Instinct
Kieran waves at me through the window. As a matter of instinct I wave back, but my mind is a platter of ironing and unfolded washing, teatime food and the little secret I harbour deep inside my head, about the way Kieran makes me feel.
‘You just can’t face growing up, Kate, can you?’ Dad had said when I last saw him a couple of months ago. ‘You’ve got to realise that everyone has responsibilities and yours are to your family now.’
My family. Gary spends all his time at work, out of the way, probably, so I don’t start another row. I close the dustbin lid and stare with a screwed-up face at my dirty hands. I never have enjoyed getting dirty. The time Kieran had that tummy bug wrenched my stomach. And Gary came in and took over. Wonderful Gary, Superdad, again.
I return to the ba
