she said, as if that was supposed to make us feel better. Bit late, we
all thought – some girls had started years earlier.’
I smiled. It was hard to imagine my mum as an innocent teenager, she always seemed so sure of herself.
‘And another time,’ Mum continued, ‘we had to go and see Mother Superior again. This time it was handy hints for parties. “If you’re at a party,” she said,
“and the lights go out, stand in a corner and shout at the top of your voice, I’m a Catholic!” ’
‘How was that supposed to help?’ I laughed.
‘Exactly,’ said Mum. ‘Convent girls had a bit of a reputation back then so we all thought it was hilarious. Like every boy in the room would think, Right lads, the convent
girls are in the corner. And then she told us that it was permissible to sit on a boy’s knee but only if a book the thickness of a telephone directory was put on his lap.’
By now, I had the giggles. ‘Poor you,’ I said.
At that moment, the doorbell rang. ‘I’ll get that,’ grinned Mum.
She was back a few moments later with what looked like a large box of groceries.
All the yummy Christmas food, I thought to myself. How will I ever resist?
‘Come into the kitchen,’ said Mum.
I followed her in, hoping she wasn’t going to give me a lecture on eating what I was given.
‘Ta-da!’ said Mum with a flourish as she pulled out a pizza box. ‘Look what I’ve got.’
What had come over her? She was acting really strange.
‘Look,’ she beamed. ‘Organic pizza.’ She carried on pulling out a range of goodies from the box. ‘Muesli, you like that, don’t you? Free-range eggs. Brown
rice. Wholemeal bread. Mince pies without beef suet. Ingredients for a nut roast for Christmas day. But best of all, ice cream made with organic chocolate, no added preservatives. Get a
spoon. Let’s try it.’
I looked in the box. She’d bought loads of fresh fruit and vegetables as well. ‘Mum, this is amazing!’
‘I know. I never knew there was such a fantastic range of organic food around now. See in my day, healthy meant tasteless. Boring. But all the shops sell organic now. And it looks great.
And after my little talk with Mr Lovering . . .’
‘Ah . . . So that’s what it was about?’
Mum nodded and sat down at the kitchen table. ‘I’ve been so worried about you, Izzie, and your strange eating fads. Mr Lovering gave me a few tips. And it’s probably about time
I changed my eating habits too. You were right. I do tend to eat on the go and grab whatever’s to hand. From now on, we eat healthy in this house.’
I went over to her and gave her a huge hug. ‘Thanks, Mum.’
‘No problem,’ she smiled and hugged me back. ‘Between us, we’ll find a balance we’re both happy with. We have fresh and healthy with our fruit and veg. But
we can still have our treats.’
‘Great,’ I said. ‘So where’s that organic ice cream you mentioned?’
Chapter 13
Sleepover Secrets
Later that day, I went over to Nesta’s. We were having a sleepover and were going to decide what to wear for the disco the next night.
I hadn’t told them yet that I’d decided not to go.
Lucy was already there when I arrived. She was looking gorgeous in a short black skirt and a lilac crop top that she’d made. Plus she was wearing eye make-up and lippie. A lot of
effort for a night in, I thought, but of course to Lucy it was more than that. It was a sleepover in the same house as her boyfriend. Hmm. Should be interesting.
Nesta’s mum and dad were going to a concert in town and popped in to say goodnight before they left.
‘There’s plenty of clean bedding in the spare room for you and Lucy,’ said Mrs Williams. ‘Anything you need Nesta will find for you.’
‘Thanks, Mrs Williams,’ I said.
She looked great, all dressed up for the evening in a black velvet top and trousers. She’s very glamorous is Nesta’s mum.
‘Don’t stay up too late,’ said Nesta’s dad, coming in
all thought – some girls had started years earlier.’
I smiled. It was hard to imagine my mum as an innocent teenager, she always seemed so sure of herself.
‘And another time,’ Mum continued, ‘we had to go and see Mother Superior again. This time it was handy hints for parties. “If you’re at a party,” she said,
“and the lights go out, stand in a corner and shout at the top of your voice, I’m a Catholic!” ’
‘How was that supposed to help?’ I laughed.
‘Exactly,’ said Mum. ‘Convent girls had a bit of a reputation back then so we all thought it was hilarious. Like every boy in the room would think, Right lads, the convent
girls are in the corner. And then she told us that it was permissible to sit on a boy’s knee but only if a book the thickness of a telephone directory was put on his lap.’
By now, I had the giggles. ‘Poor you,’ I said.
At that moment, the doorbell rang. ‘I’ll get that,’ grinned Mum.
She was back a few moments later with what looked like a large box of groceries.
All the yummy Christmas food, I thought to myself. How will I ever resist?
‘Come into the kitchen,’ said Mum.
I followed her in, hoping she wasn’t going to give me a lecture on eating what I was given.
‘Ta-da!’ said Mum with a flourish as she pulled out a pizza box. ‘Look what I’ve got.’
What had come over her? She was acting really strange.
‘Look,’ she beamed. ‘Organic pizza.’ She carried on pulling out a range of goodies from the box. ‘Muesli, you like that, don’t you? Free-range eggs. Brown
rice. Wholemeal bread. Mince pies without beef suet. Ingredients for a nut roast for Christmas day. But best of all, ice cream made with organic chocolate, no added preservatives. Get a
spoon. Let’s try it.’
I looked in the box. She’d bought loads of fresh fruit and vegetables as well. ‘Mum, this is amazing!’
‘I know. I never knew there was such a fantastic range of organic food around now. See in my day, healthy meant tasteless. Boring. But all the shops sell organic now. And it looks great.
And after my little talk with Mr Lovering . . .’
‘Ah . . . So that’s what it was about?’
Mum nodded and sat down at the kitchen table. ‘I’ve been so worried about you, Izzie, and your strange eating fads. Mr Lovering gave me a few tips. And it’s probably about time
I changed my eating habits too. You were right. I do tend to eat on the go and grab whatever’s to hand. From now on, we eat healthy in this house.’
I went over to her and gave her a huge hug. ‘Thanks, Mum.’
‘No problem,’ she smiled and hugged me back. ‘Between us, we’ll find a balance we’re both happy with. We have fresh and healthy with our fruit and veg. But
we can still have our treats.’
‘Great,’ I said. ‘So where’s that organic ice cream you mentioned?’
Chapter 13
Sleepover Secrets
Later that day, I went over to Nesta’s. We were having a sleepover and were going to decide what to wear for the disco the next night.
I hadn’t told them yet that I’d decided not to go.
Lucy was already there when I arrived. She was looking gorgeous in a short black skirt and a lilac crop top that she’d made. Plus she was wearing eye make-up and lippie. A lot of
effort for a night in, I thought, but of course to Lucy it was more than that. It was a sleepover in the same house as her boyfriend. Hmm. Should be interesting.
Nesta’s mum and dad were going to a concert in town and popped in to say goodnight before they left.
‘There’s plenty of clean bedding in the spare room for you and Lucy,’ said Mrs Williams. ‘Anything you need Nesta will find for you.’
‘Thanks, Mrs Williams,’ I said.
She looked great, all dressed up for the evening in a black velvet top and trousers. She’s very glamorous is Nesta’s mum.
‘Don’t stay up too late,’ said Nesta’s dad, coming in
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