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Post by kate on Jan 25, 2011 22:00:29 GMT
Nice update Sophie. Did you have Miranda saying 'Love you' to Declan there? Haha...
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Post by sophie on Jan 27, 2011 19:48:19 GMT
Thanks Lia and Kate. I sort of wrote it without thinking as you do say love you to family members when you finish a phone call - well, we do anyway - but I guess it is a bit weird for Miranda and Dec to do so!
India woke up, feeling disorientated and sat up and frowned. She hadn’t remembered getting a blanket – she hadn’t even remembered falling asleep and she caught sight of the time and gasped. She had been asleep for more than five hours.
“Hello,” said Declan as India came in, rubbing her eyes. “Good sleep?”
“How long have you been back?”
“About half an hour. Do you want some coffee?” asked Declan, putting his own mug down. “The kettle’s just boiled.”
“I’m fine.”
“Do you remember what you were dreaming about?” asked Declan tentatively.
“Not really,” lied India. “Thanks for the blanket. I wasn’t saying anything in my sleep, was I?” she asked nervously.
“No,” lied Declan, pretending not to notice her quickly wipe her eyes roughly. “Hey, where did that bracelet come from?”
“Bracelet?” echoed India, confused for a moment and then remembered that she still had it on her wrist and could have kicked herself.
“Yeah. I haven’t seen it before.”
“Oh...Elliot gave it to me,” India said, after hesitating for a moment.
“That was nice of him. Why didn’t you show me?”
India shrugged.
“He gave it to me for my birthday.”
“Right.”
There was an awkward pause and then India said in a rush, “I think I will have some coffee after all,” and moved towards the kettle. “Do you want any more?”
“No thanks. What did you get up to today? Did you see Lydia or Elliot?”
“No, I wasn’t in the mood. I just stayed in, looked at some old pictures.”
“Oh really?”
“Just ones of when I was little,” said India quickly, not feeling like discussing the ones she had really looked at.
“You were so cute,” grinned Declan. “Such a little chubba!”
“Oh Dad, don’t get all soppy!” groaned India. “And chubba basically means I was tubby!”
“No, it means you were cuddly,” corrected Declan. “And cute.”
India grimaced.
“Anyway, how was work?”
“Boring,” sighed Declan. “As usual!”
“I can’t believe I slept for so long,” sighed India. “The whole day’s gone!”
“Are you hungry?”
“I guess.”
“Good, I’ll get started on dinner.”
Suddenly India’s phone began to ring, making her jump, and a glance at the screen showed it was Elliot.
“Hello?” she asked, going into her room.
“Hey,” came a concerned voice. “Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I texted and called and you didn’t pick up.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” winced India. “I was asleep.”
“Asleep?” asked Elliot, amused.
“Yeah...I think I’m coming down with something...”
“Oh,” he said, disappointed. “I guess you don’t want to meet up then?”
“No, I’m sorry,” said India, feeling awful. “I don’t think I’m up for it. It’s probably a twentyfour hour thing.”
“Do you need anything?”
“No, I’m fine. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
“I guess.” India bit her lip. “Bye. Thanks for calling, sorry I didn’t answer before.”
“That’s okay. Bye.”
India hung up and went back to the kitchen.
“Who was that?” Declan asked, getting the pans out. “Boyfriend?”
“Yeah. He wanted to meet up but I didn’t want to.”
“Right. How come?”
“I don’t feel that great,” said India and Declan smiled sadly at her and put his arm around her.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked and India frowned, confused. He sounded like he knew about the cabinet, but he couldn’t, surely.
“I just feel a bit gross,” she said. “It’s not something to really talk about.”
“I guess.”
“Hey, do you want to have a DVD marathon and eat a pizza?”
“I thought you felt gross,” pointed out Declan and then India felt like an idiot.
“It’s not that kind of gross.”
“I see.”
“Do you want to then?” asked India. “I can set up the player and pick some movies.”
“Sure,” said Declan, putting the pans away. “But you do know that I’m going to have pick some completely different ones because you have such weird taste.”
“Whatever, Dad. I’m not the one who can only enjoy a movie if there’s a car chase or people getting chairs cracked over their heads!”
“That’s what makes a movie,” said Declan, in a tone which explains that two plus two equals four to a child. “Haven’t I taught you anything?”
India rolled her eyes.
“I’ll go and set it up.”
Half an hour later, after squabbling over five movies and settling for the five hundredth time on Wallace and Gromit, Declan and India finally sat on the sofa with a slice of pizza each, but India couldn’t concentrate. She still felt upset from the dream and felt bad for not telling Elliot – he would have understood, but then he wouldn’t, she thought. He’d feel sorry for her and understand why she was upset but he hadn’t lost his mother, so he couldn't, not fully. She’d apologise tomorrow, she decided, and looked sideways at her father, who was laughing at Wallace and Gromit’s antics. He would understand but India just didn’t want to talk about it, not tonight, not to anyone, but all the same she sat closer to him and lay her head on his shoulder.
“You all right?” asked Declan, surprised.
“Mm. Just tired.”
Declan didn’t answer but gave her a cuddle and they watched the rest of the film in silence.
The next day India felt better, but still slightly miserable. She had dreamt of Bridget again only this time she kept losing her in a crowd and whenever she thought she had found her it was someone else and India had lost her again. She woke up still with a sense of panic and was for once pleased she had work as it ensured not having to talk to anyone, and she stacked shelves, served customers and swept the floor almost cheerfully without once looking at the clock, and was very nearly disappointed when the shift finished – only almost though, she thought firmly, leaving the shop and licking an icecream she had bought with her discount. India wasn’t quite that bad yet.
“Napier – hey, Napier!”
India looked around and saw Jamie Adler across the street calling at her, so she walked over.
“What?”
“That’s a nice way to greet your mate,” he said, falling into step beside her. “Where have you been lately?”
India wrinkled her nose.
“Oh...you know...work, family, being grounded....”
“What did you get grounded for?” asked Jamie and as India blushed he looked triumphant and said, “Your dad found out, didn’t he?”
“You don’t have to sound so happy about it!” snapped India, going and sitting on the tree she liked to hang from on the way back. Jamie sat down next to her and scooped some of the cone with his finger.
“I knew he would. I knew it.”
“Okay Mr Smug. At least I have a boyfriend!”
“I don’t want a boyfriend, funnily enough,” retorted Jamie.
“Oh, haha.”
“So what happened?”
“You stole some icecream, I don’t know if I want to tell you.”
“Oh, stop being petty.”
“And insulting,” added India, but she grinned. “It was the day we finished for winter. I went back to my house with Elliot – no, not like that – and my dad walked in on us pashing on my bed.”
“Did he go hit the roof”
“Try going into outer space. He grounded me for three weeks and said we could never see each other again, but then my grandma talked some sense into him and I was only grounded for ten days and Dad said I could see him.”
“I’m impressed,” admitted Jamie. “I thought your dad would ground you for a year.”
“He’s okay,” said India defensively. “What have you been up to?”
“Not much. We visited my uncle. Where’d you get that?” Jamie asked, suddenly taking hold of her wrist. India looked down and noticed her bracelet.
“It was a birthday present,” she said.
“From Elliot,” guessed Jamie, not needing to ask. "Yeah," said India, and then suddenly remembered something. "Hey, why did you look so angry with me when he came over on the last day of school?"
Jamie looked confused.
"You know, on the field," exclaimed India. "You looked like I'd done something wrong."
"I don't know, I don't remember," said Jamie quickly.
"You were being rude about him too."
"I just said it was a weird name."
"It's a great name."
"Huh," snorted Jamie and India rolled her eyes but then someone was calling, “Indy! Hey – Indy!”
It was Elliot.
“I’ve got to go,” said India, scrambling off the branch and Jamie frowned.
“Hey, do you want to do something before school starts?”
“Maybe,” said India distractedly.
“When?”
“I don’t know – give me a text. Bye!”
India ran off to meet Elliot and Jamie sighed.
“Who was that?” asked Elliot as India ran up to meet him.
“Just my friend Jamie, from school. Sorry about yesterday.”
“That’s okay. Are you sure you’re feeling better?”
“Yeah, it was just a bug.”
“That sucks,” said Elliot, looking concerned. “What are you doing now?”
“Not much. I’ve just got off work and Dad’s in the office till five.”
“Do you want to get a milkshake?”
“That sounds great.”
India took his hand and they began to walk away, but she glanced back and saw Jamie was still on the branch. He got off it to leave and she smiled and raised her other hand to wave quickly and as she did the silver pendant shone bright in the sun like a magic thing.
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Post by Bee on Jan 28, 2011 12:32:35 GMT
aww i love this so much Sophie! cant wait for more!
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Post by sophie on Jan 29, 2011 22:30:41 GMT
The rest of the week and the weekend passed quickly by and India couldn't believe that the winter holiday was practically over and wondered why time had to go so slowly when you waited for something and so quickly when you didn't. On Wednesday night, as she and Declan finished their dinner, India's phone suddenly beeped.
"Who's that?" asked Declan, taking their plates to the sink.
"Jamie," said India, opening the text. It read, Napier, how about celebrating the end of freedom? Make it a weekend to remember! India laughed and rolled her eyes. She had forgotten all about Jamie's suggestion of 'doing something' the week before. He was so disorganised – trust Jamie to leave it until the very last minute and assume that everyone was free.
"What does he want?"
"To do something this weekend," said India, texting back what did you have in mind? before getting up and helping clear away. "Before school starts again."
"What kind of something?"
