Jelly Baby

by Jean Ure

  “To live with us. Yes!”

  “She wants to live here?” said Em.

  “As part of the family.”

  “You mean … she’s not cross with us?”

  “Cross?” Dad seemed puzzled. “Why should she be cross?”

  “About Bella jumping on the table?” I said.

  “And nearly getting stabbed in an artery,” added Em.

  “And not liking her dinner.”

  “Oh, now, it wasn’t as bad as that,” said Dad. “It wasn’t that she didn’t like it, just that she’s not used to vegetarian food. We should have discussed it! I don’t think it would have hurt to bend the rules just this one time.”

  Em opened her mouth to protest, but Dad rushed on. “As for the other things – well! They were just unfortunate. But no harm done, and of course she wasn’t cross! She’s not the sort of person who gets cross. If she were, she’d have been pretty cross with me reversing into her, don’t you think?”

  “I guess,” said Em.

  “At any rate,” said Dad, “it hasn’t put her off. It’s something we’ve been talking about for a while now. The people she’s renting her flat from want it back, so …” Dad giggled. He did! He giggled. I’d never seen him so happy and excited. “It seems like the ideal opportunity. What do you reckon?”

  Em and I sat there at either end of the sofa, not sure what to say.

  Em found her voice. “What does Cass think?”

  “She’s fine with it,” said Dad. “But I’m more anxious to know how you feel.”

  Earnestly Em said, “We just want you to be happy.”

  “Yes, but I want you to be happy,” said Dad. “After all, we’re a family.”

  “Will it mean you’re going to get married?” I said.

  “That’s the plan! If all goes well. And I can’t see any reason …” Dad came over to sit between us on the sofa. He put an arm round each of us, pulling us close. “I can’t see any reason why it shouldn’t. We all seem to get along all right. Don’t we?”

  We assured him that we did.

  “Well, then!” Dad sat back, beaming. “Let’s give it a go, shall we, and see what happens?”

  On Monday, at school, I told Lottie about Caroline coming to live with us. Lottie was all ears! She knew about Caroline. Me and Lottie always tell each other everything.

  “So that’s it,” I said. “She’s moving in.”

  Lottie’s eyes went big as dinner plates. “Living with you?”

  “Cos the people that own her flat want it back. Well, and cos she and Dad think it’s a good idea.”

  “Does that mean they’ll get married?”

  “Prob’ly.”

  Lottie said, “Cool! Then you can be a bridesmaid.”

  “If all goes well,” I said.

  Lottie gazed at me, head to one side, her nose sort of scrunched. It’s what she does when she’s trying to figure things out, like, Why shouldn’t things go well? She has this really tiny little blob of a nose like a lump of Play-Doh. It makes her look seriously silly!

  “D’you want them to?”

  “To get married?” I thought about it. Did I want them to? I did for Dad’s sake. It was just that it was a bit strange, after all this time, the thought of having a stepmum. Cos that’s what she would be! And then what about Cass? If Caroline was our stepmum, where would that leave Cass?

  “Don’t you like her?” said Lottie.

  “I do like her! She’s really nice. Like, she didn’t get mad when Dad reversed into her?” Or when she’d sat on my dividers. “Most people would have been absolutely furious.”

  “My mum would have been,” said Lottie. “She nearly got road rage the other day just cos someone cut her up.”

  “Well, this is it,” I said. “Dad needs someone that’ll put up with him. You know how hopeless he is.”

  Lottie giggled. “Like that time he was going round with his glasses on top of his head, complaining he didn’t know where he’d put them? And that other time he took us to the shopping centre and forgot where he’d parked the car and we all had to walk round for ages looking for it?”

  Lottie and I have been friends ever since Year Three. We were in Year Seven now. She knew Dad pretty well.

  “So will you be happy,” said Lottie, “if they get married?”

  I said, “Yes, cos Dad will be.”

  “What about that other person?” said Lottie. “The one you used to think he’d marry.”

  I said, “Polly.”

