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Lily jumped from the bus, calling a thank you to the driver. As the bus drove away a car behind pulled up next to her and she realised it was Drew.
The passenger window opened, and he leant across the seats. “Get in.”
She got in, aware from his tone he wasn’t happy. He was gripping the steering wheel, his jaw tight with anger as a small muscle ticked.
“You’re angry with me, but I won’t apologise for going on the bus.” Even if it had been a colossal mistake on her part.
“Show me your phone.”
“My phone?” Her stomach sank. Was it him who’d been ringing her?
“Yes, Lily, your phone. Now.” It wasn’t a request.
“Why do you want my phone?” she tried to stall.
He looked at her and she saw the banked fury burning in his eyes. “I rang you and it was answered by an asshole telling me you were busy going down on someone, and there was a queue for your services.”
Outraged, she shouted at him, “I would never do anything like that.”
“I know that,” he roared. “I stopped the car to use the Scrylapis, out of mind with worry about what I’d see them forcing you to do. And don’t even start to tell me they wouldn’t do that, because it wouldn’t be the first time someone was bullied that badly on a bus.”
She swallowed heavily, took out her phone and handed it to him
He didn’t look at it, just took it and threw it onto the back seat. “Get your belt on.”
“Where are we going?” She did up her belt.
“To get you another phone.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I’m your dad, I can get you whatever the hell I want to get you.”
“I told them.” She stared at her bag, bracing herself for him to really explode.
“What?” He looked at her briefly as they pulled out of the village and towards the town.
“Well, everyone knows I’m with the boys.”
“That’s common knowledge, I’m afraid.”
“I don’t care about that. But you’ve been added into the mix as well.”
“What?” Spit flew from his mouth onto the steering wheel.
“Gross!”
“Yeah? Well at least I didn’t puke all over you.” His voice had softened, the anger not so cold.
“Point.” She fiddled with her bag handle. “Thing is, someone heard me telling the boys I was going away with you.”
“And it was mentioned on the bus?”
“Yeah, apparently we’re going on a dirty weekend.” She winced, expecting the anger to return.
“What did you tell them?” He gave nothing away in his voice, but she could see his dark scowl.
“I was a bit mouthy.”
“How?”
“I told her that I’ve seen the results of inbreeding and where I come from incest is illegal.”
It went silent for a few seconds and then he barked out a laugh. “Bet that didn’t go down well?”
“Connie was confused because we don’t share the same last name, and Percy may have suggested that’s why incest is illegal.”
He snorted with laughter and then went serious. “You’re not going on the bus again, even if those other kids aren’t allowed back on. If you can’t get a ride home with Matt, you come home with me.”
“I won’t be pulled between you.”
“I told Matt straight I wasn’t going anywhere, and they had to get used to it. He doesn’t want to upset you any more than I do. Besides, when they hear about this they won’t argue with me.”
“Oh damn, they’re going to go ballistic when they find out.” She thumped her head against the backrest.
“Tell them I’ve dealt with it already.”
“You dealt with it? What do you mean?”
He looked at her briefly. A smile tugged his lips, but he didn’t answer her.
It clicked, and she smirked at him. “You won’t know about the lighters then?”
“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”
“It’s a shame you don’t know the lighters exploded in their faces, singed their eyebrows and fringes, which led the driver to use the fire extinguisher on them.”
“Really? Lighters are dangerous things especially around bullies.”
“Do I call you Karma now?”
“I’m fine with Dad.” He smiled at her.
A warmth settled into her stomach. “I can’t say thank you for something you didn’t do. But I did get a kick from seeing Connie.”
“Connie?”
“Matt’s ex.”
“Is it a case of she doesn’t want him, but you can’t have him?”
“Maybe, I don’t know. All I care about is that Matt isn’t interested in her.”
“No, he’s not. He’s infatuated with you. Completely and utterly spellbound. He won’t be attracted by any other girl until it wears off.”
“Wears off? Spellbound? I haven’t spelled him.” That stung, and she glared at him.
“It’s just an expression. I didn’t mean you’d literally spelled him.”
He slowed as he pulled into the entrance of the multi-storey car park in town, and it reminded her of what they were doing.
“You really don’t need to do this,” she told him.
“Yes, I do.” He parked and turned off the engine. “C’mon, get out. If we’re quick, we’ll be back before they even know I’ve kidnapped you.”
“Seriously, I mean it, you don’t have to do this.” She got out, not sure how she felt about him buying her a phone.
He indicated for her to walk with him. “If a man fathers a child he’s responsible for it no matter what. I wanted to be responsible for you but we both know what happened. I couldn’t get you things you needed. Lynda refused to take any money for you, so I opened an account and put it in there. It’s yours.”
“I can’t take—”
“Yes, you can, and yes, you will.” He stopped outside the phone shop and caught her shoulders. “If things had gone the way it should’ve done, it’s no more than what I’d have spent on bringing you up. In fact, it’s far less than what I’d have spent. I want to give you this, Lily. I need to give it to you. I can’t change the mistakes I made in the past, no matter how much I wish I could. I’m not trying to buy you, I just need to know you’re going to be okay if something happens to me. You’re mine, my daughter.”
She studied his eyes and saw nothing to make her doubt him. She took a tentative step forward and he met her half way, wrapping her tightly in his arms. She relaxed into him, her arms going around his waist.
“Thank you, Dad,” she whispered.
“I’ve always loved you, kiddo. Don’t ever forget that, no matter what,” he muttered and squeezed her tightly before letting her go. “Come on. iPhone?”
“Good lord, no. They cost a fortune. Just a pre-paid one will do.”
“You’re not getting a pre-paid one, so stop arguing and come on.”
“And if it gets damaged?”
He rolled his eyes at her, caught her arm and tugged her into the shop. “It won’t get damaged. Have you got a laptop?”
“Yeah, I have.”
“One that’s not powered by steam?” He arched an eyebrow at her.
She stuck her tongue out at him and laughed. “It’s good enough for me.”
“So, you can google if you need to?”
“We don’t have the internet, so it makes no difference.”
“You don’t have... ” He frowned. “You used to have it.”
“Mum stopped it a while ago, it was just too much of an issue having to update every time we moved. Mr Pringle manages a website for her, and I only used it for games and research, nothing social.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. “How did I miss that? Damn. Right, okay, listen, we’ll get your phone and then nip into the supermarket on the way home.”
“What for?”
“A laptop. Don’t argue!” He lifted a finger at her. “It’ll all be under my home address in Wells, so you can have internet at home and on the phone.”
“I don’t need—”
“No arguing!” He shook his head at her. “I can set it all up, VPNs will work for you too. It’ll be fine. I know I can’t buy your love, and I’m not trying—”
She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, her mouth by his ear. “Stop. I don’t need clothes, or shoes, or anything else. But if I do, I’ll ask you, is that okay?”
“More than.”
She stepped back from him. “Actually, there is something I’d like you to do.”
“What?”
“You used Obscurus Arcanum spells,” she whispered. “You were scrying to see on the bus. Teach me how to do these things, please?”
The pupils of his eyes expanded in delight before he blinked it away. “I’m going to teach you everything I know. I promise.” He caught her shoulders and turned her to face a wall of phones. “Which one?” he asked.
“Would you like some help here?” An assistant came forwards, smiling brightly.
“Yes, my daughter is looking for a phone.”
She was unable to wipe the silly grin from her face. His daughter. Her father. Words she’d never associated with herself before. Happiness surged through her and it wasn’t because he was buying her things, it was the knowledge that he loved her.
She had a dad, and he loved her.
