’s doing.Why don’t you keep him company while I make tea?”

“Great, but I can’t stay long. I’m on my way to meet some clients in town at the new Italian. I came straight from work.” Lily frowns.

“Haven’t you been home yet?”

“I didn’t have time. I only called in here because it was on my way.Work’s mad at the moment,” I laugh, but Lily says nothing, then goes into the kitchen and fills up the kettle.

“I’ll see what Simon’s up to, then,” I say to her back.

He’s on his hands and knees in the middle of the floor, surrounded by pieces of wood. “This looks interesting.”

Simon puts down the piece he’s holding. “It’s a doll’s house – well, it will be. I thought I’d make it for Tamsin for her birthday.” He sits back on his haunches.“By the time I thought of making one for Lauren she was too old.”

Lauren’s my wife and her dad dotes on her... and our children, of course.

“I’d have made one for Tamsin, but . . .” We both laugh. I’m not known for my practical skills and I’m never home long enough even to find the toolbox.

I take off my suit jacket and perch on the settee, watching Simon slot one wall panel into another and drizzle some glue down the seam.

“I’d like to do this sort of thing, but by the weekend I’m shattered. Maybe when I retire.”

Simon looks at me.

“What, in thirty or thirty-five years? You make time for what’s important, David.”

Lily arrives with a tray of tea. She hands meamug.

“How are those granddaughters of ours? It feels like an age since we saw little Lexi, but it was only last Sunday.”

I realise, with a shock, that was the last time I saw our baby, too.

I leave the house before the children are awake and they’re often in bed by the time I come home.

“She’s great,” I say quickly.

Simon smiles.

“That second tooth come through yet?” “I’m not sure. I don’t think so.”

If Lexi had been having teething problems, I’d have known about it. It’s always quiet when the alarm wakes me at six.

Lily turns to her husband.

“It has. It came through the day after we saw her. Lauren told me yesterday. Poor little mite can’t settle with those sore gums.”

I shift on the settee, but luckily my in-laws don’t notice my discomfort.

I tell myself I can’t be expected to keep track of teeth and sleeping patterns as well as plan for meetings and remember clients’ names.

It’s Lily’s turn to ask the questions.

“Did Tamsin get made class monitor like she wanted?”

Class monitor? This is news to me. “I’mnotreally...”

Simon speaks first.

“She certainly did. Lauren phoned earlier. Sorry, I forgot to tell you.You must be so proud of your daughter, David.” “Yes.Yes, of course I am.”

Lily takes a sip of her tea. “Anyway, what was it you wanted to ask us? You said you needed a favour.”

I rub my hands on the knees of my suit trousers.

“I have a business trip to Brussels in a couple of weeks and I wondered whether you’d be able to help out a bit while I’m away. Lauren doesn’t like to ask.”

“We’d love to.The trip’s absolutely necessary, is it?”

As he speaks, Simon glances at a photograph on the mantelpiece. Lauren, aged seven, is sitting in a wheelbarrow with Simon holding the handles. Both are grinning at the camera.

“I wouldn’t be going if it wasn’t necessary.”

“No, of course not.” Simon picks up the photograph.“It’s just that children need their fathers, too.”

My hackles rise.

“Everything I do is for Lauren and the girls!”

Lily puts a gentle hand on my arm. “We know that, David.That’s not what he meant.”

Simon looks at me.

“I just wish I could have had some of those early years back. Children grow up so quickly.”

“But you do so much for your grandchildren.You put me to shame.” Simon sighs.

“I know, but I wasn’t always there for Lauren at that age.”

“No? She never said.”

“She did once.” He chuckles.“I’ll tell you a story, if you have time to hear it?” I look at my watch. “Ten minutes.” Simon nods.

“That’s all it will take . . .”

The cereal gave a satisfying crackle as Lauren poured milk over it. She put her ear to the bowl and listened.

“Don’t play with your food, Lauren,” her mum said.“It’s bad table manners.” “I’m not playing, I’m listening.” Lily hid a smile. “You know very well what I mean. Eat up, then go and get yourself dressed and ready for school.”

Above them, Lauren could hear her dad’s footfall on the landing. She pictured him in front of the wardrobe mirror, knotting his tie and combing his hair.

Soon, he would hurry down the stairs, shirt neatly pressed and shoes shiny, and plant a kiss on the top of her head.

