Read Ask Me to Stay for Free Online Page B

torrent.’
    ‘Lactose —’ Ethan stopped. And began to laugh.
    Nina wriggled on the spot, grinning, and Rowan slapped his palm to his forehead.
    Ethan got his coffee.
    Sally clearly didn’t give him any points for child labour – he didn’t get any change – but Ethan was too amused to care.
    His eyes were once again drawn to the garage as they crossed the street and walked to the supermarket, and it was a struggle not to let the place spoil his mood.
    In the supermarket behind the pet food aisle was a liquor section, and beyond that a hardware store. Tucked into the far corner, between the handsaws and levelling planes, was a tiny cubicle fit for one. The bank teller waved at the children as they passed.
    Ethan found what they needed then indulged the kids in a treat at the checkout. Rowan asked for a chocolate bar. Nina had wanted one of the rotating charcoal chickens, but at length she settled on a small packet of jelly snakes.
    It was tempting to linger, to explore the main street further, but he wanted to get back and roll up his sleeves.
    They bumped into Ben O’Hara on the street. He was limping.
    Before Ethan could enquire, Ben pushed a finger against Ethan’s chest. There was fire in his eyes and a mad turn to his mouth. ‘What’s my daughter doin’ workin’ at your house, then, ey? She’s got a payin’ job here, she’s got responsibilities. What, are you bloody useless or somethin’? Clean up your own mess! Who do you think you are? You should be —’
    Ben’s rant was interrupted by the quietest of sniffs. He looked down, trembling with unspent rage.
    Nina had taken Ethan’s hand. Tears were spilling down tiny cheeks flushed with emotion. ‘Don’t —’ She swallowed and took a shaky breath. ‘Don’t yell at my Ethan!’ Frightened by her own daring, she ducked behind Ethan’s leg. ‘You’re a mean old man!’ She began to cry in earnest.
    Rowan hurried to put an arm around her. He put the other around Ethan’s waist. He glared up at Samantha’s father and said, quite simply, ‘Go away.’
    Ethan had just been publicly shamed, but he still felt sorry for the old guy. Ben looked devastated and embarrassed. He stumbled back, opened his mouth, closed it. Then hurried away, shuffling awkwardly on his bad leg.
    Ethan walked the kids to a nearby bench and lifted Nina onto it. She was still trembling and her nose was running. He had no tissue to offer her. He slipped off his shoe and peeled off his sock. When he offered it to her, her nose crinkled.
    He pointed to the elastic part. ‘Use that bit.’ She blew her nose. ‘You guys are amazing,’ he said, floored by their behaviour and touched to the core.
    Rowan perched beside his sister and rubbed her back. He shrugged. ‘Family.’
    As simple as that, Ethan thought. As simple, as complex and as beautiful as that.
    Kneeling beneath the shower in the tub of the upstairs bathroom, Ethan gripped the new metal bar and surrendered his entire body weight to its mercy. Rowan and Nina watched from the sink counter, their feet bumping against the cupboard doors.
    No one fell. Nothing broke.
    Rowan and Nina each took a turn holding it. Rowan was more thorough in his testing than his sister, who attempted to use it as a monkey bar.
    ‘It’s not for playing on,’ Ethan warned. His stern tone made her pause. ‘It’s only for if you need help, do you understand?’
    She nodded soberly.
    He crossed to the countertop and removed something palm-sized from a supermarket bag. ‘I also got you guys this.’ He held it out to them. ‘Soap on a rope. You hook it around your wrist.’ He demonstrated on a wide-eyed Rowan. ‘You can’t drop it. See?’
    Rowan uncurled his fingers and the soap bounced on its rope in the air. He did it again and again before he allowed Ethan to hook the soap over the shower tap.
    ‘When it gets skinny just ask your dad for a new one, okay?’
    The kids returned to their perch and Ethan set about neatening up the wall