5 December 2014

John Paul ignored the vibration in his pocket as he made his way from the teachers' lounge. The last class of the week was about to start and he was mentally going through what he was about do. He always looked forward to this class. Not because it was the last of the week, but because the students were there by their own choice, not because they had to.

It was an extra-credit class on literary heroines from different times and genres, and today they were supposed to analyse the presentation, roles and characteristics of Katniss Everdeen, Hermione Granger and Pippi Longstocking. Usually the students were relatively well prepared so discussions were quite flowing, but he expected today to be even better than usually. Most of the kids had read all Harry Potter books and the Hunger Games before and really only had to get acquainted with the work of Astrid Lindgren to prepare.

He turned out to be right. He only had to ask a single question at the beginning and then moderate the discussion so everyone could have their say, but apart from that the students were in charge. It really was brilliant and John Paul was in great spirits as he waited for the students to file out. Some of them were already on their phones before they left which reminded him of his own phone. He fished it out of his pocket and saw that there was a missed call. Right away he recognised the unsaved landline number. He waited for the last student to leave the room before calling back.

It was Frankie who answered. He greeted her and asked whether she'd been trying to call him. No, it wasn't but she knew Craig was planning to try and see Matthew so it probably had been him. He was out with Siobhan at the moment, perhaps they were even already at the McQueen house.

John Paul hung up without saying goodbye and rang his mum. Frankie had assumed correctly, Craig was already there. Myra whispered on the phone that Matthew was very shy towards him and didn't really want to leave her side, although he was curious about this strange man.

"Should I come home?" John Paul asked, but she suggested that he'd stay away and allow Matthew to relax, she'd be there. He should go to the pub with Nancy and have a well-deserved end-of-the-week drink.

After hanging up John Paul made the third call. Nancy was game and he cleared his desk and left for the Dog.

He couldn't deny it. It was frustrating to sit there, trying to get the attention of a shy two-year-old without any real result. Craig could see that his son was intrigued by him and Siobhan, but somehow didn't really dare to walk those few steps over to his father. No, instead he hid behind his nana, but would look over towards Craig every few seconds, sometimes giggling, sometimes with fear in his eyes.

I deserve this, Craig thought to himself. How could I have expected him to just come running to me? But I'm not giving up! He decided.

It couldn't be said either, that conversation was flowing. No, the situation was rather awkward and he suspected that Siobhan thought this was a waste of time.

Suddenly Myra's mobile rang and Craig realised from her expression that it was John Paul. She walked over to the kitchen while she spoke. He couldn't really make out what she was saying. She'd left Matthew behind, where he was hiding behind her couch. Craig felt a nudge and looked towards Siobhan who was sitting next to him.

She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "I guess he's coming back. We better make our way."

Her words annoyed him and he shook his head as he whispered back, "I'm staying for a bit. I want to show that I'm not giving up right away. It's not as if I have all the time in the world to bond with my son. You can go if you want to. You know the way home, right?"

He didn't watch her expression as he replied, but moved his focus over to Matthew who was watching them intently. A moment later Craig felt the movement of the sofa as his girlfriend stood up without a word. She closed the door out behind her just as Myra returned from the kitchen.

Myra didn't say anything, but instead just asked, "Everything alright, love?" When he nodded, she smiled a little at him before offering him a beer.

When she'd turned her back towards him to get it from the fridge, Matthew appeared from behind the couch and started making his way tentatively across the floor.

Myra watched the proceedings in silence from the open kitchen and when she saw her grandson calmly sitting in his father's lap, she put the can back in the fridge and took a seat at the kitchen table.