"I don't know, Dad! Nothing big. Probably just some DVDs and junk food. I'll try and get Lydia involved."
"Right," said Declan, going to the freezer and digging out some icecream for their dessert. "Let me know when he decides what – home by eleven though."
"Dad, even if I went to bed at two I'd still wake up stupidly early," grumbled India. "I don't even want to!"
"I'd happily trade places," retorted Declan. "How do you feel about going to the office tomorrow and I can stay in bed, even if I'm awake?"
"You'd have to go and see Elliot too."
Declan frowned.
"Maybe not then. Indy, I swear you've seen him every day this holiday!"
"Not every day..."
"Most days though, he must be breaking the bank for you with all those milkshakes."
"I buy them sometimes," said India defensively. "And we both have jobs and they're not that expensive."
"Huh!"
"If we came back here we wouldn't have to spend money," said India mischievously and as her father opened her mouth angrily she exclaimed, "Relax, Dad, it was just a joke!"
"Yeah, well, I wouldn't push it," grumbled Declan. "Or I'll say no to dating him as well."
India rolled her eyes – but only when her father wasn't looking.
The following afternoon India sat in the cafe, drinking her milkshake, whilst Elliot was in the bathroom when she suddenly got another text. She took her phone out and it read, My place at 2 on Saturday, pizza, drinks and non-intellectually stimulating movies, what do you say?
India grinned and texted back, Sounds great and then looked up as Elliot had come and sat back down.
"Who was that?"
"Oh, just a school friend. I'm going to watch some movies at his place on Saturday."
"Really?" asked Elliot and India hastily added, "We've been mates since we were six and Lydia will be coming too, or at least she will when I tell her about it. We all hang out at school, though Lydia winds up Jamie a bit."
"I bet. Hey, speaking of movies, what are you doing after this?"
India shrugged.
"Well, my house is going to be crazy because Maddie and Leah are having some friends of theirs round and if I go back they'll probably try and make me dress up as a fairy or something."
India grinned and he continued, "But if your house is free maybe we could go back to yours and watch a DVD or something. What?" as India's face fell. "I'm not someone who talks the whole way through."
"No, it's not that," said India miserably. "My dad made me promise not to have you over during the day when he's not there. I'm really sorry."
"Oh...it's okay."
"I'm sorry," said India, feeling herself blush. "He's stupidly strict about this stuff...even if it is just a DVD."
"It's not your fault. When does he finish work?"
"Not until five," sighed India, knowing what he was thinking. They could go back to her house anyway and he would never know. India knew they could do that, but it wouldn't feel right, even if her father was being too strict.
"I'm sorry," she said finally. "I'd just feel bad about it...it was big enough for my dad to say we could go out."
"Hey, it's okay," said Elliot, taking her hand. "We can do it another time."
India tried to smile but instead took a large drink of milkshake so it froze the back of her throat, and she winced. Part of her felt very annoyed, and angry with her father, with his dumb rules, treating her almost as though she was a child, but another part of her felt oddly relieved. India felt even more like a child, and then she felt angry with herself.
"Are you okay?"
"Fine, why?"
"You look upset."
"Brainfreeze," grimaced India and he laughed at her.
"You're really not annoyed?" she asked again, as they left the cafe and he took her hand.
"No, really. I guess if I get caught by my sisters I'll be nice and play with them – no fairy outfits though."
India laughed.
"You're a great brother."
"I don't know - I'm going to try and lock myself in my room!"
India laughed again and they smiled at each other, kissed quickly and then India stomped home, throwing her keys on the counter and flopping onto the sofa. Sometimes she felt like she had grown up a lot and then other times, like now, she felt stupidly young. She didn't need to freak out over a stupid DVD, she thought angrily. Even if he had come round she knew that they wouldn't have done anything, but India couldn't help it playing on her mind, a DVD or something, she remembered Elliot saying, the something being her main worry. What if he freaked out when he found out she was freaking out? What if he thought she was a freak? India suddenly realised that she was biting her fingernails and then shook herself.
"You're being stupid," she said out loud and turned on the television. He wouldn't push her into anything, she told herself firmly, and it wasn't like he had even come round and it had been an issue. What did her grandmother always say? Worrying gets you nowhere. India got a glass of orange juice and settled down with some silly movie that had been made for TV and the next thing she knew it was five and Declan was coming in.
"How was your day?" he asked, hanging up his jacket.
"Good. I didn't do much – I only saw Elliot for an hour or so."
"Good time?"
"Mm." India wondered about telling her father about how she had been a good daughter and obeyed his rules and then decided not to. It would only freak him out over nothing.
"You don't sound very sure."
"No, it was fun," said India firmly.
"What are you watching?" asked Declan in amusement, as he caught sight of a hysterical blonde woman running down a hill with several children, with a very fake-looking spaceship in the foreground.
"Clarissa's Challenge. This woman's just found out that these aliens have kidnapped all these kids and their parents have been turned into robots and she's trying to save them."
"That sounds beyond the definition of awful."
"Do you want to watch it?"
"You know I do." Declan came and sat down next to her and as they laughed over the terrible script and special effects India stopped thinking about what had troubled her before, until she got into bed that night. India allowed herself to wonder when and even if she wouldn't feel freaked out about, and she bit her lip, and then decided to think about something else. Saturday would be good. India was looking forward to it more as she knew Sunday would be such a horrible day – worse than Mother's Day. It was the anniversary of her mother's death. India worried about that as well. Dad always said it should be a day of celebrating Bridget, like they did on her birthday, not a day of sitting around and feeling sad, as she would never have wanted that, but they did feel sad all the same. How could they not? They would get out all the photos, all the memories, eat her mother's favourite food and talk about Bridget, but her father was always very quiet and would go to bed early and India knew how devastated he was, and how he was holding it back, and she felt terrible inside. India dreaded Sunday, so tried not to think about that, but then she couldn't help but think about what she had worried about before. Finally India looked at the picture of her mother and sighed.
"I know you'd say it too," India told her. "Worrying gets you nowhere!"
Bridget smiled back and India sighed, turned off the light and tried to sleep, knowing the unspoken response: Easier said than done –on both counts.
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Post by Bee on Jan 30, 2011 8:42:13 GMT
good update, cant wait for more!
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Post by sophie on Jan 30, 2011 21:51:21 GMT
Thanks!
"Please?"
"No!"
"Oh, come on Lydie," said India, lying down on the bed. "It'll be fun."
"No, it won't, you're both just going to watch zombie movies or bad sci fi films and you won't watch any of the movies I like."
"We'll watch one of your movies too," said India. "And we're going to have heaps of junk food and drinks and just enjoy not having to do anything before school starts on Monday. I want you to come."
"I bet he doesn't!"
"He'll be fine. How can you say no to movies and pizza?"
"I bet you're going to eat your week's worth of calories in one sitting."
"Yeah, so? That's all part of it. Would you stop worrying about your figure?"
"I'm not, I'm worrying about yours!"
"It's one day, it's not like we do it every day of the week. Please? If you come we can watch one of your movies instead of Jamie's cheap horror videos."
"Well..."
"Two against one!"
"Oh, fine," sighed Lydia. "But no gory films."
"Promise," India beamed and hung up, and Declan appeared at the door.
"Did you rope her into it?"
"I wasn't roping her into anything," retorted India. "It would just be more fun with all of us."
"I bet," said Declan, sounding amused.
"What?"
"Nothing, just from what I've heard, Jamie and Lydia don't have much time for each other."
"They're fine," said India.
"Still, I'd check with him first."
"Dad, don't be silly, it's a casual thing. It really won't be an issue."
"All right, all right." Declan put his hands up. "Just don't say I didn't warn you!"
"Yes, Father!"
Declan raised his eyebrows and walked away with his hands still raised, and India sighed – dads didn't know what they were talking about.
The following afternoon India met up with Elliot and told him her plans for the next day. They were sitting on a bench and sharing some chips.
"I was talking to Lydia last night. I think I've convinced her to come to the DVD marathon."
"Oh, right. Is it all day?"
"Pretty much." India took a chip.
"Do you want to meet up on Sunday? I know you have that lunch with your family, but after that?"
India felt her stomach clench.
"I can't."
"Oh, what are you doing?"
"Family stuff. Sunday's a family day."
"You've met up with me on Sunday before," said Elliot, sounding puzzled.
"I know." India bit her lip. "It's different this Sunday."
"Why?"
"We're doing family stuff."
"What sort of family stuff?"
India lost her patience and exclaimed, "Look, it's not interesting. I'm just going to be busy all day, okay?"
"Sorry." He sounded annoyed and looked a little hurt. "I wasn't nagging."
"I know...I'm sorry...."
There was an awkward pause and India examined her feet for something to do.
"Look, I've got to go," he said, standing up. "I hope you have a good time tomorrow and whatever it is you're doing on Sunday."
He still sounded annoyed but something was stopping India from telling him what she was really doing and all she could say was, "Thanks," and there was another awkward pause.
"Guess I'll see you soon then," said Elliot.
"I guess."
"You can finish the chips."
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and strode away, and part of India wanted to run after him and apologise but fear and pride were stronger so she remained on the bench until he was out of sight, and threw the chips in the bin.
"I thought you'd be spending your last weekend with Elliot," said Lydia, as they made their way to his house.
"Jamie invited me ages ago, I didn't want to blow him off. And besides, I wanted to come."
