What if I ain't no violinist?

109. Twoset Grapefruit Boys V

15 years ago, when shortly after Brett and Eddy's adopted daughter Claire ( age 5) started primary school...

Brett knocked on Eddy's study.

"Hey Eddy, can I come in? You have a minute?"

"Yeah, of course you can. You really don't need to knock y'know."

Brett entered Eddy's study.

"..But Eddy what if I walk into you doing... I dunno, something you'd prefer I didn't see you doing."

Eddy raised an eyebrow.

"But I can't think of any. You'll either walk out if you don't like it or join me if you do."

Eddy wriggled his eyebrows as he completed his sentence.

Brett chuckled.

"Well, maybe I wouldn't wanna see it. Whatever it is you're up to. ...Not that I could think of anything like that. Hmmm. Anyway, it's been a habit that's now hard to break. I think it's good manners anyway. Look, I was wondering if I could ask you a favour."

"Yes."

Brett looked stunned.

"OMFG I haven't even asked you yet!"

Eddy smiled.

"Brett, You don't have to ask me if you can ask me a favour. Just ask. I'll do anything for you Brett, it's about bloody time you knew that."

Brett was lost for words.

"Um.. "

"Brett? You ok?"

"Yeah. Sometimes you're too sweet, I OD on you. ...Look, I need help translating a letter from Claire's primary school."

"Lemme see that... The school's volunteering contribution is an investment to your child/children's future... ...what is this?"

"It's a letter sent to parents who haven't paid the volunteering contribution fee. The school wants it translated into various languages to send out to parents who don't read English"

"O..kay...?"

"The school admin called me because I wrote writer as my occupation. They asked me if I was bilingual and when I said yes they asked me to translate it. I've tried my best so far but your Chinese is heaps better than mine. Can you finish off the bits I left blank?"

Eddy chuckled.

"Sure, who would've thought all that Chinese schooling would come in handy. You've got an electronic copy?"

"Yeah, I just sent it to you like a minute ago."

"Alright."

3 days later..

Eddy returned from the university after giving his morning mathematics lecture and noticed Brett pouting in front of his coffee mug at the dining table.

"Brett?"

"Yes?"

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong."

Brett raised his hand and showed Eddy a piece of paper.

"Do please have a look at what our daughter was given to bring home to show her Mummy yesterday!!"

"What? Lemme see that Brett... OMG."

"...I just discovered it from the piles of papers Claire had dumped here on the dining table. They actually gave our daughter the letter translated into Chinese, the very letter that we translated, to give to her parents who the school assumed would not be able to comprehend the English version !!!!"

Eddy tried hard not to burst out laughing.

"Well... in all fairness Claire's surname is Yang-Chen, it's a fair assumption that her parents may read Chinese."

"But English is her L1 !!!"

"L1?"

"First language!"

"Yeah I know that but..."

"So, I would expect the school to know that if her English was that good at her age, that her parents must be at least bilingual !!! I mean I know we aren't her biological parents but that's not the point is it !? I mean the school probably doesn't even know that she's adopted... have we submitted documents about that?  And the school had asked her Mummy to help translate the bloody thing! I can't believe they would then decide to make her take the translated letter home to the Mummy !!"

Brett was so worked up he was going around in circles in what he was saying.  Eddy was trying to suppress his giggles.

"Oh, c'mon Brett.. it's a big school, they just got a bit mixed up. I understand it's a bit annoying that they gave you the letter when you're the one who translated it... but... c'mon it's also kinda funny...."

"Ooooooh no you don't. Eddy, I'm gonna be cross if you laugh!!"

"But... it is quite funny. No, look, please don't give me that death stare, you're scaring me. C'mon it was a little mistake. Or y'know, maybe the letter was meant to be for her Daddy."

Brett pouted.

"Argh not fair. Next year I'm gonna put my name in the Father's column and you can be the Mummy and the primary contact with the school!!"

Eddy smiled.

"Okay, okay, fine. Look it's almost 2:30 it's time for me to go pick up Claire. You wanna come? I promised her we'd grab an ice cream on our way home. I'll get you a bubble tea from the shop next to the ice cream place?"

Brett finally was in a better mood.

"Sure."