Io is impressive (Chapter 9)

My daughter and family dropped in for tea this afternoon. Luckily I'd stocked up with shopping earlier and I advised Io what was happening. When I introduced them to her she told them of her marriage with husband who was always jetting about on business. I noticed too that her clothes were a bit frumpy, her hair was pinned up, her eyebrows plucked and there were laughter lines around her eyes. She had put on weight too; where had my Io gone?        

As I made some tea I heard her say "I'm trying to persuade your father to come with me on a trip round the Pacific; but he said there was only a lot of water and palm trees to see.

"I can hear you" I said from the kitchen, "I'd rather just go to New Zealand".

I wondered what Io had put in their tea as they started saying when I brought some cake in, "You should go Dad" and "You can stop staring at the walls here". 

Io then interjected "What is the cell phone reception like there? My husband Theo does like to know where I am all the time, poor love".

I listened in amazement. Where did she get all that from? Io by now was pointing to the Pacific Ocean in my atlas at some of the islands with her fingers which now appeared so long and painted an awful purple colour. In fact she looked quite middle aged.

"I'll think about it" I said. My daughter knew I hated long painted fingernals in gaudy colours. She must have delved into my brain to work out what I didn't like! I knew now I was really in love with her. My daughter knew this Io was not my type and was no threat to the family.

After they had gone and I was stacking the dishwasher Io came up behind me and said "Do I get a prize?"

"No!" I said laughing but there was still a thought of just why does she need me, and just what is in her mind?".

                        

Word count 347