Chapter 51 · Month 31 · Starting a Family

The Good News

The cost of childcare, in actual numbers

Oldest line first — the newest line is at the bottom.

      
            Algy
            designer
            04:49
          
Right — so here's the childcare numbers I actually wrote down, from Chloe's sister: $1,240 a month for the good place, $870 for the one with the waiting list. So which number are we putting on this page, because I can't hold both.

            Penny
            teacher
            04:51
          
Wait — is that the news, that you rang someone, or did it actually come back positive? Because I've got a lead in my chest and a page of two numbers and no idea which came first.

            Algy
            designer
            04:52
          
The news is the news — the test on the sink said what it said, and I've been sat on it since the shop, where I bought it next to a bottle of bleach and a bag of sprouts. But $1,240 a month is $15,000 a year, Penny, and I'm frightened I'll say the happy bit and quietly leave the money for you.

            Penny
            teacher
            04:54
          
Then we put $870 down and the bleach stays on the list with the sprouts. Your mum first — she'll cry and we get it over with before my dad does arithmetic.

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What the audience made of it

Algy 0 Penelope 0 Both 0 0 votes

The next chapter opens with these numbers on the table. The character with fewer votes is expected to demand a recount.

The story fund →