Baby Blue Eyes

Chapter Seven

When I finally get home that evening, after struggling to get all of the bookshop jobs done, it’s only then that I start to think of how I’m going to explain to my parents that I’d like to give my beloved job to my ex boyfriend. Yeah, that’s going to be a bit tricky.

I unlock the front door and let myself in, slinging my bag to the floor. I’m sure all I seem to be doing nowadays is working myself up to ask someone for something or negotiate a deal. First Levi, now my parents. I might as well just go into negotiation as a career path, I’m doing so much of it.

I guess the only option is to tell the truth. My parents will be utterly bemused if not, and so I suppose I’ll have to explain what the issue is exactly. However, in a household as busy as ours, finding the right time is always a problem.

Eventually, when Orla’s tucked up in bed and my parents are sat in the lounge, watching some rubbish on the television, I head over to sit next to them.

‘Alright there?’ my dad asks, shifting to make room for me.

I nod. ‘Yeah, I’m fine.’

I wonder how to bring it up. Talking about Levi has been awkward ever since I first met him; explaining the romantical side of your life to the parentals is something I suppose is difficult for everyone.

Thankfully, my mum does the work for me. ‘Did you get on alright at the book shop today?’ she asks, as the program ends.

‘Yes,’ I begin, ‘though it was a bit of a struggle to get the books packaged; I had to leave some for tomorrow.’

‘That’s fine,’ my dad replies, flicking through the television channels lazily. ‘It would have been a miracle if you’d done it all.’

‘Um.’ I wonder how to begin this next bit. ‘Well, about my job-’ I begin.

My mum sits up straighter to look at me. ‘Is everything alright with it? Are you happy with it?’

‘I love the job,’ I reassure her. ‘It’s just… well, the boys and I were planning to reform The Something Somethings, and…’

‘Ah,’ my dad interrupts. ‘You don’t think you’ll have enough time for it?’

‘Oh no!’ I protest. ‘I think I can fit it in fine! It’s just that, to get Levi to rejoin, we said we’d offer him something in return.’ Pausing, I look at my parents expectant faces and hope that this won’t annoy them too much. ‘And he said he’d agree to joining, if he could have my job- remember he was the one originally meant to have it, all those months ago?’

There’s silence, as my parents look at me as if I’ve gone mad.

‘You remember, don’t you?’ I probe, slightly worried by their expressions.

My mum nods. ‘Yes, but… Zoey, are you sure you want to give up your job? You just said you love it.’

‘Well, I’ve got to do it for the sake of the band,’ I reply. ‘It’s the only way we can reform; Levi won’t do it otherwise.’

They’re both frowning. Oh dear, I don’t think this has gone very well.

‘Still, Zo, I don’t think you should let him bully you into having your job. If he’s got that sort of attitude, I think you should find someone else for the band,’ my dad says, seriously.

‘He hasn’t bullied me into it!’ I insist. ‘Really, he hasn’t. It’s just that he needed an incentive to join, and…’

‘It sounds like blackmail to me,’ my mum says, echoing Levi.