Chapter 77
"Make yourself useful, then. Show me where you keep the plates."
"I'll get them. They're in the top left-hand cupboard." I get a stack of plates down and take some cutlery from the drawer. Naboo sticks his head around the door.
"Noelle, is there enough food for another one?"
"Yes, there is."
"Thank you."
"You've got him wrapped around your little finger." I say to her as soon as he's gone.
"So have you! Pass me a spoon, would you?"
"I haven't." I say, passing it. "He acts like he's my dad sometimes."
"It's only because I care!" He calls from the hallway. Noelle raises an eyebrow.
"Does he do that often?"
"What, hear everything? All the time."
"I can't help it, you're very loud!" I shake my head in desperation. Noelle just laughs.
"Come on. Get the food on the table." I carry the plates, cutlery, glasses and some water over to the table. "Do you want to go and tell them it's ready?" I nod and walk through to the sitting room.
"The food's re-" I stop mid-sentence. It can't be. But it is. What's Noelle going to say? She appears in the doorway looking mildly irritated.
"Vince, what's taking you so long?"
"I…umm…" She looks past me.
"Hello." She says, completely unfazed, then turns back to me. "Honestly, you can't be trusted with the simplest of tasks." She turns away again. "The food's ready." I stand, open-mouthed, as they walk past me into the kitchen. Shaking my head and closing my mouth, I follow them.