The Importance of Being a Bachelor Read Online Free PDF Page B

bright and sunny summer afternoon?’
    ‘You’ve decided to come then?’ reprimanded Mum, unimpressed by his charm. ‘When was it I called you? Wednesday? And you didn’t get back to me.’
    Adam flashed his best butter-wouldn’t-melt grin. ‘I was busy, Mum. You know how it is when things get busy down at the bar. But you should also know that if it’s Sunday and there’s food on the table I’ll be here.’ He picked up a recently washed strawberry from a dish on the counter and dropped it into his mouth before she could smack his hand away. ‘Anyway,’ he said cheerily, ‘how come I don’t get any points for being the first one of your strapping young sons to be here?’
    ‘Well there’s plenty to do,’ she said, pushing Adam away from her in a no-nonsense fashion. ‘The table needs setting and the glasses need getting out of the cupboard and giving a good clean. I don’t want Cassie thinking that Luke doesn’t come from a good family.’
    Adam considered pointing out that Cassie had been coming to the Bachelors’ for Sunday dinner for long enough now that any thoughts she might have on whether or not the Bachelors were a good family would have long since crystallised, but he chose to bite his tongue.
    ‘I’m on the case, Mum,’ said Adam, opening up the drawer where the ‘good’ cutlery lived. ‘Where’s Dad?’
    ‘Where do you think?’
    ‘Why do you always answer a question with a question?’
    ‘Why do you always ask questions that you already know the answer to?’
    ‘Because that’s my role in the family. I ask questions to which I already know the answer, Luke’s your man for fixing stuff and Russ . . . well, Russ is just Russ, isn’t he?’ Adam peered through the kitchen window and spied Dad mowing the back lawn. Spotting an opportunity to leave the setting of the table to one of his less wily siblings Adam closed the cutlery drawer and announced that he really ought to go and say hello to his dad. Mum just shook her head and carried on with the potatoes.
     
    ‘All right, son?’ said Dad, turning off the lawn mower as Adam approached. ‘Is it lunchtime already? I haven’t got my watch on.’
    Adam placed an affectionate hand on his father’s shoulder. ‘Nah, Dad, it’s not lunchtime yet. I’m just early.’ Adam paused to take in his father’s gardening outfit: a blue shirt with the sleeves folded up, brown corduroy trousers and wellington boots. It was the same gardening outfit that he had been wearing for as long as Adam could remember and he was touched by his dad’s constancy. Adam looked around at the lawn admiringly. ‘How’s the gardening going, Pop? Looks like you’re doing a cracking job on it.’
    ‘I’m not sure I’ve got the energy for it these days. I don’t mind so much when it’s warm like this but give me a single drop of rain or have it a bit too cold and do you know what? I lose all interest.’
    ‘You should get Russ down here doing all the donkey work. It’s the least he can do after you paid his way through university. Three years multiplied by however much you used to send him every month? That’s got to be worth a bit of weeding surely?’
    ‘I’m fine with the gardening, thank you very much. And as far as I’m concerned Russell’s education was worth every penny. It’s not too late for you, you know. What are you? Thirty-six? Thirty-seven? Still plenty of time to get a degree.’
    ‘I’m fine without one, thanks. I’ve got the bar; I’ve no use for a degree. And for future reference, Dad, I’m thirty-eight.’
    ‘Time certainly is flying,’ said George. ‘I know you’re thirty-eight, son. How could I forget? The day you were born was one of the proudest days of my life.’
    The two men stood talking for a good twenty minutes or so before George indicated that he wanted to finish off the garden before lunch. Back inside the house Adam was instructed to wash his hands but before he reached the sink Cassie and Luke appeared