"If I had a boyfriend I think I'd want to spend all my time with him," remarked Lydia and India sighed, "I know,", remembering a brief and tempestuous relationship Lydia had had with a boy when she was fifteen, where Lydia had either been out with him or crying to India about how mean he had been to her for choosing a footy match over a date. India had never decided whether or not her gushing or complaining had been worse, but she did know that their breakup had been a wonderful relief, that was after Lydia had finished using all the boxes of tissues in the house and had got out of bed. India could not help being selfishly glad that she had not had a boyfriend since.
"Are you seeing him tomorrow?" asked Lydia brightly and then she caught sight of India's face and looked horrified.
"Oh Indy, I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
"I'm your friend, I should have remembered, I do remember, my brain just froze, you know I'm blonde..."
"Lydia, it's okay," said India firmly and she gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm not upset."
"What did Elliot say?"
"Oh...we sort of had a fight."
"Why?"
"I couldn't tell him."
"What?" exclaimed Lydia, stopping for a moment and India stopped too, her arms heavy with all the bags of food.
"I don't know why I couldn't," said India miserably. "It just felt weird. And then I snapped at him and said I just had family stuff and then he looked mad too and left."
"Oh, Indy."
"I know it was dumb."
"It wasn't dumb. Just explain next time, he'll understand."
"I guess. I don't want to think about it now."
"That's no healthy way to face your problems," said Lydia in a professional voice. "Cosmo said –"
"I know what Cosmo said. Well, no, I didn't read it, but that's what everyone says. Don't worry, I'll talk about it with him, just not now."
"But –"
"Lydia, I just want to watch some DVDs and eat bad food," said India, her arms aching, and she marched the rest of the way to the house with Lydia hurrying in her wake.
"Oh," said Jamie, his smile fading as he opened the door. "She's here."
"Yeah, so?" asked India, walking as quickly as she could to Jamie's kitchen to dump the stuff. "We can all celebrate being free together."
"I didn't invite her," hissed Jamie as Lydia made herself comfortable in the TV room and India frowned.
"Sorry, I didn't think you'd mind. I've just invited you to stuff before and you've brought your friends and I never minded. It didn't sound that exclusive."
"I know, it's just –" he bit his lip.
"What?"
"Nothing," he said quickly. "But you know what Lydia's like. The only kinds of movies she likes are cheesy rom coms!"
"I know," admitted India, taking some food out of the bags. "But we'll only watch one."
"That's too many!" exclaimed Jamie, looking horrified and India retorted, "I'd rather watch that than a sports movie!"
"I bet that's half the reason you got her to come," guessed Jamie. "Napier, you're a sneak."
"No, I'm clever, and anyway, she's my friend. You can make better friends with her."
"Oh, joy," groaned Jamie but he put a pizza in the oven and helped India bring out some drinks.
"No way!" he exclaimed when Lydia took out her selection of movies. "I am not watching The Notebook."
"That's okay, we've got Titanic."
"Look, I'm not watching either," said Jamie firmly. "Firstly, I'm a guy, and secondly, they're like three hours long!"
"That's okay," chipped in India. "We've got Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants and that's only ninety minutes."
"I am not watching any of those!"
"Then I'm going," said Lydia, starting to get up. "I'm not spending my last free Saturday watching cheap zombie thrillers and crime movies."
"Fine," Jamie said.
"Fine."
"Don't go," said India quickly. "Come on Jamie, one cheesy film won't kill you and Lydia, if you go, I'm going to have to watch – what is it that?"
"Footy Fiends. A monster poisons the drinks of all these footy players and turns them into frogs."
"That!" said India desperately. "No one wants that! Please?"
Lydia looked uncertain and Jamie hotly said, "Look, I'm not watching something called Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants!"
"So Titanic or The Notebook. Your choice."
"I don't want to watch Titanic," said Jamie glumly. "I've seen so much stuff about it I may as well have seen it."
"So it's The Notebook," said India cheerfully. "Which is good, because I don't like Titanic."
Lydia sat back down and Jamie groaned.
"Can we at least watch something sci fi first?"
"Sure," said Lydia, grabbing a chip. "I know you're going to cry."
"I am not!"
Lydia and India exchanged glances.
"You so are."
"I'm not!"
"How about we make it interesting?" said India.
"I'm listening," said Jamie and Lydia looked at both of them, amused.
"If you cry you have to run down the street and back in your boxers."
"Fine. And if I don't cry, you have to run down the street and back topless."
"Fine."
"I am not doing that!" exclaimed Lydia suddenly and India grimly said, "Don't worry, I'll do it for both of us. But he's going to cry anyway."
"Prepare to be embarrassed, Napier."
"I am. I'm preparing to be embarrassed for you!"
"Bring it on."
Six hours later of alien warfare and then of Noah and Allie's tale and India nudged Lydia. They looked over to Jamie and saw a hand go to his eyes.
"You're crying!" yelled Lydia, making everyone jump. "I knew it!"
"I wasn't!" exclaimed Jamie. "There was something in my eye!"
"You are crying!" exclaimed India gleefully, as she saw a small tear roll down his cheek. "That's it, you know what you have to do."
"Oh – come on! We were joking!"
"I don't think you sounded like you were joking when you said I'd have to run outside topless," shot back India. "But I'll let you off if you're scared."
"I'm not scared!" exclaimed Jaime angrily.
"Good. But you don't need to worry, it's dark outside, no one will see."
Jeremy looked murderous for a moment and then stood up.
"Fine."
India and Lydia cheered and followed Jamie to the front door as he unzipped his pants.
"No cameras or I'm not doing it."
"No cameras," said India, holding her hands up. "Lydia doesn't have one either! No go, go, go!"
Jamie hesitated for a moment before finally pulling down his pants and running as fast as he could down the street in his boxers, India and Lydia clutching each other in helpless laughter.
"I'll get you back for this," panted Jamie as he ran back in, tugging his pants back on. "One day I'll get you back for this."
"A deal's a deal," grinned India. "Oh, that was the best thing I've ever seen, have you thought of entering the Olympics?"
Jamie didn't answer and instead sulkily grabbed a slice of pizza, and India, still laughing, changed the movie over and was still giggling about it when she was leaving.
"Have a good time?" asked Declan as India came through the door.
"Yeah," said India, beginning to laugh again, and was still laughing when she went to bed, deciding that it had definitely been a DVD marathon to remember and the best way to celebrate the end of the school break.
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Post by Bee on Jan 30, 2011 23:56:53 GMT
Great update Sophie can't wait for more
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Post by sophie on Feb 3, 2011 16:35:41 GMT
Thanks!
The next morning India woke up before her alarm and looked at the clock to see that it read six o'clock and inwardly groaned, knowing that she wouldn't get back to sleep, but that wasn't simply due to India's ridiculously early body clock: it was the anniversary of Bridget's death.
India sighed and rolled back over but couldn't get comfortable and finally sat up, knowing that it was no use. She got out of bed, stretched and pulled up the blinds to see that it was still dark outside and wondered when her father would get up. He always woke up early on this day as well and India wondered if he had even slept. She did not think that he did. India quickly showered and got dressed, glancing at her mother's photo and already feeling sad. She knew that she could go and get her breakfast but she and Declan always ate it together on that day, and so she picked up her copy of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall which her father had given her for her birthday and began to read until she heard her father stir.
Declan opened his eyes and gazed up at the ceiling, disorientated, not realising where he was for a moment. He had had that dream again, the day before the crash and after the crash too, only in this dream the crash didn't happen. Bridget was going and he kissed her goodbye, and India, and then the dream fastforwarded to him on a road. Declan waited and waited in excitement; it was a warm day for winter and the long, hard wait for his wife and daughter to return was almost over (though Declan never dreamt about it he somehow felt that it had been a while since Bridget had left). He stood on his tiptoes, rocking back on forth on his feet, feeling the kind of excitement you get on Christmas Eve as a child and know that Christmas is achingly close, waiting for Father Christmas, only this anticipation was a hundred times bigger than that. Declan waited and waited and then he saw: the car coming around the bend and him shouting in excitement: "Bridget!"
And then the car would stop and she would run out to him and they would embrace and kiss for what felt like hours and then Declan would say, "You came back."
And then Didge would give her funny half-smile and hugged him again saying, "You knew I would. You knew I'd come back to you."
And Declan would laugh and kiss her again and then he would look back at the car and a trace of worry would spread through him, though he tried to fight it, but then he remembered, "Where's India?"
And Bridget would look back at the car and before Declan could start to run towards it the car would blow up and as he shouted in horror, he turned round to see his wife, and then she had gone too and Declan was alone. Then he would wake up. It was the same every year and Declan slowly sat up, breathing heavily. It was just a dream. Just a dream and even though it was a bad one, at least he could see Bridget again. Part of Declan just wanted to lie in bed all day but he knew he couldn't: his daughter needed him and he knew that just staying in bed would make him feel worse anyway, more worse than he already did, and it was meant to be a day of celebrating Bridget, he reminded himself sternly, sternly because he had to, and Declan forced himself to get up, shower and dress, feeling marginally better by the time he was ready for breakfast.
India was already at the table. She had laid out the cereal and some toast and orange juice but was reading her book.
"Hey," said Declan, rubbing his head.
"Hey," she said her eyes not leaving the page but then she closed it after having finished the sentence.
"How long have you been up?" asked Declan, sitting down and pouring out some orange juice and India shrugged.
"About three hours."
"You didn't have to get breakfast all ready."
India shrugged again.
"I may as well. I didn't have anything else to do and anyway, I wanted to."
"You did a great job," said Declan, sounding as though he was congratulating India for laying the table when she was five and India gave him a small smile.