  Polly was lovely! And she knew all about history, same as Dad. She was actually a bit like Dad, in some ways. Hugely clever, but not very practical. We’d had loads of fun with Polly! She’d even come with us on holiday once or twice. Cass always used to say that she and Dad were made for each other.

  “What happened?” said Lottie. “Has he gone off her?”

  “No! It’s just that he’s known her so long. She’s like an old slipper. Sort of … comfortable.” That was what Cass had said. She said the moment had come and gone. “And now he’s met Caroline and she’s just, like, really cool! Like a model or something? She even has these shoes that are by that designer man!”

  “What designer man?”

  “One that makes these really expensive shoes?” Not being into fashion I couldn’t immediately think what his name was, but Cass had been well impressed. “Must have cost a fortune,” she’d said.

  “Sounds a bit posh for your dad,” said Lottie.

  “She’s not posh,” I said. “Just super-cool!”

  “H’m.” Lottie hooked her arm through mine as we wandered back into school at the end of break. “You know what’d be really neat? If your dad could marry my auntie!”

  She’d said that before. I never quite liked to tell her that it wouldn’t work.

  “My auntie’s cool,” urged Lottie.

  “Yes,” I said, “I know.”

  Lottie’s auntie is very small and fluffy and dresses like a teenager. She looks like a teenager. She is into dancing and karaoke, and going down the pub, which wouldn’t suit Dad at all. He is very much a stay-at-home-with-his-books sort of person. I don’t think Lottie’s aunties ever read books. Polly read loads! She and Dad were always lending books to each other and having these long discussions. Now he would be doing it with Caroline. At least, I supposed he would. I didn’t know what Dad and Caroline talked about when they were alone together.

  “Thing is,” I said, “it’s a bit too late now.” For Dad and Polly, was what I actually meant. Not for Dad and Lottie’s auntie. “He’s gone all moonstruck.”

  “What’s that mean?” said Lottie.

  “It’s what Cass says. She says he’s like a young boy falling in love for the first time.”

  “Aw!” Lottie made a gurgling sound. “That’s so sweet!”

  I supposed that it was. I was genuinely happy for Dad. Caroline was special, and I was really pleased that he had found her. But it is a bit strange, seeing your own dad being all moonstruck.

  “When’s she moving in?” said Lottie. “Caroline? When’s she coming?”

  “Not sure. Next month, I think.”

  “Can I come and meet her?”

  I promised that she could.

  Lottie giggled. “I can’t wait to see what she’s like!”

  That night, Dad broke the news that Caroline would be coming to live with us the week after next.

  “Is that all right?”

  Me and Em both nodded, eager to reassure.

  “You really don’t mind?”

  “Dad!” I looked at him reproachfully. “We just want you to be happy.”

  “Well, but I want you to be happy,” said Dad.

  “We’ll be happy,” said Em.

  “Yes, cos we like Caroline,” I said. “We do,” I said, “don’t we?”

  “We do,” said Em. “We think she’s good for you.”

  Dad laughed. “Well, I’m glad about that! Anyway, the thing is … it means that Cass will be moving on
.”

  Moving on? I felt my jaw drop. How could Cass be moving on?

  It was Em, in a small, tight voice who said, “She’s not going to be here any more?”

  “I realise this has probably come as a bit of a shock,” said Dad, “but you know that Cass never planned to stay permanently. It was only ever supposed to be a temporary arrangement, until – well! Until I got back on my feet. I was in a pretty bad way after losing your mum. It was Cass who pulled me through. I never intended her to sacrifice her entire life.”

  “But, Dad,” cried Em, “this is her home! Where is she going to go?”

  “She’s decided to move in with Becky.”

  Cass? Moving in with Becky? It’s true that Cass and Becky have been friends since uni, but how could she bear to just go off and leave us?

  “Be fair,” said Dad. “I realise this must be upsetting for you both, but try to see it from Cass’s point of view. Apart from anything else, think how much more convenient it’ll be for her. Do away with all that travelling.”

  “It’s not that far!” protested Em.

  Cass and Becky run an arts and crafts shop in Lewes. It really isn’t that far. Not from Brighton.

