Thanks!
The next night Bridget went to Joanna’s for dinner.
“I won’t be long,” she promised India. “Just a couple of hours.”
“We’ll be fine,” promised Declan. “Have a good time.”
He smiled at her and India hugged her and Bridget waved at them and left.
The air was still warm and the sun still up as she walked to their house, fading slightly so everything looked tinged. She walked long and as she reached the front door she heard raised voices. The door was ajar but Bridget still knocked. No one seemed to hear.
“You’re giving her too much freedom!” she heard a man exclaim.
“And you’re too strict! What’s going to happen if we wrap her up in cotton wool and tell her she can’t get to know him?”
“She’s twelve years old!”
“What are trying to say, that I’m being a bad mum?”
“No, of course not, but she needs boundaries!”
“And I’m giving her boundaries!” shouted Joanna.
“She’s still my daughter and I get a say!”
Bridget felt awkward and knocked again and this time she was heard.
“Is this a bad time?” she asked. “I can come back a bit later...”
“No, don’t be silly. David’s just leaving. Come in.”
Bridget walked in and saw a tall brown-haired man.
“Hello,” he said, embarrassed. “Sorry you heard all that.”
“It’s okay.” Bridget cleared her throat.
“Josie’s upstairs,” Joanna told her. “Clara’s out with a friend but she should be back shortly. Go on up.”
“Okay. Nice meeting you,” Bridget told the long-mentioned David and they gave each other a quick, awkward smile and Bridget hurried upstairs whilst their argument resumed.
“Josie?” she called, knocking on her door.
“Come in,” said a unhappy voice and Bridget went in to see her half-sister lying face down on the bed clutching a teddy bear and red in the eyes.
“Josie, what’s wrong?” asked Bridget, going and sitting by her. “Tell me.”
“I had a horrible day at school,” said Josie, her voice wobbling.
“Oh no.”
“Sarah told everyone I played with my dolly and everyone laughed at me and called me a baby. She’s meant to be my friend and she swore never to tell. It’s just because she’s mad at me for doing better in the spelling test last week.”
“She doesn’t sound like much of a friend.”
“Now everyone’s calling me a baby. They laughed at me all day. She told everyone I played princesses too and that was private!”
“You’re not a baby Josie.”
“Yes I am! No one’s meant to play with dollies and pretend to be princesses when they’re ten!”
“There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Did you play with dollies and pretend to be a princess when you were ten?” Josie sat up and stared at her.
“No,” admitted Bridget. “But then I never did,” she added as Josie lay down on the bed again. “I never liked that even when I was very little. But I did pretend to be a famous explorer when I was ten. You’re not a baby.”
“Tell the kids at school!” said Josie bitterly. “I hate them! I hate school! I never want to go back, ever!”
“Don’t listen to them. They’ll have forgotten about it in a few weeks.”
“No they won’t! And that’s ages anyway! I’m still going to get laughed at tomorrow!” she started crying.
“It’s okay,” said Bridget, and she gave her a hug. “Did you tell your mum and dad?”
“Dad drove me back,” Josie told her. “And I tried to tell him but he was just fighting with Clara because she’s having a milkshake with her boyfriend this evening and he was telling her she’s too young and she said,
Mum said I could! And when I tried to tell him he got annoyed and said he didn’t have time for it. And then we got back and Clara went off and then he went in and had a big row with Mum about Clara. Clara, Clara, Clara! It’s all about her!”
“That’s not true and you know it.”
“Yes it is. All they’ve been doing is arguing with her about not trying hard enough and wearing too much make-up and then when she’s not here they’re yelling about her. I don’t count.”
“Oh, you’ll always count,” Bridget said and gave her another cuddle. “They love you just as much, they’re only talking more about Clara because she’s been acting up.”
“Maybe I should act up so they’d pay me some attention.”
That reminded Bridget of being told about how Clara had been deliberately naughty after Josie was born to get some of Joanna’s attention, and then she remembered feeling the same as Josie after Steve and Miranda had had several arguments with and about Riley about his bad teenage behaviour.
“I know how that feels,” she told Josie. “But don’t do it. You don’t need to do that. They love you just as much as your sister.”
“It’s just all been about her lately,” said Josie grumpily.
“Well, it’s just us right now, isn’t it?” said Bridget brightly. “What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know,” said Josie but she looked happier.
“Josie, promise me you’ll tell your mum later. She’ll absolutely want to know. What’s this?” asked Bridget, seeing a piece of a paper peeking out from under the bed.
