Even After All

Part Thirty One

Suitably told, she left the hotel with a skip in her step.

It was a ninety minute trip to her father’s home, since her mother had passed away her father had struggled. He still lived in the house she’d been brought up in, though on his own he rattled around like the last sweet in a jar. But as he opened the door and watched her walk down the step, she’d never been so glad to see him.

The hug that followed was longer than normal, and when they finally moved apart her father had tears in his eyes, “you ok darling?”

She gave him a beaming smile, “I am now.”

Holding her at arm’s length he stared at her for a moment, then smiled, leading her into the house.

                “So tell me about Thailand and Gareth’s new home.” She sat in a chair at the kitchen table as her father filled the kettle.

                “Well, it’s in a beautiful place,” Her brother Gareth had loved in Thailand for the last three or four years. He was now about to marry a local woman who he’d employed at the bank he worked in. He’d been in University with Sunti, whose father was a prominent political figure in his home of Thailand. In the years that followed their time in school they’d kept in touch, holidayed together, and when Sunti took on a head role in a Thai bank, he wanted a friend, and supporter running several of the branches for him. Gareth had just split up with his long term girlfriend, their mother had died, he needed something, and this job had been the best thing that happened to him. Though she had barely seen him since, he was happy, and her father got the chance to get away. Just what he needed.

As was proven by the way her father waxed lyrical about the home in the hills, the pool, the five bedrooms, the huge lounge...and the small cottage that was tucked away deep in the grounds. Perfect for him to live in.

                “So you’re going to move out there?”

Her father shrugged, “I’m not about to abandon you.”

That made her chuckle, “I’m thirty in a few months, I hardly need you putting everything on hold for me!”

                “You’re my daughter,” he handed her a mug of tea, “and I care about you...I worry about you.”

That made Mattie smile, “I’m a big girl Dad.”  Suddenly she remembered the champagne, “I forgot my new boss gave me this for tonight.”

She handed him the bottle and he lifted his eyebrows, “wow. You must be a valued employee.”

Mattie said nothing as he put it in the fridge, instead she watched him pull out a pot of casserole, “so who’s been cooking for you?”

He blushed as he placed the pot in the oven, “Mrs Owen is just concerned, that’s all.”

Mattie chuckled at that, her dad had had the adoration of the single women of a certain age in town, and constantly batted off their attention. After more small talk and a little teasing, they sat down to eat at the kitchen table that had seen so many family meals in the past.

                “So work is going well? You seem more settled than I’ve seen you in a long time.”

She’d never been honest with him, not truly on so many levels. Did she change that now?

Mattie sighed, “I’ve got a new boss, Paul my old boss kind of abandoned ship.”

                “So it’s all change. How’s the new guy?” He chewed on the lamb as he watched her.