Lifesaving for Beginners

chin with his hand. His face is really red, like he’s done something embarrassing, which he hasn’t, as far as I can tell. He keeps on walking until he reaches Faith. He says, ‘I got you a present.’ He takes a squashed blue box out of his pocket and he puts it on the table. He says, ‘You’re not supposed to open it yet,’ but he doesn’t say when you are supposed to open it.
    Faith looks at the box and says, ‘Why did you get me a present?’ instead of just saying, ‘Thank you,’ like you’re supposed to.
    Ed says, ‘Because I’m your uncle. I’m your Uncle Ed.’
    And then Faith remembers and she says, ‘Thank you.’ Her voice is so quiet it’s nearly a whisper but I think Ed hears her because he smiles and Faith smiles back and, for a moment, everything feels dead nice.
    I can’t help thinking about dessert. It looks like the kind of house where there might be dessert. And I don’t mean just biscuits or Mars bars. I mean proper dessert. Like pavlova. I love pavlova. Mam said it was because she ate buckets of it when I was in her belly, waiting to be born.
    Leonard looks at me just then and there’s a chance that he could be a mind-reader because he says, ‘Dessert!’ Just like that.
    Faith says, ‘No, we should go.’
    Leonard says, ‘Stay a little longer, Faith. I’m sure Milo would like some dessert.’ He looks at me and smiles. He has one of those smiles that end up all over his face. ‘Wouldn’t you, lad?’
    I say, ‘Is it pavlova?’ Faith catches my eye and glares at me, which means that I’m not supposed to ask that question. It’s hard to remember everything.
    Ed shouts, ‘Vienetta!’ and he runs into the kitchen and comes back with a gigantic box of Vienetta that hasn’t even been opened yet. It’s not as good as pavlova but it’s still pretty good because it’s chocolate and ice cream, all mixed up together.
    Ed gets a bit shy when he talks to Faith. He says, ‘Would you like some?’ in a dead polite voice.
    Faith says, ‘No, thank you,’ but then Ed looks really disappointed so Faith says, ‘Actually, I will have a slice. Just a small one, please,’ and that makes Ed smile again. I don’t know why. I’d be happier if no one else had any. Then there’d be more for me.
    I’m much quicker eating dessert than dinner. When I’m finished, I want to lick my plate, but you’re not supposed to when you’re in someone else’s house. I wipe the ice cream off the plate with my finger when no one is looking.
    Faith says, ‘No, thank you,’ to coffee and tea. She catches my eye. I go and get our coats.
    The grandfather says, ‘I could drive you over to Kat’s apartment? It’s not far. You’d have time. Before your flight.’
    Faith says, ‘Thank you for your hospitality,’ just like Mam told us to do. Janet nods her head. She’s the only one who hasn’t finished her dessert. I wonder if she’s going to be able to eat it all. She doesn’t look like someone with a huge amount of room in her stomach. Faith moves towards the door.
    Ed says, ‘Can’t Milo stay? Just for a little bit? We haven’t finished the game and he’s still got one life left.’
    Janet says, ‘Say goodbye, Edward.’
    The grandfather picks up his car keys and Faith says, ‘We don’t need a lift, but thanks all the same.’ He puts his car keys back on the table. He doesn’t even argue. It’s like he already knows that there’s no point arguing with Faith.
    I say, ‘See ya, Ed.’
    Ed says, ‘See ya, Milo,’ and he gives me a gigantic hug that nearly squashes me flat. I can’t move my arms. After a really long time, he lets me go and holds up his palm for a high-five. We high-five.
    The grandfather shakes my hand. That’s twice in one day. Nobody has shaken my hand since the day in the church. Loads of people shook my hand that day. My hand hurt, with all the shaking.
    Janet talks to me like I’m an adult or something. She says, ‘It was lovely to meet you, Milo.’
    In the hall, there’s a photograph of Kat and Ed standing in front of a pond. Ed is about my age in the photo, I reckon. Kat has her arms on his shoulders, as if she’s worried he might fall in.
    Faith sees the photo too. She says, ‘Do you have any other children?’
    Janet shakes her head. ‘No. Just Katherine and Edward.’
    Faith says, ‘Well, thanks again.’ She holds out her hand so that Leonard can shake it, which is weird because he’s her granddad when you think about it. Still, he shakes