Megan 3 by Mary Hooper Read Free Book Online Page B

went into the kitchen the front door bell went. ‘I’ve turned it down!’ I shouted, thinking it was Witch’s Brew coming upstairs to complain in person.
    There was another knock. ‘It’s me. Mark!’
    A visitor. Brilliant! I thought, running to the door to let him in.
    ‘I can hear Jack crying right down the hallway,’ Mark said, ruffling my hair. He was wearing a pale green shirt and a very soft black leather jacket and looked really good. When Ellie got home and realised he’d been, she’d probably slit her throat.
    ‘Yeah. It’s tough love time,’ I said. ‘I’ve got to get him trained properly. He’ll be up all night every night otherwise.’
    ‘But now his Uncle Mark’s arrived…’ Mark said.
    I grinned. ‘OK,’ I said. ‘Go and get him.’
    I started making a coffee and a couple of minutes later Mark was back with Jack, who was snuffling and rubbing his cheek with his blanket.
    ‘I shouldn’t let him get up again, really,’ I said, ‘but he hardly sees any men and I think he ought to.’
    ‘That’s right,’ Mark said. ‘You should always have your full quota of men.’
    ‘Chance would be a fine thing,’ I said, pouring hot water into mugs.
    ‘No romance in your life?’
    I shook my head. ‘How about you?’
    ‘Not bad,’ he said. ‘Couple of possibilities on the go.’
    He sat down, still holding Jack, who for once wasn’t struggling to rush away and play. Eyes closed, Jack had his head against Mark’s and was rubbing Mark’s cheek as well as his own with the blanket.
    ‘He looks really sweet,’ I said, almost forgetting that he’d been such a little beast. ‘I wish…’ I hesitated. I’d been about to say I wished his own dad would take more of an interest in him instead of just sending trolls. I didn’t just want a dad for Jack, though, I wanted someone who wanted me as well. ‘There’s this boy I’ve met and chatted to once or twice,’ I said to Mark. ‘He seems really nice.’
    ‘Does he know about Jack?’
    ‘’Course!’ I said. ‘He’s met him. He – this boy, Jon – is in the Sixth form near Poppies. I think…
think
he might ask me out.’
    Mark raised his eyebrows. ‘Hmm,’ he said.
    ‘What’s wrong with that?’
    ‘Nothing,’ Mark said. ‘Except I hope you’re not thinking that he might be a permanent fixture in your life.’
    ‘Don’t be daft,’ I said. But I was, of course. I couldn’t help it. I’d been thinking about Jon asking me out and us getting on really well, and then him taking an interest in Jack and maybe, just maybe…Well, as I’d said to Kirsty, it made a change from thinking about the price of disposable nappies.
    Mark looked at me and shook his head. ‘Forget it,’ he said.
    ‘What?’
    ‘You don’t really know him, do you?’
    ‘No, but…’
    ‘Take it from me, Megan, a boy of – what is he, seventeen?’
    I nodded. ‘I suppose so.’
    ‘A boy of seventeen – all he’s interested in is sex. He’ll just be wanting a quick one and away.’
    ‘How d’you know?’
    ‘I’ve been there,’ he said. ‘No guy of seventeen is going to be interested in taking on someone else’s baby. A ready-made family to provide for? Do leave off!’
    ‘So you’re saying I’ll never get anyone!’
    ‘No, I’m not,’ he said. ‘I’m just telling you that you won’t get anyone your own age. Not at the moment. No one permanent.’
    ‘OK,’ I said, shrugging. ‘I’ll just go out with this Jon for a couple of dates, then. If he asks. It’ll be better than nothing.’
    ‘That’s up to you,’ Mark said. ‘But don’t get involved. You’ll only get hurt.’
    While Mark drank his coffee, Jack closed his eyes and his head dropped on to Mark’s arm. I chatted to Mark about various things; about Mum and the mysterious George, and then I tried to think of a way of bringing the subject round to Lorna. Just as I was working out what to say, though, he looked at his watch.
    ‘Got to split,’ he said. ‘I’m going