Chapter 34

“Now stand up!” Flora commanded once she was in place on Rob’s shoulders. He warily stood up, one hand clamped around her ankle where her leg trailed down over his chest.

She cackled in demonic happiness. “Gammar! Gammar, Mummy, look, I climbed the tree!”

“Flora, he’s not a tree, don’t be rude,” Jenny snapped. “I’m—I’m sorry, Rob, she’s a bit—”

“But Mummy, I climbed it!”

“No you didn’t,” Rob said.

Eli jumped at the interruption. He had been fully prepared for Rob to pretend he was deaf and dumb for the entire meal, or only speak when absolutely, strictly required. He certainly hadn’t expected Rob to play along with Flora’s insanity.

“I helped you. Real trees don’t help.”

Flora scowled at the back of his head. “Nuh-huh, I did it by myself!”

“Nah,” Rob said. “You couldn’t climb a real tree.”