  “Sweetheart, it’s her choice,” said Dad. “We mustn’t be selfish about it. Cass does have her own life to lead.”

  “But this is her life. With us!”

  “Look at it this way,” said Dad. “When you grow up you’re going to want to leave home, aren’t you? Have a place of your own. Do your own thing. It’s the same for Cass. All those years ago she gave up her independence to come and take care of us. Now it’s time for her to move on. You probably don’t know this, but before your mum died Cass had great plans. She and Becky had just left uni. They always intended to set up in business together and share a home. Well, at last they’ll be able to. We can’t expect Cass to baby us for ever. In any case, we’ll have Caroline.”

  Em fell silent. We both sat there, staring at Dad. I’d only been two years old when Mum died, so I couldn’t really remember a time when Cass hadn’t lived with us. I’d never stopped to think that maybe she had once had plans of her own. Plans that didn’t include us.

  “We’ll still be a family,” said Dad. “Caroline’s really excited about it. She can’t wait to start being a stepmum! She’s also just a tiny bit anxious. I’ve promised her you’ll make her feel welcome. I can rely on you, can’t I?”

  Em cried, “Dad, of course you can!”

  “How about Bitsy? Is she OK with it?”

  “She’d better be,” said Em.

  “I am!” I said it indignantly. I could be relied on just as much as Em. I might be sad about Cass leaving us, but I was really looking forward to Caroline moving in. And having a super-cool stepmum!

  “It’ll all work out just fine,” said Dad. “You’ll see!”

  Dad had told us that Cass herself had made the decision to move out. It was her choice! We mustn’t be selfish. We tried really hard, but when it came to the point we so didn’t want her to go!

  “I can’t believe,” said Em, “that she really wants to.”

  “Then why is she doing it?” I wailed. Why couldn’t we just carry on as we were?

  “Oh, Bits, that would never work,” said Cass, when we asked her. “You can’t have two women in the same house.”

  “But you and Becky will be,” I said.

  “That’s different,” said Cass. “We’re friends. We’ve known each other for ever. Caroline and I have only just met.”

  “Do you think you’d quarrel?” said Em.

  “I’m afraid we might. We’re very different from one another. I doubt if Caroline could tolerate my slapdash ways.”

  Me and Em fell silent.

  “Cheer up!” said Cass. She held out her arms. “Come and have a hug!”

  We flung ourselves at her, like we used to do when we were little.

  “Do you really want to go?” I said.

  “I feel sad in lots of ways,” said Cass, “but Becky and I have always had these plans, and she’s waited very patiently. Besides, it’s only right your dad and Caroline should be on their own. And honestly, it’s not the end of the world! You can jump on a train and come to visit any time you like. You could even come for the odd weekend. We’ll always be there, you’ll always be welcome.”

  I heaved a quivering sigh. “It won’t be the same,” I said.

  “No, it won’t,” agreed Cass. “And at first I expect it will all seem a bit strange. But we’ll get used to it! It’s what happens in life – things change. And look at it this way – it means you’ll have a second home! And one of you can take over my room. How about that? Bitsy? You’re always complaining you haven’t got enough space for all your things.”

  It was true, my little room over the garage was hardly any bigger than a cupboard. But I refused to be comforted! I’d be willing to sleep in a tent if it meant Cass could stay.

  “Suppose Dad was going to marry Polly?” said Em. “Would you still have to go?”

  Cass laughed. “Yes, I would! Married people need their space.”

  “Even if it was Polly?”

  “Even if it was Polly, which I know we once thought it was going to be, but Caroline is your dad’s choice. She’s the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with, and I need you two girls to promise me you’ll do your very best to make things work. For your dad’s sake! It won’t all be plain sailing, I’m not pretending that it will. You’re used to me and my sloppy ways, but Caroline’s a businesswoman. She has no idea what it’s like living with two stroppy kids.”

  “Stroppy?” I was indignant. “We’re not stroppy!”

  “You think not?” said Cass. “Em mightn’t be, but you … you can be a little monster!”

