Page 115 of Kiwi Gold

“Yeh,” Poppy said. “I’m going to write a spider, though, and see if I can change some minds.Charlotte’s Webworked, right?”

“Uh … right.” Following Poppy’s conversation was a bit like cave exploration. You kept turning into new tunnels and not being sure how to get back to the entrance. “I probably have too much to do, though. Groceries for dinner, and so forth. I’m a bit off schedule.”

“You don’tstaywith them, of course,” Poppy said. “You leave them with me, ring Lachlan, and tell him it’s his lucky night and the third date’s the charm.”

“Fivekids?” I said. “You’re pregnant! Also, the summer term starts tomorrow.”

“Yeh,” she said, “and my mum and dad will be there, and we’re all staying overnight. Slumber party. Kid snacks. Swimming pool. Dress-up box. Bring their togs and their uniforms, collect them after breakfast tomorrow, and we’ll drive to school together. Convoy, eh. You aren’t working next week, you said,” she added when I would have found another objection. “Come on. It’s nobody’s first school term. Shake things up. It’s an adventure, especially for you.”

“I want to go swimming!” That was Amira. “And jump off the diving board.”

“I want to go swimming, too.” That was Yasmin. “And play in the dress-up box.”

As for me? I wanted to have an adventure.

* * *

Lachlan

Waiting with Peter for the two hours until he could make that call wasn’t the most fun I’d ever had. He wanted to talk, as usual, and I let the words wash over me and tried not to think. He kept sipping at a coffee mug, too, saying, “Need to clear my head.” There was coffee in it, but I was fairly sure there was Scotch, too. There usually was.

It was slightly better once the girls got there, especially since Lark immediately took charge, saying, “Right. I’ll sit here and take notes. Dad, please put the call on speaker.”

We were all familiar with this place, because Peter still lived in the same three-bedroom flat he’d had when we were growing up, though there probably weren’t two sets of bunk beds in one of the bedrooms anymore. I sat there and tried not to think about him teaching me to fish and to fix a leaky tap and to read a map, and then to read a geologic one, or how I’d secretly relished the idea that I was his son, and that was special, and this was my chance to get away from girls and into the masculine environment I craved. It was impossible not to think about it, though, in this room with his reference books in the bookcase and a stack of maps on the table, as if at any moment, he’d be asked to consult again.

I didn’t want to feel sorry for him. I couldn’t help it.

On the other hand, Laila texted me halfway through it and said,The girls are staying the night with Poppy. We could go to dinner, maybe. Or something. Date Number Three.Which used up a fair part of my brain, trying to work out what that meant.

At six o’clock exactly, because she’d been counting down the time, Lark said, “Right. Ring him.”

Peter didn’t say anything. He just did it.

The resulting conversation was more than awkward. Abdulaziz saying, “So this was an untruth?” Sounding shocked, and probably disgusted, and my pity was growing by the minute at the misery on Peter’s face.

“He’s an old rival,” he said. “Error of judgment. Also, I said something about Lachlan Hughes.”

“Your son,” Abdulaziz said.

“Yes. I gave the wrong impression. His firm isn’t in financial trouble.”

“You realize, old boy,” Abdulaziz said, “that I’m not likely to believe that.”

I spoke up, then, loudly enough for the speaker to pick it up. “This is Lachlan Hughes. I have financial statements. I’ll send them along to you, if you haven’t selected a winner yet.”

“Audited?” Abdulaziz asked.

“Of course,” I said.

Abdulaziz sighed. “This is very awkward. I’ll have to ask for similar statements from the rest of the shortlisted firms to make that equitable, and I’ll have to explain to the committee as well.”

“You’re the bloody prince, mate,” Peter said, in a pale imitation of what I guessed was undergraduate bonhomie. “They have to do what you say.”

Abdulaziz’s tone was icy now. “I do what’s best for my firm. And my family.”

“Course you do,” Peter said. “Course you do. Haha. I’m removing a wee bit of murk in the water, that’s all, so you can do that.”

Abdulaziz said, “I’ll consult with my committee.”