Doctor Who_ Father Time - Lance Parkin [87]
‘Miranda,’ he said, very seriously. He was clearly going to say something very important. For a terrible moment, Miranda thought he was going to propose to her. ‘Miranda, I –’
She realised he was going to tell her he had a girlfriend.
Downstairs, the front door opened.
Ferdy’s head snapped around. He looked terribly panicked.
‘Miranda! We’re back!’ a voice called.
She began buttoning up her blouse, doing it so fast she got it muddled and had to start again. ‘It’s Dad,’ she told him. But he had already relaxed at the voice. ‘Were you expecting someone else?’ she asked lightly.
Ferdy forced himself to chuckle. ‘No.’
She kissed him on the forehead. ‘Do I look OK?’ she asked him. ‘I mean, it’s not too obvious.’
Ferdy shook his head. ‘You look fine.’
‘Stay here,’ she told him, heading for the door.
* * *
The Doctor was peering up the stairs. He’d seen Miranda’s coat the moment he’d entered the house. He had run out of patience half an hour ago, at the police station, when the desk sergeant’s best suggestion had been that the Doctor make sure he set his burglar alarm. Finally, the police had agreed that if the alarm went off, they’d treat it as their top priority.
Miranda was coming downstairs. Debbie looked over at her while the Doctor and his daughter hugged each other. Her school shirt wasn’t very well tucked in, and she’d not checked her tie.
‘Is there anything wrong?’ the Doctor asked.
‘No,’ Miranda replied quickly. ‘I was just playing a CD,’ she lied badly. ‘I didn’t hear you.’
‘Why aren’t you at school?’ he asked.
‘I felt a bit faint again,’ she said.
‘Tell you what,’ the Doctor suggested, ‘I’ll make a pot of tea and see if that helps clear away the cobwebs.’
Miranda started to say something. Debbie decided to intervene.
‘You’d rather listen to that CD?’ she asked Miranda.
‘Yes,’ she said, relieved.
The Doctor looked a little deflated. ‘Oh. Well, come down when you’re ready.’
He disappeared off to the kitchen.
Debbie stayed where she was. ‘A CD?’ she said, a little archly.
Miranda blushed. ‘I’ve not even got a player.’
‘Bob?’ Debbie asked.
Miranda went a deeper shade of red. ‘No. Someone else.’
Debbie chuckled. ‘I was young once,’ she said. ‘Unlike your father.’
‘I don’t think Dad would understand,’ Miranda told her.
‘No... no, I doubt that he would.’
‘But you understand what I’m going through?’ Miranda seemed sceptical.
‘Not all of it. But I know enough to keep your father out of your way,’ she promised. ‘Come down when you’re ready.’
Miranda was still blushing. ‘Thanks.’
* * *
Miranda closed her bedroom door, leaned on it for a few seconds, superstitiously, as if it would help jam it in place.
Ferdy was standing in the middle of the room. He was tall, but not broad-shouldered. He was about the same height as Bob, but looked like he came from a different species. Ferdy could be a model, she thought, or a sports star.
‘Where were we?’ she asked, a little mischievously. The thought that her dad or Debbie might accidentally come in amused rather than worried her. This was a big house, they had as much privacy as they needed.
Ferdy was looking very serious. ‘I was about to tell you something.’
She went over to him, hugged him, felt all those muscles. He didn’t budge.
‘Something important?’ she asked.
‘Yes,’ he said. He broke away from her, indicated that she should sit on the bed.
She did, puzzled. Perhaps he’s married, Miranda thought, as she sat on the edge of the mattress. He sat alongside her. Or he had some terrible illness, or he was an escaped criminal.
‘What?’ she asked, a little exasperated.
‘You are different from other people,’ he began, choosing his words carefully.
‘Flatterer.’
‘No. I mean I know you are different. You have two hearts, you’re stronger and fitter than other people, you’ve got greater mental capacity: better memory, faster responses. Have you ever wondered why you are different?’
He wasn’t proposing to her.
‘Of course,’ she said, leaving aside