Flower Power – Jenny 52

[For a quick guide go here: Quick guide.

For back story go here: Story so far at 30 Nov 2020 and more recent Jenny episodes maybe this one.]

[Other back story through in-links.]

“There’s a man on our lawn,” said Izzy.

“What’s he doing?” called Jenny from a different room in the house and hating herself for doing so since this was something she was constantly telling the kids not to do.

“Looking at the daffodils.”

“Do we know him?”

“Don’t think so. Oh, he’s moving.”

“Probably just likes daffodils.”

“He’s looking at the tulips.”

“Is it Monty Don?”

“Oh for God’s sake don’t be…. Well his hair line is the same, but it isn’t. Go and see who it is and what they want.”

Jenny got up from her eco-central heating online tutorial and went into the front room. She looked out the window, saw who it was and dropped to the floor like a stone.

Swearing under her breath she hastily texted Izzy.

– It’s Jude’s dad. Don’t make any noise and he’ll go away.

She heard Izzy’s phone ping as the message arrived.

“Are you texting me?” yelled Izzy, from the bedroom. “Only my phone’s in my jacket downstairs."

Commando like, Jenny crawled across the floor toward the sitting room door.

“Jenny?” called out Izzy again.

Jenny swore under her breath and tried desperately to say ‘Shh!’ In a way that Izzy would hear but the rest of the world would not. Even though they were floors apart.

“Jenny, are you alright?”

Jenny got to the hall, stood her and went silently and swiftly upstairs. She met Izzy on the landing and pushed her back into the bedroom, following after her.

The front door bell rang.

“It’s Jude’s dad!” she said.

“Is it?” said Izzy casually, then she looked out the window again. “Oh yeah, you’re right. Recognise him now.”

Jenny was about to tell her not to look out the window but the request was already pointless. She just rolled her eyes instead and said: “I was trying to pretend we weren’t in.”

The front door bell rang again.

“Hmm,” said Izzy. “Tricky. What do you think? Does he know or do we pretend we’re…. deaf? - suddenly? Or really busy?”

“Or that we don’t want to see him?” suggested Jenny, trying out the truth instead.

“Well, there is that, but why..?”

“Because Peter got questioned by the police for the incident with the frisbee…”

“But they didn’t press charges…”

“He got questioned by the police!”

The front door bell rang. Again. And then Jude’s dad knocked. Hard.

“Yeah,” said Izzy. “He knows we’re here. And it’s not like we have any great plan about how to avoid him if we’re honest.”

She started down the stairs.

“What are you going to do?” asked Jenny beginning to panic.

“Well,” said Izzy. “I’m going to start with hello and see what happens next. How about you?”

Jenny said she’d be right behind Izzy. If that was OK. Izzy opened the door.

“Hello,” said Izzy.

Jude’s dad clapped his hands together. Quite frequently - this was no slow hand clap, he seemed genuinely pleased. Izzy looked puzzled.

“Wanted to say well done,” said Jude’s dad. “I hear there was a bit of trouble the other day.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say trouble exactly,” said Izzy.

“Nah, not with your son doing what he did.”

“That’s not what I meant but...”

“But he did well,” said Jude’s dad.

“I’m not sure about that as I wasn’t there,” said Izzy diplomatically.

“The police say he did nothing wrong,” said Jenny, suddenly pushing forward. “The others were looking for a fight and he just happened...”

“To be the one who folded their frisbee in half,” said Jude’s dad, “I know what happened, you know. Odette told me.”

“Odette..?” Izzy asked vaguely to anyone.

“Sister,” said Jenny swiftly, “Jude still isn’t speaking to...”

“And the police don’t know what really happened,” smirked Jude’s dad. “Never do over this stuff.”

“Like I say...” began Jenny.

“So yeah, well done, he’s done good,” reaffirmed Jude’s dad. “I was worried about him as a dad but now I know he’s as good as anyone.”

“Yes he is - sort of,” said Jenny, “Although he really shouldn’t have...”

“He knows what’s right and wrong and he’ll protect his family,” said Jude’s dad. “And that’s good enough for me.”

Neither Izzy nor Jenny knew what to say next. Jude’s dad started to move away.

“Just wanted to tell you I approve,” he said. “Clear the air. So you don’t need to worry or anything.”

And with the he left. Izzy closed the door.

“The cheek of it,” said Jenny. “I mean, how dare he come all this way like that and then just be nice about it? Makes me even angrier at Peter.”

“I know,” said Izzy, “He wasn’t even trying to be sarcastic.”