Authors: Elen Caldecott

Operation Eiffel Tower (19 page)

‘That’ll do,’ Lauren said grimly. ‘It’s their song. Dad sang it to Mum at their wedding. Go on over there and play!’

‘But –’

‘Go!’

Jared sighed. He passed his guitar up to Jack, then scrambled up the wall after it.

‘Hey,’ Lauren said. ‘Help me up.’

Jared reached down and grabbed Lauren’s hand, pulling while she jumped, and together he and Jack hoisted her on to the wall.

Jack gave the guitar back to Jared.

‘Go,’ Lauren said, softly this time.

Jared nodded. He strummed a chord. It sounded clear and strong in the evening air. He plucked a few notes that mixed with the dying sound of the chord. He smiled. ‘It’s a good song,’ he said, winking at Lauren. Lauren’s cheeks flushed pink.

Jared turned away.

Jack watched him walk towards Mum and Dad, playing the notes confidently now.

Mum looked up; Jack heard her gasp as she recognised the song.

Dad lowered his glass slowly on to the table.

Jared played a few more bars.

Then Jack noticed that Dad had dropped his head into his hands. His shoulders shook. Was he crying?

Mum reached out and rested her hand over Dad’s. Her face shone, candlelight reflecting on tears. She pulled Dad closer.

Beside him, Lauren rested her chin on her knees. She sighed. ‘He is nice, isn’t he?’ she said.

‘Who? Dad?’

‘No! Jared.’

Jack rolled his eyes.

Then he heard something.

Dad was singing. He was up out of his chair, Mum too. Dad put his arms round her waist and they moved together to the music. He sang the words into Mum’s curls.

Then the song came to an end.

There was silence.

Mum and Dad moved apart and sat back down at the table. Mum laughed at something Dad said.

‘I think we should go,’ Lauren whispered.

‘What?’ Jack asked. ‘But we don’t know what’s happening. We don’t know what they’ve decided.’

‘I know. But I still think we should go. They broke up by themselves; they have to sort it out by themselves. At least we got them talking to each other.’

‘But that’s not enough!’ Jack protested.

Lauren nodded. ‘I know, but it will have to do. Come on. Look at Ruby – she’s nearly asleep. And Billy. Let’s get them back to the carriage. Let’s get them home.’

Jack nodded. He lifted Billy and followed Ruby back up through the Wonders, leaving Mum and Dad behind in their own little Paris.

Chapter 37

Jack and Lauren put the other two to bed, even though it was only twilight. Then they sat at the kitchen table and waited.

‘You’re hoping they’ll get back together, aren’t you?’ Lauren said.

Jack shrugged.

‘Well, don’t.’

‘But –’

‘Just don’t. Don’t you remember what it was like? The shouting, the fights, Ruby coming into your room in the middle of the night because she was frightened. Don’t you remember hanging around the front in all weathers just because we didn’t want to come home and listen to them? Dad calling Mum names? Mum crying and smashing things? You must remember it. You don’t want to go back to that, do you?’

Jack shook his head slowly. He didn’t want that – whatever he wanted, it wasn’t that.

The front door opened.

One set of footsteps.

Mum appeared in the kitchen doorway. She smiled at them both a little sadly. Dad’s T-shirt was draped over her bare shoulders, keeping her warm. ‘You two still up? That was some stunt you pulled tonight.’

‘Operation Eiffel Tower,’ Jack whispered.

‘What’s happening now?’ Lauren asked.

‘Lauren, you know what’s happening. But we did talk. I promise we did. About all of you.’

‘Us?’ Jack asked.

Mum pulled out a chair and sat down. ‘Yes. Me and your dad, we’re better off apart. We both know that. But we did it all wrong. You gave a good speech tonight, about us listening to what you want. You were right. We should have all sat down and talked it through. But Dad and I, well, we just weren’t up to talking – not then. It would have turned into a row and we didn’t want you to see us rowing.’

Jack snorted. He couldn’t help himself.

‘Oh, sweetheart,’ Mum said. ‘I’m sorry. We both are. You deserved a proper explanation and you didn’t get one. We didn’t mean to hurt you, but we did anyway. And we want to make it up to you. But we can’t get back together, no matter how much you might want it. We really think that we’re all better off this way, you included. But we have come to some decisions. First, Dad is going to move in nearby.’

‘Where?’ Jack whispered.

‘Mrs Khalid says he can rent the flat above her shop. It needs some work, she says, but your dad can fix it up. It’s got three bedrooms, so you can go and stay with him. And it’s so close, you can pop in any time you want.’

Mum paused and looked at Jack. She reached out and touched his face, just like he’d seen her do with Dad earlier.

‘We love you,’ Mum said. ‘You kids are just amazing. What you did tonight – well . . .’ She smiled. ‘We’re lucky to have you. We’re all really lucky.’ She stood up. ‘I’m going to get changed. It’s cold in this dress.’ She left the kitchen.

Lauren stood up too. She leaned in and kissed the top of Jack’s head. ‘It’s good,’ she said. ‘It’s all good.’

Jack nodded slowly. It still hurt – it hurt in the middle of his chest. The same pain he’d felt the night Dad went away. It was still there. But it wasn’t so bad; he felt like he could still breathe in spite of it. Perhaps one day it might go completely.

He followed the others upstairs.

He stuck his head into Lauren and Ruby’s room. Lauren was taking down their plan from the wall. Jack saw the spidery writing shooting out from the word in the centre – Paris. Then Lauren rolled it up and it was gone.

Ruby had kicked off her duvet. She had her thumb in her mouth and was breathing gently, fast asleep.

‘Goodnight,’ Jack whispered and went into his own room.

Before he switched off his light, he checked his emails. There was one from Paul:

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject: RE: Operation Eiffel Tower

Dear Jack,

How did it go?

Jack typed back quickly:

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject: RE: Eiffel Tower

Dear Paul,

Dad’s going to live on our street, but not in our house. Mum’s going to talk to him, but mostly about us. They danced together, but they’re not getting back together.

But it’s good.

It’s all good.

Love,

Jack

Also by Elen Caldecott

How Kirsty Jenkins Stole the Elephant

How Ali Ferguson Saved Houdini

Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Berlin, New York and Sydney

First published in Great Britain in July 2011 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

This electronic edition published in 2011 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

36 Soho Square, London, W1D 3QY

The moral right of the author has been asserted