Monday, 30th May 2022
"Why don't we ever go to your house for breakfast?" Jamie asked, stretching out his left hamstring as he watched Roy place bacon onto the frypan on Jamie's stove.
"I don't want you in my house," Roy told him, cracking eggs into a bowl for scrambled eggs.
Jamie froze and looked at Roy.
"Are you still coming to take Phoebe to the zoo?" Roy asked, lifting his eyes off the bowl. Jamie blinked slowly at Roy. Roy frowned. "What?"
"You're a fucking confusin' bloke, Roy."
Roy frowned at him. "Am fucking not."
"I'm going for a shower. Of course I'm still coming, gotta see the animals."
"We're picking her up in an hour."
Jamie nodded and headed for the stairs.
-)(-)(-
An hour later, Ruth answered the door, smiling at Jamie.
"Phoebe," she called over her shoulder, grabbing her bag. "Jamie's here."
"Hi, Jamie," Phoebe called out, rushing into the hallway, pigtails flying and bag clutched in her arms.
"Do you have everything?" Ruth asked.
"Hopefully," Phoebe said. "Where's Uncle Roy?"
"Couldn't find a park so he's circling the block," Jamie told her. "I was dispatched to collect the dragon."
Phoebe nodded. "Let's go, I'm so excited about going to the zoo?"
"Me too," Jamie said. "Wanna see how mad we can make him by spending too long with the otters?"
"Can we get ice cream?" Phoebe asked.
"And some hot chips," Jamie agreed. "I need to take advantage of me break from Roy's meal plan."
"We should make Uncle Roy make chicken parcels and his cheesy, garlicy mashed potatoes for dinner," Phoebe told him, taking his hand and dragging him towards the kerb. Ruth locked the door and followed them, waiting for Roy.
"Mint. He might finally have to let me go to his house."
"I doubt it," Ruth offered. "He doesn't have anyone over; he'll offer to cook at your house."
"Why?" Jamie asked.
"He's in between projects at the moment," Phoebe said.
"Projects?"
"Ask Roy," Ruth told him. "See you tomorrow, Fee."
"Bye, Mum," Phoebe said, hugging her mum with one arm. Roy stopped in front of them and Jamie settled her in the back seat before climbing into the passenger side.
-)(-)(-
Jamie stepped away from Phoebe's side and walked over to where Roy was sitting on a bench.
"What are your projects?" Jamie asked.
"What?"
Jamie knocked his elbow into Roy's. "I mentioned to your sister that you never invite me to your house and Phoebe said you were in between projects."
Roy let out a long, slow, "fuck."
"I'm your best friend, Roy, why don't you want me to come to your house?"
"I don't have one."
"What?" Jamie frowned and turned to look at Roy in confusion.
"I don't have a house; I move into a place when I'm working on it and when it's ready to be rented, move onto the next place."
"Why?"
"I don't need a house."
"Where do you live between projects?"
"Depends."
"Don't you want a home?" Jamie asked.
"I don't need one."
"Why not?"
"Home isn't a real thing," Roy told him, voice nonchalant. "It's just a place you live. I've lived in lots of places."
"Does that mean you're going to move into that house we saw while it's being renovated?"
"No, that one is going to have a full renovation not just a minor one, so I won't live there – too much of a pain in the fucking arse to live in a construction site."
"Are you ever going to live in just one place?" Jamie asked, wonderingly.
"Fuck no."
Jamie wasn't sure what to think of the situation, so he sat in silence with Roy and watched Phoebe avidly listening to the keeper's talk.
-)(-)(-
