The Lover's Children novel Chapter 78

KLEMPNER

Cara tugs at my trouser leg. “Quack quacks.”

“What?”

She points down the hill to where battalions of ducks work in squadrons to relieve picnickers of their lunch. “Quack quacks, Gandy Kay.”

“Mitch, what’s she talking about?”

Mitch sets her knitting down. “Cara, you want to feed the ducks?”

She bursts into a smile, nodding. “Quack quacks.”

“Larry, why don’t you take Cara to feed the ducks. You can give them that leftover hot dog. Adam, do you want to go too?”

“Sorry, what am I doing?”

Mitch adopts a trying my patience expression. “You’re taking Cara and Adam to feed the ducks.” She stares up at me. Her head tilts. “Did you never feed the ducks as a little boy?”

“I don't think so.”

You little bastard.

Do as you're fucking told. Get inside.

The fist…

Da... No...

She looks away. “That was thoughtless of me. I'm sorry.”

I shrug it away. “Don't be. It's not as though I remember much of it.”

“You remember enough.” As though someone threw a switch, her voice turns cheerful. “Alright, Adam, Cara. We’ll go and show Grandad K how to feed the ducks, shall we. I’ll just get everything packed up.”

Cara bounces up and down, clapping and yelling. Adam copies her. Mitch packs picnic, flask and knitting into the back of the stroller with the efficiency of a sergeant ordering his squad to decamp. “You take Vicky’s buggy will you.”

The source of the excitement is down by the river, an area cordoned off by a picket fence similar to the play area. In theory, it’s a kids’ paddling pool. In practice, adults supervise gaggles of small children, tossing bits of bread in the water, to be immediately assaulted by battalions of ducks.

Mitch produces the picnic leftovers, passes me a bread roll. “Tear that into small pieces for Cara.” A woman close by gives me an odd look.

But Cara squawks with delight as I turn a perfectly good bread roll into crumbs, shove a handful into her grubby hands and another handful into Adam’s. Bear groans protest as the fragments are tossed into the water.

“Isn’t it dangerous having them so close to the water’s edge?”

Mitch sniffs, dismissively. “It’s only six inches deep. And that’s why we, as responsible adults, stand over them.”

“So, remind me why we’re feeding ducks? They’re wild animals. Can’t they feed themselves?”

“It’s all part of the magic of childhood.” Mitch slides me a sidelong glance. “I realise you didn’t see a lot of that, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy it from the adult perspective now.” She nods towards the excitedly squealing Cara. “Don’t tell me you don’t enjoy seeing your granddaughter enjoying herself so much.”

“I’ll admit, it’s… charming.”

She looks away, but she’s smiling. Her hand slips into mine.

A squadron of ducks converges on Cara. She squeals and tosses her complete handful of bread at them. Adam squawks, turns and runs, hugging up to Mitch, but Cara looks at me uncertainly.

“They can’t hurt you,” I say. “They’re only ducks. If they flap at you, flap back.”

They can’t hurt you, Sweetie… They’re only ducks…

…

…

“Larry?” Mitch’s voice penetrates. “Larry, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I… A memory just surfaced. I… did do this when I was small. My mother was with me…

Brown eyes…

A mop of curly hair…

A smile…

Mitch’s face lights up. “Really? You’ve just remembered that?”

“Yes…” I haver, rubbing at the back of my head, trying to unearth more of the memory…

Abruptly, something splashes into the water. Ducks scatter and lift, raucous with protest and panic.

Cara yells a complaint. Mitch hunkers down, calming her and Adam. Other kids start bawling. Adults mutter, looking around. Women stoop, picking up toddlers. Men turn and scan, searching for the source of the disturbance.

The stone, if that’s what it was, seemed to come from a thicket of small trees a little way from the pool. Still, nothing looks out of kilter now.

But my radar is twitching.

A bit of petty meanness.

A familiar pattern…

Is it the same one? Or just a coincidence?

Cara’s still wailing. Adam too. “Look…” Mitch points to a kiosk. “We’ll have an ice cream, shall we.” She could have flicked a switch. The wails become yells of enthusiasm. Cara bounces up and down. Adam follows her lead.

I fish some change from my pocket. “Here, get the ice cream with this. Are you okay here for a few minutes?”

Mitch frowns. “Why? Where are you going?”

“Just to stretch my legs. I won't be long. You okay with that?”

She gives me a sunny smile. “I’m a big girl now. Sure, yes. Enjoy your walk.”

Parking Vicky by a handy bench, I saunter away from the pool, but as soon I’m away from Mitch’s line of sight, I step out smartly, striding back up the hill to the gate.

Not going to lose you this time…

*****

How long is it since that stone was thrown?

Five minutes? Two?

I can’t have lost much time.

Where are you?

Striding out, I make for the main gate. There’s no guarantee he’s doing the same, but Hoodie went that way before, the first time I saw him but I lost him in the chaos milling police, press and panicking crowds. All the while I walk, I scan ahead…

There…

Just vanishing out of the park, a grey-hooded figure.

Is it him? The same one?

I step up another gear.