Forever Blue Read Online Free PDF

business, well, at least she thought them funny. And Mum had talked about her latest art piece, much to Dad's annoyance. He didn't consider it a real job. A real job brings in money. A real job involves a workplace, a time you need to be somewhere, not simply shoving bits of rubbish on a board with some paint splattered on it.
    "You know, I was thinking, Lennon—" Dad popped an oyster into his mouth while Melinda's eyes followed it all the way from his plate to his lips. He swallowed and took another gulp of beer. "You don't mind driving, do you, babe?" He turned to Melinda, who shook her head, lifted a hunk of deep-fried, gooey cheese goodness and dipped it into the plum sauce. Dad wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and turned to me. "You should come and spend some time with us before the baby arrives."
    I sighed. I knew what would happen if I went to spend time with Dad, the same thing that had happened all my life. Dad would work, and I'd be left to fend for myself, or, myself and Melinda. Mum wasn't much better, but, at least she didn't have a boyfriend closer to my age than hers. And I had Grams. "It's kind of hard with school, and all that." I wasn't sure what 'all that' was, since school was the only thing I had on my calendar, but school in itself didn't seem like enough of an excuse.
    "Well, I could drive up and get you on a Friday night, and drop you back off on a Sunday. What do you say?" He drained the last gulp of beer.
    "Or I could drive myself?" I turned to Mum, hopeful. The thought of spending the weekend with Dad wasn't appealing, but getting to drive myself down to the city sounded fun. I was finally on my restricted license and allowed to drive alone.
    "You would let her drive the car?" Dad raised his eyebrows at Mum and his glasses tilted lopsidedly.
    "She's got her own now." Mum didn't look at him and loaded more chicken into her mouth so her words were mumbled. "I traded mine and got a couple of little bombs for us to run around in. Seemed more practical than keeping that gas-guzzling monster."
    Dad's eyes widened. "You sold the Commodore?"
    Mum nodded.
    "And you got her a car without consulting me?"
    "I'm sorry, did you want to buy her a car yourself?" Mum knew that would get to him. He was a tightwad, always had been. It wasn't that he didn't have money, it was that he preferred to spend it on himself.
    "Well, no. I just assumed you would talk to me about things like this."
    "Why?" Mum looked as though she was enjoying watching him squirm as she lifted another piece of chicken to her mouth.
    "Well, just because." He picked up his glass but sat it back down again once he realised it was empty.
    He looked older. His hair, once dark and thick, was greying at the temples and thinning on top. He had recently started wearing glasses that accented the pouches beneath his eyes, and his tummy showed signs of too many happy hours at the bar.
    "So, you'll come?" he asked.
    I played with the carrots left on my plate. I didn't like orange things, another absurdity left over from when I was five. "Well, it's just, I would love to drive my car down, but with petrol prices what they are at the moment—" I let the sentence hang.
    "Bobby will give you some petrol money, won't you?" Melinda cut in. I had never heard anyone call Dad, Bobby, before, and I had to hold in my laughter. I didn't dare look at Mum.
    Dad dug out his wallet and handed me sixty dollars. Melinda might be good for him, after all. "Enough?"
    "Thanks, Dad, that's great." I folded the notes and stuffed them into my jeans. I was sure Dad thought I was playing him, but in reality, I really did need the cash to get down. I didn't have a part-time job, yet, but I was looking, sort of. I flicked through the situation vacant adverts in the local paper. I just hadn't done anything more than that.
    "So, when will you come down?" Dad took a sip of his drink that the waitress sat down in front of him, and looked over the edge of his glasses.
    "Early