Chapter 4

Question Marks

I felt like I'd just been punched hard in the stomach. The shock was overwhelming, making me feel dizzy and sick. My dad, who I hadn't seen for three years, was standing on my doorstep, acting as if nothing had happened. Clutching the doorframe, I tried to stop myself from fainting. My vision blurred and red and black dots danced in front of my eyes. I leant forward in my attempt to stop the world spinning. As I did so, the feeling gradually subsided, and I was able to regain my posture. Since I hadn't returned to the kitchen, Conor poked his head around the door and called, "Sapphy, who…" He never managed to finish his sentence.

"Dad?" he whispered.

"Hello, Conor, how you doing?" My mouth fell open. Who did he think he was, swanning in like that with no explanation as to where he'd been? And he showed no love either, no hugs or kisses. He'd changed.

"Where've you been, Dad?" I said sharply. Dad stepped into the house and looked around.

"Mmm…like what you've done in here," he commented, circling the kitchen. Conor and I followed him into the sitting room.

"New sofa, eh? It's changed a lot."

"Dad, you've been gone three and a half years," Conor stated flatly. He obviously felt the same way as I did.

"Yeah, been a long old time, hasn't it?" Dad grinned. Conor and I stayed stone-faced, teeth gritted and fists clenched. Why was he behaving like this?

"Where've you been, Dad?" I repeated, my voice rising. I knew exactly where he'd been, but I needed to hear it from him.

"Glad you kept the coffee table though," Dad said, avoiding the question. "I've always liked it."

"Can't've liked it that much," Conor muttered under his breath. "Otherwise you wouldn't have ran off to Ingo with a mermaid."

"What's that, son? Speak up. I'm getting a bit deaf in my old age."

"Probably 'cause your ears are full of sea water," I mumbled, but not loud enough for Dad to hear. "There's some lasagne in the kitchen if you want some." I turned and left the room.

An awkward silence hung in the air like a dark shadow as we tried to finish our supper. Conor was chewing his food but discreetly spitting it out into a napkin when he had the chance. Feeling too sick and shaky to eat, I pushed the food round and round my plate, my thoughts whirring. Dad was endeavouring to eat his, but asked, "Got any salt? It tastes a bit sweet to me." My suspicions were confirmed. When you'd been in Ingo and came back into Air, you craved salt. If you'd lived in saline water for three years, you were bound to yearn for brackish food.

"We've run out," I lied quickly. "Plus Mum tries not to buy it too much 'cause she says it's bad for you." At that exact moment, the telephone rang.

"I'll get it," I offered, and almost ran out of the room. I couldn't bear it in there a second longer.

"Hello?"

"Hello Saph, darling," said Mum. "Just to let you know that there's been a change of plan at the restaurant and I'm going to be home early. Another waitress needed to swap shifts, so I'll be back about eight, OK?"

"Mmm…" I mumbled.

"Is everything all right, love? Are you OK?"

"Everything's fine, Mum. See you soon."

"Hmm, alright then," said Mum doubtfully, unconvinced. "Bye, sweetheart."

"Bye."

Meanwhile, Conor had cleared the almost untouched plates from the kitchen table and, when I entered the kitchen again, was loading the dishwasher, glad to have something to do.

"Mum's going to be back early," I informed them. "About eight." I saw Dad's shoulders tense.

"How is my Sharon?" he asked. "Is she OK?"

"She's fine," I spat. "Or at least she was. She might not be so sure now. Not that you'd care, anyway."

"Of course I care!" Face crumpled, Dad looked hurt. Taking a deep breath, he left the room. Conor slumped down at the table, followed by me.

"I don't get it," Conor muttered. "Why's he back? I mean, obviously I wanted him to come back, but not like this, out of the blue. And he's acting so…weird."

"I know," I agreed. "So we've got to find out why, right?"

"Right." I glanced at the clock. Ten to eight.

"Mum'll be home soon," I said grimly. "She's going to flip."

"I'm not exactly looking forward to it either," Connor sighed.