"When's Grandma coming over?"
"At about one."
It was the same every year, India knew she didn't really have to ask but it started the conversation. She and Declan ate a sad breakfast and then they went for a walk to the cemetery. They would talk to Bridget, give her an update on everything, and then Declan wanted to stay later so India always went home and made a start on the lunch. Sometimes she went back to the grave later alone, but she didn't like to make a show of it, even though she knew that Declan would understand completely. At one o'clock Rebecca would come round and they'd eat all of Bridget's favourite foods and talk about her and then Zeke and Donna, if she was there, would come round as well and they would all watch videos of her and talk about their favourite memories, and it was usually as they left and Declan started cleaning up that India would quietly go back to her mother's grave. Then they ate a small tea and would call Steve and Miranda, who tried and failed to sound cheerful, and then get out some photos and another video and then Declan would feign tiredness and go to bed early, and India often went to bed early too, though some years she would stay up and watch the videos, sometimes for long into the early hours, but Declan never minded, or if he did, he never said.
"Are you ready?" asked Declan as India finished her cereal and she nodded, took her bowl to the sink and put her shoes on, not bothering with a jacket because it was a hot day. For as long as she could remember it was always hot on that day. Declan said it was Bridget who made it so, sounding almost serious. India didn't know about that but she liked to believe it, in the same way that she liked to believe that the star which seemed the brightest in the sky was her mother's way of saying hello. Declan had never told her that. India had decided it when she was seven.
They made their way to the cemetery and Declan put his arm around her but they walked in silence. India had a heavy feeling in her stomach and she quickly glanced at her father to see his jaw set and his mouth in a thin line and she quickly looked away again, knowing he was thinking about painful memories.
They were there.
"Hey Mum," said India brightly, kneeling down at the grave. "It's me – it's us – but I guess you know that anyway."
"Of course she does," said Declan automatically and he put his hand on the stone.
"We're missing you," said India, after a brief pause. "We think about you every day. We all are. You don't need to worry about that and you don't need to worry about is either, any of us. Dad's okay, I'm okay, and so are Grandma, Nan, Grandpa Steve, Riley, Marie and Little Bridget. You'd love her, Mum. I know you know all about her anyway, so I don't have to tell you about her, but just in case: she's got that crazy, curly hair you had – have – and Riley's eyes, and Marie's skin and she's so clever Mum, she's not five yet and she's already reading and can write her name. She's definitely your niece, Riley says. She love footy too and she can throw it so far it's insane. She's quiet though, not like you, she likes to keep to herself like Riley does, not in a bad way though. You just know there's a lot going on in her mind."
India paused for breath.
"Zeke and Rach are okay and so're their kids, can you believe they have three each and Zeke had boys and Rach had girls? But they both seem happy about it. It seems to fit them. Rachel came over last Christmas with the girls and they're so much like her, and they look like her too, only they have wavy hair like their dad and they sound English. They're princesses already though! I was talking to Francesca on the phone and she's only five and told me she wants to live in a castle when she's grown up so she can really be a princess! Not a bad ambition I guess but I don't see how she'll ever get it. Zeke's kids are like him and Theo has a crush! Isn't that crazy?" India couldn't think of what else to say.
"And we're okay too," she said finally, putting her hand on the stone. "You know we are. Did you know I made Jamie watch The Notebook and what happened? Well, I know you do. Okay, I love you Mum. I'll come back soon. I wish you were here. Bye."
India reached into her pocket and took out the photo of her and Declan taken a few weeks before on her birthday at the restaurant.
"There's another picture for you. My birthday feels ages ago now."
India felt tongue-tied and glanced up at her father, who was looking emotional, but he managed to smile and give her a quick hug.
"That was great, darling."
"I'm going to go and start lunch," said India, even though it was not for several more hours, and she hugged her father again and then left as quickly as she could, feeling as though she was intruding on her parents' time together, as it were.
Declan knelt down himself and stared at the gravestone. The letters on it shone as brightly as they had all those years ago.
"Wow, Didge," he said finally. "Seventeen years. It only feels like yesterday."
He paused and let a breath out slowly, remembering the worst day of his life, the cruellest part being was that he thought Didge was going to be okay. He had really, truly thought so and for what? She had to get better, he had thought doggedly, as he had held India and she was in surgery. She had to get better because she was Didge and they weren't a family without her. What could he do without Didge? How could he be a father without Didge? He needed her, India needed her, they all needed her, and she wouldn't, couldn't leave them because he wasn't anything without her. And then it had all seemed like it was going to be okay because Peggy Newton was coming out, saying it had been a success and he had let himself relax, and that was the mistake. Declan knew it was impossible but it still felt like allowing himself to relax had been a mistake, but he knew she wouldn't die, so when Bridget was telling him to give India a happy life if she wasn't there he had just laughed and shook his head, kissing her on top of her head, never dreaming it would be the last time they would ever kiss, and thought it was just Didge being silly. If he had known then...God, he would never have let her go, never have let Death take her.
"It's still not the same without you," Declan continued. "It's still not right without you."
Declan had never moved on from her. He was happy in the sense that he had his daughter, the most important person in the world, and his mother, who came the closest second you could come, and Miranda and Steve and his friends, but he had never found another woman to love, not in the same way. He had his failed relationship with Kate Ramsay and then brief flings with other women which had only ever lasted a few weeks at the most. It wasn't that he didn't care about them – he did – and he never intended to hurt them, and sometimes it seemed to start off well, but then it would begin to feel sordid, and wrong, and he had had to break them off. He never brought any of them back to the house to sleep over and he never told India about them, even though he knew she knew, and she never let on, though she would raise her eyes when he would say that he was staying at Zeke's or a work friend's, and he had never had a conversation with her about it. Declan knew that he probably should but whenever it felt like it was getting to that stage the romance would be cooling anyway and Declan would end it, even with great women. He had once had a brief romance with a backpacker named Kate who was travelling around the country with her friend Sophie, and she had been special and they had both known it wouldn't last. She was pretty and funny with a great sense of humour, and Sophie was good fun too, but he only liked her as a friend. They had stayed in Victoria for three weeks, and he had shown them the sights and even his house once but then they were moving on, going to New South Wales for the next stage of their trip and on the last evening they had gone for a walk to the beach and had both known it was over, though there was a sense of sadness, and it was more sad, Declan remembered thinking as they sat on the shore, because he knew in his hearts of hearts that even if she hadn't been travelling, hadn't been going back to England soon, he would have ended it, pretty and funny as she was, because it still did not feel right because she could never be Bridget.
"It doesn't matter how many years it's been, it's still as awful," Declan told her, looking up and around. "I've done what you've asked me – I'm trying – I'm giving our daughter a happy life, as best I can, and I think she is happy, Didge. She has her teenage ups and downs but she's not unhappy, not as far as I can tell. Do you remember how we'd talk about when Tadpole would be a terrible teenager? I said it was going to be a boy and thank God, because teenage girls are harder, and you laughed at me and said it was a girl and that I wouldn't know what would hit me. Well, you were right, I didn't. She's not as bad as some teenage girls can be, I don't think, but I've had a few of those times where we've been screaming at each other over something really dumb, or she'll start crying out of nowhere saying I don't understand, but she's pretty good on the whole. It's still not right that you're gone though. I thought that even if you were right - and I never admitted that you could be - I'd at least have you to help because you'd know what to say, you always know what to say. There's times that she needs her mum and not a dad, or even a grandma, but she's doing okay. Anyway, you're not really gone. I know you're looking out for her and that you do it every day. I could use your advice now though. She had that boyfriend – yeah, yeah I know, it's a miracle that I got over it – and I don't want her to rush into anything and Didge, I can't help being really scared that she'll get pregnant. But I know you're saying that I'm overreacting and she's said it too. God, listen to me, I sound like our mum and dad – but then I guess they did have something to worry about. I hope I don't."
Declan stopped and there was silence. He knew there would be but it still ached. Declan tried hard not to think about that terrible day seventeen years ago and to think of other things: remember our wedding day, remember our commitment ceremony, remember our first date, remember saving Didge from the pool, remember drag racing, remember Indy's birth.... He simply sat there for a while, thinking of happier times, not knowing how long, just feeling and hoping that he was with Bridget's spirit until finally the sun slid behind the trees and he got up, wincing at the pins and needles in his legs.
"I'm going," he told her. "India's probably done the whole lunch now, all your favourite food. You know that we're celebrating you and you know how much we miss you. I love you so much Didge. We're still loud and proud."
He put his hand on the stone and didn't know what else to say so instead mumbled, "Bye," and made his way home.
Rebecca and India were laying the table when Declan came in and he looked at them, surprised.
"Hello darling," said Rebecca, giving him a sad smile and a kiss. "Have you been with Bridget all this time?"
Declan blinked and looked at the clock; shocked to see that it read one.
"Yeah," he mumbled. "Sorry guys – I didn't mean to leave you with all the cooking."
"It's fine," brushed off Rebecca, fussing in a motherly way. "Now sit down and get comfortable."
India brought over a bowl of black olives, her mother's favourites, and sat down, putting one in her mouth. She remembered being in a bad teenage mood when she was thirteen and asking Declan, "What's the point? What's the point in eating all of Mum's favourite foods? It's not like she can eat it and enjoy it."
The look on her father's face had quailed her and India had never asked again, and now when she thought about it she felt ashamed.
"You know, if Bridget was here," said Rebecca, smiling sadly, "she'd be amazed that this beautiful young woman is her baby!"
