Katie noticed that Ben was a man as well as the good mate he was turning out to be.
“Sorry” Ben interrupted her musings “you look a bit glazed - I get a bit carried away about work.”
“No no” Katie protested “Actually I think it’s two large glasses of Chardonnay on a basically empty stomach. I’ve hardly had a drink since I’ve been at Mo’s house. I think my tolerance levels have dropped.” Katie giggled. Ben looked across at her and for a moment he thought he was ten again, looking at Katie Collins from the next seat with a desire to get her attention no matter what. Okay, he thought, we’re back to pulling pigtails, now just grow up and behave like an adult.
“So let’s get you something to eat” he offered “I’m starving and Lucy’s probably eating Poppy by now. Or worse she might have tried to cook something!”
“She can’t be that bad surely?” Katie laughed. Ben told Katie about the ’kitchen’ incident over the last weekend, “it was only a small fire - but definitely a fire.” he finished. Katie picked up her bag, looking a little concerned
“Perhaps we should be getting back - we can call for something on the way. Do you know any numbers?” Laughing Ben followed Katie out of the pub and called up a number on his mobile.
“How does Indian sound? The Kaghan Valley delivers to Laxley too.” Ben offered.
“Oh yes” Katie replied “I haven’t had a good bhuna for ages.” Ben rang the number and ordered a set meal for four to be delivered to Tolpuddle House, including a chicken bhuna. Snapping his phone shut he caught up to Katie who had hastened up the road now that a fine drizzle was hanging in the air and clinging to her coat and hair, defying it not to go frizzy. They arrived back at Tolpuddle House in half the time it had taken them to get to the pub. Just as Katie was opening the door into the flat Lucy came flying down the stairs screeching to Ben.
“Ben, Ben, we don’t have to go just yet do we? I’m polishing up a stone and Poppy says she’ll set it in a pendant for me. Honestly Ben it’s beautiful, you can see about seven different colours in it depending which light it’s in, it’s called a quarter or something. What is it again?” she said to Poppy who had appeared behind her at the top of the stairs.
“Quartz” Poppy supplied
“Yes a quartz” Lucy repeated “so we don’t have to go straight away do we?” Ben couldn’t help but smile at Lucy’s enthusiasm, he could hardly reconcile it with the sullen and moody teenager hanging around his flat only two days ago when he had banned an outing to the beauticians on the parade for a third ear piercing.
“Well, actually, titch, no we don’t, we’ve ordered an Indian it’ll be here in about twenty minutes, so you’ve got a bit longer. Why don’t you join us?” he shouted up to Poppy “I’ve ordered plenty and it’s the least I can do after you’ve been babysitting Luce.” He threw a sidelong glance at Lucy and was gratified to see her rise to the bait. “Only joking sis - you’re far too big to babysit - so what do you say Poppy?” Poppy accepted in double-quick time, after all she was a student and they never turned down the offer of a free meal unless there were serious strings attached. Half an hour later all four of them were happily ensconced around Katie’s huge pine kitchen table with an assortment of foil containers, cardboard lids and polystyrene pots scattered between them. Lucy was still clutching her new pendant in one hand and kept running a finger over the smooth polished surface. Ben marvelled at the animation in her face as she told him about the process and all about Poppy’s project, he realised he didn’t see her happy very often. In fact, he reflected ruefully, he didn’t really see Lucy enough full stop. He made a mental resolution that once she was back at Mum’s he would make more of an effort to see her (and
“Sorry” Ben interrupted her musings “you look a bit glazed - I get a bit carried away about work.”
“No no” Katie protested “Actually I think it’s two large glasses of Chardonnay on a basically empty stomach. I’ve hardly had a drink since I’ve been at Mo’s house. I think my tolerance levels have dropped.” Katie giggled. Ben looked across at her and for a moment he thought he was ten again, looking at Katie Collins from the next seat with a desire to get her attention no matter what. Okay, he thought, we’re back to pulling pigtails, now just grow up and behave like an adult.
“So let’s get you something to eat” he offered “I’m starving and Lucy’s probably eating Poppy by now. Or worse she might have tried to cook something!”
“She can’t be that bad surely?” Katie laughed. Ben told Katie about the ’kitchen’ incident over the last weekend, “it was only a small fire - but definitely a fire.” he finished. Katie picked up her bag, looking a little concerned
“Perhaps we should be getting back - we can call for something on the way. Do you know any numbers?” Laughing Ben followed Katie out of the pub and called up a number on his mobile.
“How does Indian sound? The Kaghan Valley delivers to Laxley too.” Ben offered.
“Oh yes” Katie replied “I haven’t had a good bhuna for ages.” Ben rang the number and ordered a set meal for four to be delivered to Tolpuddle House, including a chicken bhuna. Snapping his phone shut he caught up to Katie who had hastened up the road now that a fine drizzle was hanging in the air and clinging to her coat and hair, defying it not to go frizzy. They arrived back at Tolpuddle House in half the time it had taken them to get to the pub. Just as Katie was opening the door into the flat Lucy came flying down the stairs screeching to Ben.
“Ben, Ben, we don’t have to go just yet do we? I’m polishing up a stone and Poppy says she’ll set it in a pendant for me. Honestly Ben it’s beautiful, you can see about seven different colours in it depending which light it’s in, it’s called a quarter or something. What is it again?” she said to Poppy who had appeared behind her at the top of the stairs.
“Quartz” Poppy supplied
“Yes a quartz” Lucy repeated “so we don’t have to go straight away do we?” Ben couldn’t help but smile at Lucy’s enthusiasm, he could hardly reconcile it with the sullen and moody teenager hanging around his flat only two days ago when he had banned an outing to the beauticians on the parade for a third ear piercing.
“Well, actually, titch, no we don’t, we’ve ordered an Indian it’ll be here in about twenty minutes, so you’ve got a bit longer. Why don’t you join us?” he shouted up to Poppy “I’ve ordered plenty and it’s the least I can do after you’ve been babysitting Luce.” He threw a sidelong glance at Lucy and was gratified to see her rise to the bait. “Only joking sis - you’re far too big to babysit - so what do you say Poppy?” Poppy accepted in double-quick time, after all she was a student and they never turned down the offer of a free meal unless there were serious strings attached. Half an hour later all four of them were happily ensconced around Katie’s huge pine kitchen table with an assortment of foil containers, cardboard lids and polystyrene pots scattered between them. Lucy was still clutching her new pendant in one hand and kept running a finger over the smooth polished surface. Ben marvelled at the animation in her face as she told him about the process and all about Poppy’s project, he realised he didn’t see her happy very often. In fact, he reflected ruefully, he didn’t really see Lucy enough full stop. He made a mental resolution that once she was back at Mum’s he would make more of an effort to see her (and
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