Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 60487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Sage flushed and waved it off. “The mums said if it was too much, I didn’t have to go to that. But you know, the offer was made.”
“What an offer,” Grayson bit out, and Carl was starting to feel why he was so upset. These witches seemed indeed to be using Sage, knowing how much she wanted to contribute and be included, making her donate a lot of costly food, and ‘offering’ a chance to join the team-building, betting that she wouldn’t come.
“I’ll go with you,” Grayson said and held up his hand to stop any protests. “I’ll pay for my own ticket. Besides, those mums are always calling me for favours even when I have other plans.” He looked regretfully towards Carl, and Carl recalled the quiz night—having to stand in Grayson’s place. “They owe me.”
“What does the event raise money for?” Poppy asked with a winsome smile to everyone at the table, ending and lingering on Carl. “I’d be happy to donate.”
“The funds go towards a new school pool.”
“Mum, can I have more meat?” Leo asked.
“Sure, sure. Eat up everyone, before my bottomless pit here beats you all to it.”
As they refocused on their stew, Carl felt eyes on him from Poppy’s side of the table and glanced up to find he was right. He swallowed his mouthful. “Where abouts do you live?”
“Kelburn, up on the hills. Beautiful view.” Poppy leaned in. “I could show you sometime.”
Grayson grabbed a stick of bread and ripped into it so hard Carl felt the table jostle.
He forced himself to concentrate on the man across from him. “You’ve always lived in Wellington?”
“Best city in the world. Don’t you think?”
“There are some wonderful views,” Carl said, gaze skipping briefly to Grayson, who kept stuffing bread into his mouth.
So violently delicious? he wanted to ask.
Carl smirked around another swallow of stew.
“Could you pass me the salt?” Poppy asked, snapping Carl’s attention back to him. Right.
Carl held out the salt grinder for him, and Poppy’s hand closed around it, touching Carl’s fingers warmly. Carl shot his head up, meeting a sparkly smile—
A third hand swiped the salt from the bottom, and Grayson began grinding over his bowl. “May as well circle it around,” he said, smiling from Carl to Poppy and back again as he continued to grind.
Finally, with a good plunk, Grayson set the salt next to Poppy and spooned stew into his mouth. His face froze.
“Too much salt?” Sage called down the table. She and Leo had been eyeing the whole interaction and Sage seemed to find it most entertaining. Her eyes glittered bright blue under her strawberry blonde hair.
Grayson shovelled three spoonfuls into his mouth. His voice rose in pitch as he declared, “Exactly how I like it.”
Sage’s eyebrow started to come up, much like Carl’s own, and Grayson pointed his spoon at Leo. “How was your day?”
“Great. Had my first lesson. Jason’s piano is grand!” Leo giggled at his joke and gazed admiringly towards Carl. “There’s a talent show at the school holiday charity event. A bunch of kids have signed up. I didn’t think I should, but . . .”
Sage gasped. “You’d really perform in front of a crowd? I thought the idea gave you stomach cramps. Remember those boys will be performing too.”
“I always chicken out because I’m too scared. I know I might get laughed at, and I know those boys always win. But”—Leo took a deep breath—“Jason said we need courage to live our dreams.”
“You’re right, you’re right!” Sage gave Carl the biggest, most thankful smile. “Such a motivating speech!” She looked back to her son, pride filling her eyes. “You’ll really do it?”
Big, pleading eyes suctioned onto Carl’s. “If Jason will help me? Tell me how to improve?”
So much hope drilled into Carl his throat seized up with the pressure of it. On a practical level, there wasn’t much he could do to actually help. He also felt guilty that Leo and Sage really believed he could. But alongside the guilt was a feeling of massively blooming responsibility. He’d made Leo feel like he could be brave enough to go on stage against his bullies. To take that pillar of new-found courage away from him . . . that seemed as bad—worse, perhaps—as the lies.
Carl grabbed his water glass and gulped, stealing a glance at Grayson who gnawed his bottom lip, eyes pensively dark, like he couldn’t work out the best response either.
“I’d love to support you being brave,” Carl finally said. That was whole-hearted and true.
Leo leapt out of his chair with a fist in the air. “Can I come around again tomorrow and you help me pick a piece to play?”
Carl nodded under a stiff smile and hurriedly bowed his head towards his food.
“You’re a musician?” Poppy murmured, gaze roaming over him with even more interest. “Maybe you can play on my instrument.”