he places the number into a tube

Most girls with an emotionally absent or unavailable father would probably latch readily onto the nearest semblance of a replacement, but whether fortunate or unfortunate, Monica couldn't do so, because Gray was just about exactly the same as Dad, in that way.

Just about, because you didn't get into arguments with Gray so much as perpetual stonewalls, and the man being the one to have to be dragged kicking and screaming into the conversation - the one being lectured, rather - was certainly a change from the usual strife.

He was a piece of work, alright. But she'd learned from the best.