“Be good for your teacher, Munchkin,” he’d say, picking up his briefcase from the chair and checking he had everything he needed.

Beside her on the table was the booklet she’d made for her homework.

She’d drawn a hedgehog on the cover and inside were pictures of some things she’d found in her garden: a butterfly, a snail and a yellow flower she didn’t know the name of.

When her dad came down she’d show it to him. It was always well after her bedtime

I wish I could have some of those early years back. Children grow up so quickly

when he came home, but now would be just as good.

“Have you seen my wallet?” Lauren could hear him on the stairs.

Her mum looked up from pouring a cup of tea.

“It’s on the side. Drink this before you go.” “Haven’t time.”

He was in the kitchen now, handsome in his grey suit and navy tie.

“I have a meeting at nine. Gosh, is that the time?”

He picked up his briefcase. “Cheerio. Have a good day at school, Lauren.”

And he was gone, the front door slamming behind him.

Lauren heard the rev of the car engine and the crunch of the wheels on the driveway. Her eyes swam. For the first time ever, her dad hadn’t kissed her goodbye.

Fighting back the tears, she went upstairs to get dressed.

As she pulled her jumper over her head, she imagined her dad driving. He’d be looking at his watch and tutting at the traffic.

The phone in the hall was ringing and she ran to the top of the stairs.

“Can I answer it, Mummy?”

“Yes, but make sure you ask who it is.” Running downstairs, she picked up the phone and knew the voice straight away. “It’s Dad!”

Her heart soared. He was going to say he was sorry for not having kissed her goodbye.

“Can you ask Mum if I left my project folder there?” he asked instead.

“Your project folder?”

From the kitchen, her mum shook her head.

“No. It’s not here.”

“OK, better dash. Bye, sweetheart.”

Lauren waited for the disappointment to recede, but it didn’t.Without saying goodbye, she put down the phone.

It rang again almost immediately.

“Lauren?” She could hear the sound of his office in the background.“Is anything the matter?” The words came out hot and fast.

“Yes.You didn’t kiss me goodbye.” There was a pause. “Are you sure?” “Yes.”Her voice cracked. How could he not remember?

“I’m sorry, Munchkin. I was worried I’d be late for my meeting. I didn’t think.”

Lauren bit back the tears, trying to be grown up.

“It doesn’t matter.”

But it did. It mattered a lot.

“Bye, Dad.” She put down the phone. “Was that all Dad wanted?” Her mum was in the doorway.

Lauren bit her lip.

“Yes, that’s all.”

“We’d better think about going, then. Cleaned your teeth?”

Lauren shook her head.

“Shake a leg, then, or we’ll be late, too.” When Lauren came back down, her mum picked up her homework and held it out to her.

“Don’t forget this. Mrs Carter will want to see it.”

Lauren shoved it into her satchel, not caring if it creased. She didn’t care what her teacher thought of it. It wasn’t her she’d wanted to show it to.

As they walked along the road, Lauren’s feet scuffed the pavement and her shoulders slumped.

“Are you OK, darling? You’re awfully quiet.”

“I’m fine.”

Lauren stared at the pavement as she walked and only looked up when she heard the roar of an engine.The car slowed to a halt on the other side of the road.

“It’s your dad!” her mum said in surprise. He jumped out of the car and crossed the road.

Bending down, he pulled Lauren to him and planted a big kiss on her cheek.

“How could I forget something so important?”

Lauren put her arms round his neck, beaming happily.

“I’ve got something to show you – my homework.”

Unbuckling her satchel, Lauren took out her booklet and held it out for him to see.

“It’s all the things I found in the garden. My teacher says we can add things to it.”

“I’d better make sure I get home early to help you, hadn’t I?”

“You mean it, Dad?”

“Of course.”

Simon looks at me.

“My daughter and I made lots of discoveries that day.We found slugs and plenty of caterpillars, but most importantly, I learned a lot about myself and what I’d been missing out on.”

I nod.

“What made you leave work and come all the way home that morning?”

“You’re a father. I’ll let you work that one out for yourself, David.”

I think of my two little girls.They mean everything to me.

A quick look at my watch shows me it’s seven-thirty.

I’ll give the clients a ring and tell them I’ve been held up.

With a bit of luck, I’ll be able to get back home in time to kiss Tamsin goodnight. Simon is right.

Fifty years from now, no one will remember that I was late for a meeting.

But my little girl will always remember that her dad drove home just to kiss her goodnight.

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