Adrian can't believe the cheek of his children. Living in the home he built and paid for, sponging off him, and what's more they seem completely oblivious to the outside world. When do they ever work? The fact that they've both already gotten further in their careers and are earning more than he probably ever will escapes his mind.
His strange behaviour hasn't escaped Nathaniel's mind, and he starts the awkward discussion with his mother over a delicious home-baked cake.
"Do you think dad ought to see the doctor? He's been acting strangely lately."
"You know your father's always been a bit strict and up-tight," says Noriko reasonably. She's worried about her husband and thinks Nathaniel's right, but she knows Adrian, and he'd never go to the doctor over something he considers trivial. "I'll go to the doctor though, my knees have been playing up and, well, my bladder - "
"Too much information," grimaces Nathaniel.
Little David is all grown up - well, not quite. He's a teenager and he has a long way to go. Still, in Noriko's mind he's a man now, and he's grown to be an upstanding example. She's always ready to praise him when he does well at school, and to give him a hug when he's upset about his dad and grandfather fighting. As long as none of his friends are there, of course. She was a teenager once and knows there's nothing as embarrassing as hugs from grandma.
Some might consider him spoiled - he asked for a drumkit for his birthday and his parents and Noriko jumped straight to it. They'd gotten Athena a new basketball hoop too, so it was a fair decision. Just so long as Adrian didn't find out they'd been spending money frivolously. Their excuse was that David had saved up money from his new part-time job.
Of course, the part time job doesn't pay that well, and David is much more concerned with his social life anyway. He gets on like a house on fire with his cousin Caroline, but hasn't managed to make friends with Vikki. Then again, no-one's made friends with Vikki except Athena.
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