First and Only

by Flannery, Peter

  Steve blushed and Christine’s eyes shone as she smiled at her husband’s discomfiture.

  Steve took the paper from Psimon and was about to sign it when he stopped and paused, looking at Psimon’s name as he had written it on the page.

  To Max and Stuart

  From Simon, the world’s first psychic

  ‘What’s the matter?’ asked Psimon as Steve continued to stare at the paper.

  ‘Nothing,’ said Steve. He added his name to the paper and handed it back to the excited boys. ‘It’s just that I…’

  ‘What?’ said Psimon as they turned towards the house. ‘Not imagining things that aren’t there, are we?’

  Christine linked her arm into Psimon’s and Sally held his hand.

  But Psimon glanced back at Steve.

  ‘Maybe there’s something of the psychic in all of…’

  ‘Don’t give me that bollocks,’ said Steve cuffing Psimon smartly round the back of the head. ‘You’re the only psychic in the world, thank God.’

  Psimon laughed as he was escorted up the drive. Steve followed close behind, and as they stepped through the door he heard Sally’s voice.

  ‘How did you hurt your face?’ she asked.

  ‘Your daddy cut me with a knife.’

  ‘Did he really?’ asked Sally as if Psimon were teasing her.

  ‘Yes he did, the nasty brute,’ said Psimon with a smile. ‘He really did.’

  Dear reader

  Thank you for buying First and Only. If you enjoyed it I would be immensely grateful if you could mention it to your family and friends. I look forward to meeting you again someday (when I finally get round to finishing another book!).

  Sincerely yours

  Peter

  ~*~

  Peter Flannery lives in the Scottish Borders with his wife and two young boys. Born in 1964, he studied art and design before leaving college to work in forestry. However, an accident at work left him with a broken neck and after a month on traction and a year’s convalescence he moved into the somewhat less hazardous world of horticulture. He enjoyed the company of plants for a number of years before switching again to set himself up as a sculptor working for the toy industry.

  A design studio in Edinburgh provided the opportunity to move from sculpting to writing and he became the lead writer for Target Games UK Ltd. He is now an independent writer working on a range of titles for both adults and children. First and Only is his first published novel.