India felt pleased and slightly embarrassed, not feeling much like a beautiful young woman so she asked, "What did you think of Mum when you first saw her, Grandma?" and Rebecca smiled and thought back.
"Well. There's a story and half, Indy. I'm sorry to say that it was when your father was going through a bad patch."
Declan shifted uncomfortably and said, "Do we have to talk about this?"
"Yes," said Rebecca firmly. "Your father was in his criminal element," she said, in an exasperated tone, "and was hiding Bridget's cousin –"
"I wasn't hiding him!" interrupted Declan hotly. "I was looking after him!"
"And hiding him," continued Rebecca. "And he came home with this big black dog with a bloody paw, and so I called a vet, and that vet happened to be your Grandpa Steve and he brought Bridget, your mum, to help. And they recognised the dog and your mum was very suspicious and then it all came out."
"And what did you think of her?" asked India, after she had finished laughing and Rebecca smiled again.
"Oh, she was such a funny young thing. She was sixteen but she wasn't wearing makeup or anything like that, just a very plan T-shirt and jeans and she had that crazy curly hair but she was very capable, I guessed that, and wouldn't be taken for a ride. And I had a feeling that she wouldn't take nonsense from Declan at school, not that he'd give her any. And then I found out that was true when they had that rock climbing excursion, even if she had taken it a bit far."
"The moment I fell for her," added Declan and Bridget and Rebecca groaned at his corny joke.
"I still remember drag racing with her," said Declan with a grin. "Knowing she was as tough as me – if not tougher. Definitely tougher. No Mum, I'm not proud of it," he added quickly, as Rebecca looked annoyed. "I know it was stupid and India, you know that if you do that you are grounded for the rest of your life!"
The rest of the afternoon passed quickly by. Donna and Zeke came by, with Jess and the kids, and they had a sort of picnic on the floor and watched videos of Bridget from school and laughed, and her father seemed happier, and India felt so too. She liked remembering her mother – it wasn't always sad. She took a handful of chips from the bowl and then felt someone watching and looked up to see Theo staring at her.
"Do you want some chips?" she asked, offering the bowl, but he went a little red and shook his head, turning his face back to the screen and not uttering a word and India smiled and shrugged. He could be strange sometimes – just an eleven-year-old boy thing, she guessed.
"I'll never forget the time I walked in on her naked," remarked Zeke and everyone laughed.
"You're lucky neither of us got mad," commented Declan. "I'll never forget you walking out in a towel in school!" and Zeke went red as they all laughed again.
"I'll never forget giving Didge a makeover," remembered Donna. "She looked so pretty when she tried – I mean, she was pretty anyway, but she looked hot."
"I remember that too," said Declan with a grin and India, groaned, feeling embarrassed.
"Well, we'd better head off," said Jess, getting up. "It's getting late and my little darlings have to get some sleep."
"Aw – Mum! I'm old enough to stay up!" groaned Theo, in the same way India remembered doing but she shook her head and pinched his cheeks and they all waved and went home, Donna with them and then it felt strange and empty again. Rebecca helped to clear away and then India made an excuse of getting some fresh air and ran back to the cemetery, the sun beginning to set.
"I'm back," she panted, though she needed she didn't have to run, and she sat cross-legged in front of the grave. Suddenly India didn't know what to say. She had run all the way and for what?
"We had all the guys round," she said dumbly. "It was great. School starts tomorrow, I don't really want to go back."
Suddenly India didn't see the point in telling her everything. If Bridget – no, she was – still around, she'd know it all anyway, and didn't need a report and India let her shoulders sag and let sadness settle. She knew in many ways she was lucky. She had the best father in the world, and the best grandparents, and a group of surrogate uncles and aunties, as well as a real pair, and good friends and a sort-of boyfriend but it still didn't feel right. There were things you needed your mother for, like when India had got her first period, like when she needed her first bra, like when she first liked a boy. You couldn't talk to your dad about all that. Miranda had helped her when she had started her periods and Rebecca had taken her shopping for her first bra, when she was eleven, but it wasn't the same. She wanted to know what her mum had felt like, and have her tell her that it was okay, and hearing the story about how her mother had felt second-hand wasn't the same, even if she could imagine it: Miranda getting emotional and Bridget getting bored as well as embarrassed, wanting to go home, not try on every kind of bra in the shop and she knew that she would have felt weird too and that Bridget would have understood. Rebecca had too and taken her for a hot chocolate afterwards but it wasn't good enough. It never would be. It never could. Forget Mother's Day. This was the worst day of the year.
"I couldn't tell Elliot about today," India told her. "I don't know why. Sometimes it seems really easy and natural with him and then sometimes it feels weird and awkward. Did you ever feel like that with Dad? Did you ever feel...nervous about stuff?"
India knew that if her mother was alive she might not be as honest but it didn't feel weird to talk to her about it now, though her cheeks went red all the same.
"Maybe I'm just weird. Dad's freaking out big time but at this rate he doesn't need to worry. He doesn't anyway because I'd be careful...anyway, I need to make up with Elliot before that could even happen. I don't know how that's going to go."
India stopped again and sighed, missing her, but the sun had gone down and it was getting dark.
"I miss you Mum," she said finally. "I miss you so much, every day, even if I can't remember you. I still know you and I know you still know me. You don't need to worry about Dad, either. I'm looking after him. He's okay."
India stood up, kissed her hand and touched the stone, whispered, "Bye," and then ran back, her father biting his scolding that he was beginning to worry as he guessed where she had been.
The rest of the evening passed quietly. They called Steve and Miranda and talked for a little while. They sounded sad but had had Riley, Marie and Little Bridget round and had remembered Bridget too, and said that they had had a nice day – as nice as it could be. Then they hung up and Rebecca went home, hugging her son and granddaughter tightly, and Declan and India looked over some old photos, laughing, and remembered some more stories.
"I love the story of your first date," said India, as she tidied some of the pictures away. "And the tattoo story. Mum was definitely tougher than you."
Declan laughed.
"Yeah, she was – but you're not doing that."
"I can't promise that," teased India and he pretended to look annoyed. "You will if I make you pay for laser removal with your wages!"
India laughed. "Anyway, I'm going to bed," said Declan and India gave him a hug.
"Night Dad. But what I was going to say, was that even though I love those stories my favourite's still your drag racing," and Declan laughed and looked embarrassed.
"Yeah. Even though it was so dumb and you can never do it."
"I know. Night Dad," said India, hugging him and Declan hugged her back and added, "But I'd still always love you, even if you stole cars with the boy next door."
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Post by Bee on Feb 4, 2011 12:35:01 GMT
very nice update Sophie (:
love the talks that India and Declan give to Bridget
cant wait for more
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Post by sophie on Feb 7, 2011 1:36:28 GMT
Thanks!
It was Monday morning and India doodled in her work book whilst the teacher wrote on the board. She had felt miserable all day; miserable when she had woken up, miserable when she had got up and miserable since she had been at school. Part of it was still the sadness from yesterday but the other part of it was from her fight with Elliot. India knew that it was just a silly, trivial thing, especially when you compared it such a horrible thing as her mother dying, but she still felt small and sad and nearly like crying, and then she felt frustrated with herself. Elliot hadn’t messaged or called her since their small argument – if it could be called that – and nor had she. Why should he? she reasoned with herself, she’d been closed and snappy and basically told him not to bother her, but she’d still kept on checking her mobile over and over and getting excited when the house phone rang, despite knowing that Elliot would never call it, and she had checked her mobile in class too until the teacher had noticed and got angry and threatened to confiscate it, as mobile phones were not allowed in the classroom. India had reluctantly shoved it into her school bag where it had burnt a hole ever since, and she focused on her sketch of a tree, trying to make it better than just a doodle.
“What’s up?” whispered a voice and India jumped, forgetting that she wasn’t alone at the desk. India shared it with a girl called Allie, not as close a friend as Lydia but a friend all the same.
India shrugged.
“You look really down,” Allie said, tilting her head to one side. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” mumbled India, but Allie didn’t look convinced.
“Sure?”
“It’s nothing,” said India, trying to sound more firm and smile. “It’s just my time of the month – my hormones are everywhere.”
She stared down at the page again and Allie sighed, but then the teacher was coming around the class to give out some photocopies and the conversation ended, for then at least.
“Is it that boyfriend of yours?” asked Allie again, making India jump again too. It was lunchtime and she was sitting on one of the school benches, eating her sandwich but not really wanting it.
“Is what my boyfriend?”
“What you’re upset about,” said Allie straightforwardly.
“No! I told you, it’s just my –“
“Indy, I know it’s not,” said Allie and India looked up, surprised. “I gave you a tampon last week,” and India looked away, embarrassed.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really,” said India honestly.
“Okay,” said Allie but she didn’t go away and India stared at her sandwich, willing her to go away, and not nag her about it, but then Allie wasn’t like Lydia, she thought. Lydia wasn’t a bad friend but she could be bossy and shout advice and someone else always seemed to end up hearing about it.
“I just had a dumb row,” she said finally, still looking at the sandwich, and Allie was silent, unlike Lydia, who always asked questions by the dozen, or rather, by the fifty.
“Yesterday was my mum’s death anniversary,” said India, not looking up. “And I didn’t want to see him on Sunday and couldn’t tell him why.”
“You couldn’t?”
“Okay, I didn’t want to,” admitted India angrily. “Because it was private. Just because I have a boyfriend doesn’t mean I have to share every single thing.”
“And he got annoyed?”
