Falling for you

hundredth time, ‘When will Sophie be here?’

Juliet’s eyes danced, picturing the Hollywood-style reunion. Any minute now, Jake and Sophie would appear through the swing doors. Yelling, ‘Oh Tiff, oh Tiff’ Sophie would break away from Jake and race, in Hollywood slow motion, the length of the ward before throwing herself ecstatically into Tiff’s arms.

It didn’t happen like that at all. Sophie, who had never lacked confidence in her life, found all the pre-reunion hype too much and experienced her first-ever bout of paralysing shyness. Refusing to let go of Jake’s hand, she remained glued to his side, staring fixedly at the artwork up on the wall. For a good five minutes their conversation was as stilted as that of two strangers in the waiting room of an STD

clinic.

Finally Sophie said, ‘What’s the food like?’

‘Gross.’

‘Oh.’ Pause. ‘What are the other kids like?’

Tiff shrugged. ‘Don’t know. I only just got here.’

‘Oh. So what are the nurses like?’

‘Don’t know. I only just got here.’

Longer pause.

At last Sophie said grudgingly, ‘I told Bean you were better and she wagged her tail.’

Tiff’s lip curled. ‘That’s because she’s a dog.’

‘Did you like my cards?’

‘They were all right.’

‘I won’t make any more then.’ Sophie bristled. ‘They took me ages.’

They were glaring mutinously at each other now, like Tom and Jerry.

‘You can have them back then,’ snarled Tiff.

‘Ugh, no thanks, with your germs on them.’

‘ Right.’ Jake seized Sophie’s hand. ‘If all you’re going to do is argue we’ll go home now and—’

‘No!’ bellowed Sophie and Tiff in unison.

Jake raised his eyebrows. ‘So if we stay, you think you can manage to be nice to one another?’

Tiff and Sophie exchanged glances, then both nodded vigorously.

Jake smiled across at Juliet and said, ‘OK.’

‘I should think so too.’ Juliet gave Tiff a behave-yourself look. ‘Getting stroppy with your first proper visitor really isn’t on. You’re supposed to be nice to people who—’

‘Sophie isn’t my first visitor,’ said Tiff. ‘Mr Taylor-Trent was here yesterday.’

Juliet stiffened. Of all the subjects to crop up. She’d spent the entire morning attempting to pluck up the courage to explain the necessary facts to Tiff, but the right moment simply hadn’t arisen.

Plus, of course, she was a big wimp. ‘Did he do you a card?’ Sophie’s tone was accusing. Tiff scowled. ‘No.’

‘Well then, he’s not as good as me, because I’ve done you six cards. Anyway, he doesn’t count as a proper visitor,’

‘he went on scornfully. ‘He only came here because he’s your father.’

Juliet felt all the blood drain from her face, although where it went she couldn’t imagine. Casting an anguished glance over at Jake, she willed someone, somewhere, to press the rewind button so the words could slither back into Sophie’s mouth. Unable to move, she looked across at Tiff.

‘What?’ Tiff was frowning. ‘Mr Taylor-Trent? How can he be my father?’

Sorry, Jake mouthed across at Juliet.

‘You remember, the seed thing. Carrie Carter from school told us about it.’ Sophie assumed an air of superiority. ‘It’s called mating.’

Jake was doing his best not to snort with laughter. Juliet was glad he found it so funny.

‘Oh, mating.’ Tiff nodded equally sagely, like an eminent professor. ‘Seeds, yeah.’ He paused, his expression thoughtful. ‘Mr Taylor-Trent’s a bit old, isn’t he?’

‘He’s very old,’ Sophie grandly announced. ‘But quite rich. So that’s good, probably.’ She beamed at Tiff. ‘For when you need a new bike or an Xbox or something. Now that he’s your dad, he’ll have to buy you presents.’

Tiff blinked up at Juliet. ‘So you really mated with Mr Taylor-Trent?’

Never mind hiding under the bed, she wanted to crawl away and die.

‘Um ... yes.’

Behind her, Jake was by this time almost crying with silent laughter.

‘Do we have to go and live with him?’ said Tiff. Wordlessly Juliet shook her head.