A nice, wrong Game

A clarifying conversation

"I taught Charlie everything I knew. He knows the sea, can judge the weather and yes, I admit that it comforts me to know that you are looking after your big brother. I couldn't teach you anything, or rather give it a go." He seemed really disappointed about it and I put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Dad, you've taught me more than you think. I wouldn't be who I am today without you."

"I should have supported and encouraged you more instead of blatantly dragging you down like that. I'm sorry, boy."

"It's okay, Dad. Maybe we should have talked about it sooner, but it is what it is and better late than never. I also promise you that I will always be careful and protect you from bad news."

"That's what I mean, son. Think of your future wife and your future family."

"I do that every day," I replied with a smile and looked ahead at Penny, who was already waiting in a room ahead of us with Mom and the twins. "She's wonderful."

"Yes, she is. She was as a child too. She have had an enthusiasm for fishing that is rarely found in a child and was so sensible and yet quick-witted. I often told your Mom about her. She was always the daughter of dreams that we never had and now we got her after all."

"Well, it's not that time yet," I objected hesitantly, although I was pleased that they liked Penny so much.

"It's entirely up to you when the time comes, but it will come. You two belong together, even a blind man can see that."

"You aren't going to tell me about Bronwyn and Mom's esotericism?!"

"For heaven's sake, certainly not," he replied with a laugh. "You know that's not my thing. Still, there are things that are so obvious that I don't have to read a horoscope or read the stars."

"If you want to interpret the stars, you're in the wrong place," Mom objected when we had reached the rest of our group and Penny showed my father a corner where the chisel marks on the walls were still clearly visible. which were worked into the walls over 50 years ago.

We hiked through the caves for almost two hours and I started to feel a little fresh when we finally stepped out into the sunlight again.

My father was thrilled and even pointed out to me that the toolbox that had served us well to unscrew the tracks during the big storm had belonged to my great-grandfather. What a strange twist of fate that my great-grandfather, who had died in the mines, had saved us, all because his commemorative toolbox had been left down there - an old Pontypandy miner's custom, as Penny explained, which worked surprisingly well indeed had read into the matter. I hadn't known that either.

On the way back my mother asked for another tour, this time of Penny's Cottage, as we passed there. While my father had enough of the lower floor, the two ladies looked around on the upper floor and my father and I drank a beer and watched the children playing in the garden.

"It's really nice here, even if it's too far from the sea."

"I was just waiting for you to say that," I laughed now. "I love it. It's so quiet and peaceful here and it's a paradise for children."

"How many are we talking about here? As big as the garden is, you could get a dozen employed here."

"For God's sake, Dad. I think Penny would kill me if I seriously suggested that to her."

"What are you up to now, Sam?" Penny asked me with a smile as she came up to me and put her arm around me. She looked at the beer in my hand for a moment before taking a quick sip and handing the bottle back to me.

"My father thinks we can accommodate a dozen children here."

"Oh, yes, you'll have to expect that. At least," she replied dryly and I stared at her in disbelief, while my mother was already clapping her hands enthusiastically. "But only at our children's birthday parties," Penny then added with a smile and I was immediately relieved, while my mother was visibly disappointed and my Dad laughed. "How about we let Charlie and Bronwyn know and eat here tonight? It's such nice weather, we could have a barbecue. I'll quickly drive to Newtown and buy something for that. What do you want?" Penny suggested and the children were immediately hooked.

"A great idea. I'm coming with you, dear. Are you guys going to turn on the grill yet?" My mother didn't even wait for an answer, but instead linked arms with Penny and I didn't even have the chance to ask where Penny got the grill.

So I went looking while my father called Charlie. After ten minutes I hadn't found anything other than a grill that was still in its original packaging and I pulled out my cell phone to ask Penny.

>Is it possible that your grill still needs to be set up?<

>Unfortunately, yes. I didn't get around to it yet and your Mom kidnapped me before I could tell you, sorry. Make it a collaborative project with your Dad. By the time you're done, I'll be back and can start the fire.<

>Ha, ha, ha.<, I simply replied and promptly received a kiss smile in return. Just as I liked to make fun of her size, she couldn't resist bullying me so that I didn't get fire going. What should I say? I was just a perfect firefighter through and through - fire protection was simply in my blood.

Dad was enthusiastic and the children also helped us set it up. Charlie came over half an hour later and Bronwyn and Sarah were getting the seating set ready and cleaning and setting the table when the two most important women in my life came back.

"Wow, you've done a great job. Thank you very much. What's the fire doing, darling?"

"I hear your undertone, my angel. You're not bothering me today. It's already ablaze," I replied with satisfaction after I kissed her.

"Your Dad got it, right?" She looked past me at the grill with a skeptical look and I saw the smile at the corner of her mouth.

"What makes you think that?"

"Because apparently it's not enough for him and he's heading towards the grill with a bottle of alcohol."

"What?!" I turned around in horror and saw my father unscrewing the lid. "DAD, NO!" I shouted and covered the three meters in two jumps to take the bottle from him. But it was too late. A flash of flame came out of the grill and you could hear the cracking of the wood before a piece of ember flew onto my shirt and began to eat through the fabric. I had just begun to smother it with my hands when firefighting foam sprayed onto my shirt and I looked up at Penny, who was standing in front of me with a mini fire extinguisher and grinned.

"I couldn't resist. I'm sorry, darling," she objected, but her grin was so wide that I couldn't take her words very seriously.

"Wait and see. First the cold shower, now this. My revenge will be terrible," I replied theatrically. "I'm going to go change."

"Would you like me to help you?" she then asked me as I walked past her.

"Later, my angel. Later, you'll make it up to me."

"I'm looking forward to it," she said with a smile and kissed me so that I couldn't hear or see anything before I went on my way grinning. Despite these constant accidents, we could still joke about them. With Penny everything was always so simple, so beautiful and easy. I was certainly the luckiest man in this world.

To be continued...