“I said I had family stuff,” said India defensively. “Which was true. And then he asked what and I got annoyed and then he got annoyed and left. And I haven’t heard from him since.”
“Have you tried contacting him?”
“No,” admitted India, realising that she was starting to sound like a petulant child. It was that stupid pride thing she had – she didn’t want to be the one to take the first step.
Allie didn’t say anything and finally India looked up.
“I told you it was dumb,” she said irritably and Allie said, “I never said it was.”
“So do you think it’s over?”
“Not unless neither of you try and make up,” said Allie honestly. “But I don’t think he’d split up with you over it. Not unless you just kept on pushing him away.”
India felt miserable and stared at her knees.
“But I don’t think it’s something to break up over,” Allie continued and then India felt slightly guilty – Allie had broken up with her boyfriend after he had cheated on her, and suddenly felt selfish.
“Sorry,” she said guiltily and Allie looked surprised.
“What for? Look, Indy, just don’t stress about it. He’s probably not mad anymore anyway.”
“Thanks,” said India gratefully, feeling relieved, and then the bell rang, and as Allie sighed and picked up her bag to go back to class India got out her phone and finally texted Sorry about Friday, do you want to talk? and then headed back in, feeling nervous, but glad she had done it, deliberately turning her mobile off so she would not be thinking about it for the rest of school, which did not work very well. When India left school however she did not need to turn her phone back on as there he was, standing with his hands in his pockets and looking shy. India made her way up to him feeling the same way, and wished she wasn’t in her school dress. It made her feel childish.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Look, I’m sorry I was so horrible on Friday,” rushed out India before she could lose her nerve. “I didn’t mean to be a bitch – it was just Sunday was the anniversary of my mum’s death and I didn’t feel like talking about it, and making you feel sad and awkward besides, because it’s not like you could have changed anything – I don’t mean that in a horrible way, I know you would have been nice, but you would have tried to say something and would have felt all sorry for me and I don’t need to be pitied. I just don’t like talking about my mum’s death, and I know that’s not your fault, and you didn’t know it was the anniversary on Sunday, but it just felt private, but I’m sorry I was horrible and took it out on you.”
Elliot looked rather shellshocked as all this information ht him at once but he got the message, and, to India’s immense relief, smiled.
“It’s okay. And I was going to come to school if you hadn’t texted me anyway – I wanted to see you. I just didn’t want to bother you yesterday.”
“You’re not angry?” asked India, feeling relief.
“I was a bit annoyed,” admitted Elliot. “But more confused. I get that you didn't want to talk about it."
"Thanks," said India, not knowing what else to say, but Elliot continued, "I hope yesterday wasn’t too bad.”
India shrugged, knowing that she could just say, it was okay to make things easier but India disliked glossing over facts.
“It was hard,” she said truthfully, as they started to walk away. “It always is, even though I can’t remember my mum. My dad was really sad. I liked talking about her though...even though sometimes I don’t.”
“Why?” asked Elliot, stopping by a tree and India felt awkward.
“Because I don’t remember her,” she said honestly. “And I want to share a memory too but I can’t, can I? But it makes my dad happy so I never say.”
There was an awkward silence and India hurried on, “I’m not trying to make some sort of pity party, like poor little me suffering in silence. I’m not depressed about it or anything. I do miss her a lot but it’s always been that way and I know I’d rather talk about her a lot than not at all, and that’s not me trying to put on some sort of brave face.”
“I know,” said Elliot quietly and he took her hand and India smiled.
“I’m sorry to offload all that.”
“Don’t say sorry,” said Elliot, pulling her towards him and India smiled and as they began to kiss her worries ceased, for then at least, and it felt as though they were alone.
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Post by Bee on Feb 7, 2011 2:16:07 GMT
Nice update I'm glad that they made up! Can't wait for more (:
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Post by sophie on Feb 8, 2011 20:53:19 GMT
Thanks!
The rest of the week passed smoothly. The minor argument India and Elliot had seemed ridiculous, and long ago, and every day after school Elliot would come and see her, or India would go to the bookshop where he worked and talk to him over the counter until the manager would begin to look annoyed, whereupon India would pretend to look at a book or make her way home with a silly smile on her face. On Saturday morning India was halfway through her shift when he came in with a smile.
“Hey,” she exclaimed, unable to stop herself smiling too. “I can’t talk to you for very long. Mr Wheezer is in the back and he gets annoyed if I talk to anyone who isn’t a customer.”
“But I am a customer, I’m buying this,” said Elliot, and he slapped down a bag of lollies on the counter and India rolled her eyes and scanned them through.
“Is that his real name?” Elliot asked and India hissed, “He’ll hear you! And yes!”
“When do you get off?” asked Elliot, leaning his arms on the counter.
“Two hours,” sighed India.
“See you then then,” said Elliot, pushing himself up from the counter and India grinned and said, “Don’t go without this,” and quickly kissed him. There was a sudden cough. India broke away and looked up to see Mr Wheezer standing there was a box of stock and she felt her cheeks go the deepest hue of scarlet and wished that there was a convenient trapdoor.
“Sorry,” said Elliot hastily, and started to leave.
“Your lollies!” blurted out India, holding the bag up, and he looked confused and then grabbed them.
“Right. Thanks. Bye.”
He left with a jangle and India wished she could do the same.
“You’re here to work, India, not see your boyfriend,” lectured Mr Wheezer.
“I know,” mumbled India. “I’m sorry. He was buying something.”
“Hm. That may be, but do you really think a shop is an appropriate place to kiss?”
“No...”
“Don’t do it again.”
“Sorry,” India said again, and felt that the last two hours nearly went backwards.
“I’m never going to be able to look Mr Wheezer in the face again!” exclaimed India when she finally finished work and left with Elliot, who had waited for her.
“That won’t be very easy, seeing as you work with him every weekend.”
“Oh, thank you Mr Smart Guy!” said India sarcastically. “I’ll have to work in sunglasses or something.”
Elliot laughed and took her hand.
“I hope you enjoyed the lollies anyway,” said India irritably and he shrugged.
“They weren’t for me anyway, I just wanted to buy something. I gave them to Maddie and Leah and Mum’s gone mad at me because they’ve already eaten the packet and have gone crazy from the sugar rush. They’re practically bouncing off the walls.”
India laughed.
“Hey, would you like to meet them?” he asked and India stopped, feeling a little stunned.
“Meet your family?” she echoed, feeling surprised.
“Why not? We’ve been going out for about a month now and they’re always asking about you. And I’ve already had lunch with your family.”
“Okay,” said India, feeling a little taken-aback. “When?”
“I don’t know. Not today, Mum’s breathing fire. Maybe next weekend?”
“Okay. All right. Oh wait - I can't.”
"How come?"
"It's my dad's birthday. I'm sorry."
"It's okay," Elliot said. "We can do it some other time."
India started to walk again.
“So what do you want to do now?” asked Elliot. “I’d like to go for a milkshake but I don’t have any money with me.”
“Neither do I.” India bit her lip. "Hey, how about we just go back to mine and veg out?”
“Okay. Is that cool with your dad?”
“He’ll be home. We can just watch a movie or something.”
But when India and Elliot came through the door and India called out, “Hello?” the house was empty.
“He must be at the shops or something,” said India, going through to the kitchen. “He hasn’t left a note so he can’t be long.”
“Oh...well, do you want me to go then?”
“No, why?” asked India, confused.
“I thought your dad said I couldn’t be here when he wasn’t.”
“He won’t be long, he won’t mind,” said India firmly, knowing that he probably would but then reasonably it seemed to stupid to make Elliot leave – her father wouldn’t be long, if he was he would have left a note, and it seemed stupid to make her boyfriend go when her father would surely only be five or ten minutes.
“Okay.”
“Do you want a drink?”
“What’s on offer?”
“We have an exciting choice of orange juice, cordial or water,” said India, opening the fridge. “I know it’s difficult when there’s so much on offer.”
He laughed.
“Orange juice is fine.”
India poured out two glasses and handed him his and then led him to the sitting room.
“Do you want to watch TV or something?”
“Sure. What’s in there?” asked Elliot curiously, looking over to the cabinet and India hastily said, “Oh, nothing exciting,” and quickly walked over to the sofa, him following, and flicked on the television.
“There’s nothing exciting on here, either,” India added in disappointment. All that seemed to be on offer were repeats of old comedies, the news and a black and white war film, and a children’s education programme and Elliot wrinkled his nose.
“Maybe we should turn it off.”
“Maybe,” agreed India, but the TV felt safe, if they turned it off they would go in her bedroom and that bothered on her on two counts: one, that if her father walked in and saw them in there he would go ballistic and two, Elliot might want to talk things further and she didn’t think she was ready for it and didn’t really know how to say so.
“How about a DVD?” she suggested quickly and got up to root through the pile, coming up with a old comedy series that she had seen a hundred times, but which seemed the best choice, as she could only find crime and disaster movies underneath.
“How about this?” India held up the disc and he nodded, so she quickly slotted the disc into the player. The show began but she barely noticed it. India dimly wondered what was taking her father, but it was nice sitting here with Elliot after work, even if she did feel slightly nervous. She looked up to ask who his favourite character was but he was already looking at her, and putting his arm around her, and the question somehow didn’t leave her mouth as they began to kiss, the DVD and orange juice forgotten.