“Just a picture,” mumbled Josie.
“It’s great!” said Bridget admiringly. It was of a princess wearing a hat with a ribbon on it.
“I imagined her,” said Josie shyly. “Her name’s Rose. I did some more.”
She reached into a drawer and pulled out a few more drawings.
“That one’s Sapphire and that one’s Amber,” she told Bridget, showing princesses in different coloured dresses.
“They’re good! You’re good at Art.”
“Everyone laughed at me when they found out I drew them.”
“Well, they’re dumb,” said Bridget severely. “You’ve got talent,” and Josie blushed.
“What’s this one?”
She had found a drawing of another princess that looked different.
“Clara did that one,” Josie said, leaning over to see it. “She used to draw and play with me all the time. She doesn’t do it so much now.”
“That’s a shame. I can draw with you if you like,” said Bridget and Josie, flushed with pleasure, pulled out some paper and colouring pencils.
They drew for a while and Bridget drew some princesses as well, even though she had never particularly liked them but, remembering something she had said as a child, included something in the picture.
“What’s that?” asked Josie.
“Hummingbird cake,” laughed Bridget, feeling slightly embarrassed. “When I was a kid I said I’d be a princess who would eat nothing but Hummingbird cake, would never wear a dress and go to bed whenever I felt like it. It’s still my favourite cake.”
“Mine too,” said Josie, smiling. “Clara likes chocolate.” She hesitated. “It’s not babyish that we’re drawing, is it?”
“Of course not. Think of all the famous artists, they’re not babyish are they?”
“No!”
“Does Declan hate us?” Josie asked suddenly.
“No, of course not. He’s finding it hard to have your mum back in our life but he doesn’t hate her and he absolutely does not hate you. I’m sorry he’s rude. He’s sorry too.”
“Okay,” said Josie. She seemed to accept that and coloured some more.
Bridget heard the door go and another argument starting up.
“Clara’s back,” said Josie, reaching for another pencil.
The argument didn’t last long but Clara stamped upstairs.
“Oh,” she said in surprise as she saw Bridget drawing with Josie.
“Hi!”
“You’re late,” commented Josie.
“Not much.”
“Fifteen minutes.”
“Oh, what are you, Mum?” snapped Clara.
“Stop it, both of you,” said Bridget. “Did you have a nice time Clara?”
“Yeah,” said Clara, starting to smile. “He bought me two milkshakes – well, I guess his dad did because he gave him the money. But it was awesome.”
“Lovesick,” teased Josie and Clara rolled her eyes at her.
“Shut up!”
Dinner was ready then so they headed down. The argument wasn’t mentioned and the conversation centred around Bridget’s latest news.
“My scan’s next month,” she told them. “So that’s exciting.”
“Are you going to find out if it’s a boy or girl?” asked Josie.
“I’m not sure yet, but we’ll probably keep it a surprise.”
“Dad thought I’d be a boy,” giggled Josie. “And he wanted to call me Andrew!”
“Have you chosen any names?” asked Joanna.
“No, not yet.”
“I think you two should get started on your homework,” Joanna told Josie and Clara after dinner.
“Mum!” they groaned together.
“It needs to get done. Get started and I’ll come and check on how you’re doing in ten minutes.”
“Make sure we’re doing it you mean!” said Clara.
“Well, that as well,” admitted Joanna. “Go on. Say goodbye to Bridget.”
“Bye,” said Clara and she gave her a quick hug.
“Bye Bridget,” said Josie and she hugged her tightly. “Thanks!”
“Tell your mum,” she told her and Josie nodded.
“Is Declan okay?” asked Joanna, worried. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come over...”
“He’s okay about it. Well, sort of okay. He wants us to get to know each other and you to come round though. He’s just finding it a bit hard.”
“Of course,” said Joanna sadly. “Well, have a good evening.”
“You too. Have a word with Josie, she’s a bit upset.”
“What about?” Joanna looked concerned.
“She had a bad day but I’ll let her tell you the rest. I think she’s been feeling a bit left out lately as well.”
Joanna sat down.
“We do try to pay them both enough attention,” she said desperately. “It’s just that Clara’s been a bit – I don’t know the word. Not misbehaving but she’s trying to grow up. She’s tired of being told she’s a kid. Josie seemed happy.”
“She is,” assured Bridget. “Don’t beat yourself up, just have a word with her.”
“Thanks Bridget.”
As she left Bridget looked up and saw Clara and Josie looking out of the bedroom window and waving and smiling, she waved back.