Chrysalis Days & Butterfly Nights [Wattys 2023 Shortlist]

5

5

Every night. For the next few days, Luke laid the skirt on the bed, staring at it for long moments, taking in the beautiful, shimmering ocean blue colour, the dozens of delicate pleats, the flair from the elasticated waist to the hem. It looked silky. Felt smooth and comforting. Then, every night, he would carefully fold the skirt into a square, put it back in the box and push the box back under the bed.

Every night, but not tonight. Tonight chaos would reign. Tonight his quiet life would become upended and the silence broken. He couldn't put it off, even if he wanted to, so that he could spend another night looking at a skirt that he wanted to wear so desperately that it caused his stomach to roll and grumble. Tonight, he had to deal with other things.

"Uncle Luke!" Skye ran into his arms, but could only hug him with one hand. She carried a big box in the other. "No swearing! Mummy says you both swear when she isn't there. She says you swear a lot."

"No swearing, I promise." That appeared to placate her and she ran past him, into the house. Andy followed, sighing. "Why is she wearing an apron?"

Andy sighed again, shaking his head. He adjusted the little, bright pink bag on his shoulder and lifted his hand, showing Luke his fingernails. They were all painted, in several colours, with stickers in various places. Luke suppressed a laugh, turning away. Not at the painted fingernails, but at Andy's forlorn, defeated expression.

"Skye has decided, at six years old, that she's going to be a beautician when she grows up. At six." He passed Luke, heading into the house, trying not to step on Toby, who had come to see what the excitement was about. He raised his voice. "Tell Uncle Luke why you want to be a beautician, Pea-pod, and why."

"Because I want to do make-up for Taylor Swift." Inside, Skye had overtaken the coffee table, moving everything to the side, and had opened up her box. "She's getting old and I want to make sure she stays pretty."

"Taylor Swift? Old?" Luke scowled at that. "She's the same age as us!"

Andy gave Luke the 'I know!' look and that made Luke wrinkle his forehead even more. The box had opened out on hinges that exposed several layers that slid out as Skye lifted the lid. In her own little world, she began to organise the make-up, her own forehead almost wrinkling as she took the task as serious as children were wont to do.

Meanwhile, Andy had dropped onto the sofa, lifting a hand, shaking it and tipping it in the impression of asking for a drink. They had both spent a long, dreary day at work and it all caught up in the evenings. Usually, Andy shared the time with Skye with Cath, but Andy's better half had a night out with 'The Girls' and it was all up to Andy. And Luke.

While making the cuppa, Luke fed Toby, let the little dog out into the garden and attached him to the runner line, allowing the dog some freedom. He had used to simply allow Toby free rein, but the tiny dog had a habit of jumping a fence almost three times his own height, disappearing and returning in the morning as though nothing had happened, tail wagging, tongue lolling. One day, Luke feared, he might never come back.

"I have got, for your delight and delectation ... ta-daa!" Accepting the tea in the mug, Andy waved a thumb drive towards Luke. "The 1986 FA Cup Final! Liverpool, Everton. A rivalry of brothers. A battle for the city!"

"Nice!" Luke had watched it before, but it was always worthwhile watching a decent game. "I'll order pizza."

Throughout the wait for the pizza, Skye sat, still organising her products, and, every so often, staring at Luke. She looked thoughtful and serious and, every-so-often, would lift something from the coffee table, hold it up towards Luke and then return it to the table, shaking her head. Luke had a good idea what she intended.