Declan Napier was not in a good mood. He had left the house for just five minutes to pick up some milk and bread, and then the local store had been shut for the afternoon for some unknown reason so he had had to walk all the way to the supermarket, which had been filled with tired mothers and screaming children with the queues going all the way to the back of the shop. Then, when it had finally been his turn to pay, the till had broken, so he had had to join the back of the next queue, the man in front of him having a trolley full of groceries and then arguing about the price of his potatoes. Declan felt like throttling someone by the time he was leaving the shop – and hitting the man with his bag of potatoes – but he instead took a deep breath and counted to ten and began to walk home, hoping that India wasn’t worried. He hadn’t left her a note. His five minutes had taken the best part of an hour.
India and Elliot were still on the sofa only they weren’t sitting anymore and India had sort of fallen on top of him, and it felt awkward, but not bad. They had their arms around each other and a voice in the back of India’s mind was telling her to stop, that her father could be back any minute, that it was getting too heavy, but she wasn’t stopping, everything else felt very far away, when suddenly the door opened and her father came in. It was not a welcome sight for either.
“Whoa!” exclaimed Declan, dropping his bag, and India nearly fell off the sofa in trying to sit up so quickly.
“Dad!” she spluttered. “Where have you been?”
“The shop,” he said, trying to count to ten again. “Not that that has to do with anything. What the hell is he doing here when you know the rules?”
“Look, maybe I should go,” said Elliot quickly, noticing India beginning to get a set look of anger on her face akin to her father’s.
“I don’t think there’s a maybe involved,” said Declan tightly and Elliot said, “Sorry,” hastily and hurried away as quickly as he could, hearing India exclaim, “Dad!” as he shut the door.
“No, don’t you dare get annoyed with me, Indy,” said Declan angrily, as his daughter folded her arms and glared at him. “I gave you a set of ground rules and you just went and disobeyed them. I told you he couldn’t be Hear hear when I wasn’t!”
“But you didn’t leave a note!” exclaimed India defensively. “I only thought you’d be five minutes!”
“That’s not the point!” exclaimed Declan in frustration. “The point is that I have to be here and if I’m not he has to go, even if you don’t think I’ll be long!”
“But it’s stupid!” snapped India. “You don’t think we can be alone together for just five minutes in the house because you’re not there? You're so oldfashioned!”
“India, watch your mouth!” snapped Declan back. “And I wasn’t five minutes, was I? I was an hour and what you were doing was exactly why I don’t want you alone in the house!”
“We’re not kids!” exclaimed India. “I’m seventeen! And we weren’t doing anything wrong!”
“I wasn’t saying you were doing anything wrong,” groaned Declan. “But it’s just – don’t you think this is moving too fast?”
“No,” said India, getting up. “I don’t. And anyway, it’s my life and if I want it to move fast I will! Get over it!”
Declan stared at her as she got up and slammed herself into her room and started playing some loud music. He didn’t know what to do now and suddenly he remembered the exact same thing happening to him and Bridget all those years ago when Steve had walked in – if he had found Elliot topless like he had been back then Declan would have been a lot less calm. And India had acted just the way her mother had and he’d thought the same thing as she had – parents, why do they always have to control us, why do they always have to ruin any fun? And now he was the boring parent and he knew India would not listen one bit, to him at least, and, rubbing his head, he suddenly noticed the bag on the floor, took it to the kitchen and put the milk in the fridge and went out, after glancing at India’s closed door with the music still pounding.
“Hey,” said Donna, as she opened Zeke’s door. “What are you doing here? No one’s in. The kids all have Saturday activities and Zeke and Jess are with them.”
“That’s okay,” said Declan, walking in and sitting down. “I wanted to talk to you anyway.”
“Me?” asked Donna in surprise, picking up a bar of chocolate she had been eating and offering it to Declan.
“Yeah. Donna, you know Indy’s got her boyfriend....”
“Yeah....”
“Well, I walked in on them kissing on the sofa. Donna, it’s not funny!” as his friend put her hand to her mouth and started to giggle. He ate some of the chocolate.
“It is a bit,” Donna said and Declan ignored her and said, “Well, it wasn’t just a small pash. Don’t you think it’s moving too fast?”
Donna shrugged.
“No. I don't know. I’m not really the one you should be talking to anyway, I never took things slowly.”
“But that’s it, I do want to talk to you. Indy won’t listen to me but she listens to you.”
“What’s your point?” asked Donna and then she got it and stood up, shaking her head.
“No way. I’m not giving her a sex talk.”
“Come on, Donna,” pleaded Declan. “She doesn’t have a mum.”
“You’re her dad!”
“Yeah, so it’s weird!”
“India’s not my daughter! That’s weird too!”
“She’s your goddaughter,” pointed out Declan. “And you’re her godmother. You agreed to help out with this sort of stuff if Didge couldn’t.”
“I don’t remember ever signing up for this sort of stuff,” said Donna hotly and Declan continued, “You said you’d do mum stuff if Bridget couldn’t do it and she can’t do it. I think she needs a talk.”
“But she’s your daughter!”
“And I’m her dad, it would be weird for both of us and she won’t listen! I told her before that I thought it was moving too fast and she just snapped at me and went to her room!”
Donna sighed.
“Look, Declan, I’m not going to tell Indy how to live her life.”
“That’s great, I’m not asking you to,” said Declan happily. “Just talk to her. I don’t want to her to do something she might regret.”
"You don't know that she will," pointed out Donna and Declan said firmly, "Maybe not, but I'd feel better if you talked to her about it to make sure."
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” groaned Donna. “Why did you have to play the godmother card?”
“Because you’re the best godmother ever.”
“I am,” agreed Donna, sitting back down and eating some more of her chocolate. “And you owe me. You owe me big time!”
“Name it and I’ll do it,” said Declan, sitting back in relief and Donna gave him a rather evil smile.
“Don’t worry,” she said, finishing the chocolate. “I’ll definitely hold you to that!”
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Post by Bee on Feb 8, 2011 21:20:43 GMT
Great update hehe its funny reading that coz I kiss my boyfriend while we are both working all the time (: and boy did that moment with India and Elliot on te couch remix me of dec and didge!
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Post by sophie on Feb 11, 2011 19:49:29 GMT
Thanks!
"Do you want me to come over now?" asked Donna as Declan got up to go but he shook his head.
"Nah, Indy's still fuming, wait until she's calmed down a bit."
"All right. Declan, I really don't know about this," Donna admitted but Declan smiled and said, "Relax, Donna! I just want you to make sure she's not rushing into stuff. She won't get mad at you, she loves you."
"Huh," said Donna out loud, but felt too tired to argue the point. "Fine. Guess I'll see you next week then."
"Bye. And you really are the best godmother ever!" Declan added and, as he left, Donna muttered to herself, "Don't I know it."
India sat in her room, still in a black mood. Why did her father have to be stuck in the middle ages, why did he have to be so embarrassing? Why couldn't he just understand that she wasn't a little kid anymore? India suddenly imagined herself getting married at thirty and her father refusing to walk her down the aisle because 'you're too young!' She would always be too young, she thought angrily, and her father always conveniently forgot that he had been the same age when he had married her mother. Suddenly India's phone began to ring. It was Elliot, and she quickly turned off the music.
"Hey," he said. "What happened with your dad?"
"He was just an idiot," said India irritably. "And just yelled all the parent stuff about breaking the rules."
"Are you grounded?"
"No. Not yet, anyway. He went out somewhere."
"Right. Well, I'm glad you're not upset –you're not, are you?"
"No," said India. "I'm just angry. I'm sorry my dad has to always see red all the time, you'd think he has an anger management problem. He doesn't," she added quickly and he chuckled.
"It's okay. Guess I'll see you next week then?"
"Yeah," said India. "See you then. Thanks for calling."
"It's okay. Bye."
As India hung up she heard the door open and shortly afterwards there was a knock on her door.
"What?" she asked in a disgruntled voice and Declan appeared looking annoyed.
"Oh hello Dad, thanks for knocking instead of just coming in and yelling at me, seeing as it wouldn't be surprising after the way you spoke to me because saying what is pretty rude."
"Hello India," said India. "Thanks a lot for not shouting at you to go away after you shouted at my boyfriend when he hadn't done anything wrong and acting like kissing in a crime, and sorry for embarrassing your daughter."
Declan folded his arms and they both glared at each other for a moment and tried to control their tempers.
"I'm not going to apologise to you for not being over the moon at coming home and finding you and Elliot pashing on the sofa," said Declan eventually. "And it wasn't exactly a small peck on the lips. And I'm not sorry that I told you off for breaking the rules."
"Well, I'm not sorry that I did," said India defiantly. "I didn't try and be sneaky and bring him back because I thought you wouldn't be here – I thought that you would be here so it would be okay, and there wasn't a note so I didn't think you'd be long. And I'm not sorry that we were kissing each other, we're going out together!"
"I know, it's just it all seems to be moving so quickly," said Declan and India scowled.
"Don't look at me like that," snapped Declan, beginning to feel angry again. "You know, you might think I overreacted and maybe I did a little, but it doesn't give you a right to be rude to me."
"Well, you don't have a right to embarrass me all the time!" exclaimed India angrily. "You're scaring him off and you're acting like we're still kids! But then I expect you want to scare him off because you can't handle the idea of me going out with someone!"
"That's enough!" said Declan, losing the little patience he had left. "If you talk to me like that again I will ground you again and this time it really will be for three weeks!"
"Fine," said India angrily. "That's fine by me, I need to do some homework so I want to be left alone!"