  “I’ll make sure she behaves,” promised Em.

  “I’ll behave,” I said. “You don’t have to get all bossy about it.”

  I wanted Dad to be happy just as much as she did.

  Cass moved out on Saturday morning. Becky came to help her, with Dad hovering anxiously in the background, asking if there was anything he could do, while me and Em carried stuff out to the car and tried not to let our feelings get the better of us. I didn’t actually cry, cos I don’t do crying. If I’d been the sort of person that did, then I expect I probably would have, but as I’m not, I didn’t. I don’t care what Em said! She was just trying to cover up for her own sniffles and snuffles. I saw her blotting her eyes on her sleeve when she didn’t know I was watching. She said it was an allergy (she has lots of allergies) but I knew different. Cass and Becky obviously did too, cos they gave us both a big cuddle and told us to remember that we would always be welcome.

  “We’ll keep the spare bed made up specially for you!”

  When Becky and Cass had driven off, Dad said he was going round to Caroline’s to help her pack the last of her stuff ready for tomorrow.

  “We’ll come by and pick you up at about six, OK?”

  Me and Em nodded rather glumly. We were all going out for a pizza, which normally we’d have looked forward to.

  “What are you planning to do while I’m out?” said Dad.

  “Haven’t really thought about it,” I said.

  “I don’t suppose …” Dad made the suggestion rather nervously, without a great deal of hope. “I don’t suppose you could have a little tidy?”

  “We could do that,” said Em. She trod somewhat viciously on my toe. I glared at her. What was that for? I wasn’t going to say anything!

  “Bless you!” Dad gave us both a quick hug. “You’re stars! I’ll see you later.”

  Dad went off, leaving me and Em standing there.

  “It’s only fair,” said Em. “We have to do something to earn our pocket money.”

  “Didn’t say we didn’t,” I said.

  “So let’s get on with it.”

  After slogging all round the house, flicking at dust and sucking up crowds of cat fur, we went upstairs to start transferring things
from my little room to what had been Cass’s room.

  “This ought to cheer you up,” said Em.

  “Who says I need cheering up?” I said.

  That was when she claimed she’d seen me cry.

  “I didn’t cry,” I said. “You did!”

  “I did not!” said Em. “That was my allergy.”

  We argued for a bit, in a pointless kind of fashion, with me saying it wasn’t and Em saying it was, but our hearts weren’t really in it.

  “Let’s go and see if we can find something for lunch,” said Em.

  We trailed back downstairs to look in the fridge and see what there was.

  I said, “Eggs?”

  “If you like,” said Em.

  “Scrambled?”

  “Whatever.”

  “You do the toast,” I said. “I’ll do the eggs.”

  “Just don’t make them all sloppy. I hate it when they’re sloppy.”

  I said, “Yes, and I hate it when they’re like rubber.” Em is useless at cooking. When she does scrambled eggs you can almost string them across the room like a piece of elastic. The truth is, Em is not really much interested in food. Unlike me! I am definitely a bit of a foodie. But I didn’t want to quarrel with her. Not today. I cooked the eggs until they were practically solid and slapped them down on to the toast, which, typically, she had managed to burn. I kept quiet as a mouse.

  “This is how I like it,” said Em. “Not all slippy and slimy.”

  Honestly! You could never take her to a high class restaurant; you would just absolutely cringe.

  “Do you really think Dad and Caroline will get married?” I said, as I prodded at my overdone egg.

  “Cass thinks so,” said Em. “She says the only time she’s ever seen Dad so in love was when he was dating Mum. And Caroline obviously loves him or she wouldn’t be moving in. Cass reckons there’ll be a spring wedding. That’ll be fun!”

  I said, “Not sure I’d marry Dad if I was Caroline.”

  “What?” Em looked at me sharply. “Why not?”

  I said, “Pratt?”

  Whoever would want to change from being Caroline Scott-Mason to Caroline Pratt? Not me!

  “That’s just stupid,” said Em. “People in love don’t care about that sort of thing.”