Declan didn't know what to say so he simply turned and left his daughter's room, trying very hard not to slam her door, knowing that if he had stayed any longer he would have lost his temper and shouted at her. He moodily went to the fridge and cracked open a beer before turning on the television and not watching it. It felt like he didn't even know his daughter these days. They had had their moments, the odd row, but they always got resolved quickly and they always felt upset if they didn't make up before the end of the day. Declan remembered being furious with India for trying to steal a sweet in the shop and he had taken away her pocket money for two Saturdays - a long time when you're seven – and hadn't played with her when they had got home from the shop. India had run to her room and Declan had still felt angry with his daughter for thieving – not appreciating Rebecca's comment that she was a 'real chip off the block' – but had later began to feel more sad than angry, and that night, when he had gone into her bedroom to say goodnight to her, she had suddenly started crying and had hugged him hard around his neck whispering, "I'm sorry! Don't hate me, Daddy!" and the whole thing had been forgotten. Declan wished it was so simple now. He hated it when they fought, but he had tried to talk it over, he thought petulantly. India was the one who had carried on being rude and she could go and apologise. Ever since she had started seeing him, it felt like they had never stopped arguing.
"What is going on with you two?" exclaimed Rebecca the following afternoon, laying down her knife and fork and Declan and India looked deliberately away.
"Nothing," they both muttered.
"Don't try that," said Rebecca. "That always means it's something. India?"
"Why don't you ask Dad," she snapped. "He's the one who insisted on embarrassing me and wishes he could keep me as a kid forever!"
Rebecca felt a little shocked but before she could ask any further Declan cut in with, "And you forgot to tell your grandmother that the reason I got angry was because I walked in on a heavy pashing session when I expressly forbade you from having him over when I wasn't there!"
"Only because you didn't leave a note!"
"Hold it!" shouted Rebecca. "This is ridiculous. Let me get this straight – Declan, you came home to find them kissing when you said India couldn't have him over?"
"Yeah," said Declan angrily. "Only they were horizontal!"
"We were on the sofa and we weren't doing anything!"
"India, if your dad says you can't have him round during the day you should listen," said Rebecca and India exclaimed, "But Dad didn't leave a note, I thought he'd be five minutes!"
"Even so," said Rebecca and India looked angry and said, "I'm getting dessert," and went to the kitchen. Declan grinned, but then his mother turned to him and said, "But don't you think it was an overreaction?"
"What? No!" exclaimed Declan. "Mum, they were all over each other – again – and she disobeyed me!"
"Yes, it was wrong of her," said Rebecca calmly. "But she's a teenager, Declan. She's not always going to follow your rules to the letter and she did only think you would be five minutes."
Declan didn't know what to say for a moment and he finally mumbled, "She should have sent him home when I didn't turn up," and Rebecca sighed and said, "She's a teenage girl and was alone with her boyfriend, what do you think the likelihood of that was? Be realistic, Declan. It's not exactly surprising that they ended up kissing on the sofa. I think you should be grateful that they weren't doing anything else."
"That's it, Mum," said Declan desperately. "I think it's moving too fast."
"Hm," said Rebecca, raising her eyebrows. "I think you might be using some selective memory here, Declan. When you and Bridget started going out you always had at least one body part attached to the other!"
India came back in having overheard the last part and she said, "That's right Dad, you're being a hypocrite!"
"India," warned Rebecca. "That gives you no right to be rude. All right, I want you both to apologise."
India and Declan looked mutinous for a moment before finally muttering, "Sorry."
Rebecca raised her eyebrows and began to eat her dessert.
"Honestly," she said. "I don't know what to do with either of you sometimes!"
Though the apology had been rather forced, India and Declan's anger towards each other disappeared and by Tuesday the atmosphere in the house was almost back to normal. India was working in her room, and had even smiled at Declan that morning and had cooked dinner without being asked. As Declan cleared away he suddenly noticed Rebecca's cardigan on the sofa which she must have left behind on Sunday and decided to walk over to her house and return it. He called to India, "I'm just going to Grandma's quickly!" and then hurried out, bumping facefirst into none other than Donna as he left the house.
"What are you doing here?" he exclaimed, rubbing his head. "Who didn't you look where you were going?"
"Me?" asked Donna irritably. "Why didn't you look where you were going? I was wondering if you wanted to watch a movie or something – Zeke and Jess are busy helping the kids with their homework and getting them ready for bed."
"I'm going to Mum's," Declan told her. "Indy's doing some homework but she'll probably be done soon, you could go and hang out with her until I get back. Hey, since you're here –"
"Oh, Dec, now?" groaned Donna. "I hadn't even thought about it. I'm still not sure about it. I have a bad feeling about this."
"You'll know what to say," said Declan flippantly. "Anyway, I won't be long."
"But –"
"Thanks, Donna, you're a star!" said Declan and set off, Donna shouting, "Well, thanks heaps Dec!"
Donna sighed and pushed open the door and India came out of her room, looking confused and then smiled.
"Donna! What are you doing here? Dad's just gone out."
"I know, I bumped into him. I was going to just hang out with you guys for a bit, but Dec said you had homework –"
"I've finished it," said India brightly. "We can hang out."
"Great!" said Donna, groaning inwardly.
"Do you want a drink?"
"Just water," Donna said and India hurried to the kitchen and fetched them two glasses before sitting down.
"So how've you been?" she asked, taking her glass and India shrugged.
"Fine. Not much has been going on."
"How's Elliot?"
"He's fine," said India, smiling.
"I hear you got caught in an embarrassing position," said Donna with a grin and India groaned.
"Oh, it was so embarrassing. Dad told you?"
"Yeah. You don't need to be embarrassed about it. So is it going well?" she asked tentatively and India smiled again and shrugged.
"Yeah, only Dad has his stupid rules. We're not meant to be in the house alone together, he went nuts when he saw us on the sofa."
"But you weren't going to do anything?" Donna asked and India shook her head.
"No. I don't want to yet, I don't think."
"That's fine, just don't do anything you don't want to."
"I won't. When did you first?" asked India shyly and Donna grinned and said, "With a guy or a girl?"
"Donna!" groaned India. "You know what I mean! When was your first time ever?"
"Oh," said Donna, thinking back. "I was sixteen, just. It was with some guy I knew."
"Some guy?"
"Well, we weren't going out," Donna said. "Not properly. He was a couple of years older than me and he took me out on a couple of dates and then it just sort of happened. I didn't even tell him it was my first time and then it all sort of ended, not that we'd really been in a relationship. There weren't any emotions involved."
"Do you regret it?" asked India and Donna frowned.
"On the one hand, no. Nothing bad came of it: we were careful and I didn't get pregnant or catch anything, and even if we weren't in love, or anywhere close, I know he did care about me. It didn't affect my life. But I guess it was a kind of a letdown, everybody had raved about how amazing sex was and it just wasn't special. There's that whole myth that you're meant to seem different afterwards and it's not true, I felt just the same, only slightly strange afterwards and wondered if I should have told him but then we stopped seeing each other anyway. I don't think you have to be in love or anything but I think it's better if it means something."
"I don't think I want to now anyway," admitted India. "Actually Donna, it sort of feels like I'm split in two – part of me really wants to and the other half doesn't."
"That's fine," said Donna. "It's normal. There's nothing wrong with wanting to have sex, or feeling unsure about it, or having sex, just as long as you're ready for it and you're careful."
"Of course I'd be careful, I don't want to get pregnant. But how do you know when you are ready?" India asked and Donna shrugged and smiled.
"I can't really answer that for you, you'll know. But just don't let Elliot push you into something if it doesn't feel right."
India frowned.
"He wouldn't. Why does everyone think that he will? Hang on," and she stood up. "Did Dad put you up to this?"
"No," exclaimed Donna, but she sounded very unconvincing. India was furious.
"He did, didn't he? I can't believe him. I can't believe you got you to give me a sex talk!"
"Oh Indy, he's just worried for you, you know what dads are like," said Donna, trying to sound soothing but India snapped, "No, he's just freaking out because he can't handle me growing up and he just thinks that I'm going to get talked into doing it and get pregnant or something!"
"India –"
"Well, I won't!" exclaimed India, flushed, and then the door opened and Declan came in.
"I can't believe you!" she shouted at her father. "Why do you have to be so embarrassing? I'm not having sex and when I have sex I am not going to get pregnant because believe it or not, I know about protection! And it's my business if and when I do!"
"India!"
"No!" she shouted. "I'm not Mum!" and then she couldn't take Donna and her father staring at her anymore and she stormed out of the house.
"Let her go," said Donna, stopping Declan from running out after her.
"But –"
"She won't be long; she's just letting off some steam."
Declan sighed and Donna said, "I won't say I told you so."
"Good."
"But I will say that I had a bad feeling about this," continued Donna. "And that I had a feeling that something would go wrong."
"Thanks, Donna," said Declan sarcastically and he flopped onto the sofa, closing his eyes and then Donna felt bad.
"But it wasn't a total disaster," she said encouragingly. "You know Dec, I really don't think you need to worry. She's being sensible about it and she knows not to do something she isn't ready for."
"Me and Didge were the same," said Declan, still keeping his eyes shut and Donna sighed and said, "You know, she's not Bridget. Or you."
"I know," said Declan quietly and Donna stayed for another hour until the door opened and India came back in, still looking angry but very tired.
"Night, guys," said Donna quickly and as she left Declan said, "Indy," but his daughter just gave him a look and went to her room and Declan sighed. Back to square one.
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Post by Bee on Feb 11, 2011 21:02:37 GMT
Very nicely written chapter Sophie! Can't wait for more!!
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