A Change for the Better? by Stephanie Drury Page B

minute”
     
    “Er, no, now” Katie countered “if he hits many more bits something’s going to come apart, pipes or him or possibly you!” Katie’s face showed she might not, in fact, be joking so Ben shot off into the front room to talk plumbing with Billy. Lucy started to take more notice of Katie at this point. She hadn’t seen many people able to make her stubborn brother jump into action. Katie was definitely an exception. Lucy came out of her ponderings as she realised Katie was speaking to her.
     
    “I’m sorry” Katie said “Ben didn’t introduce us before he disappeared. I’m Katie Collins; I’m looking after this house at the moment.” Katie extended her hand which Lucy shook a little self-consciously as she didn’t usually shake hands with new acquaintances.
     
    “I’m Lucy, Ben’s sister. I’m staying with him for a couple of weeks while my Mum’s away.”
     
    “Well, it’s nice to meet you. Do you fancy a drink while you’re waiting?” Katie wanted to make the girl feel welcome. She had a rather mutinous set to her face but Katie could see the vulnerability in her bright blue eyes.
     
    “Oh ok,” Lucy answered “Do you have any hot chocolate?”
     
    “I do” Katie smiled “and I have some oat cookies to go with it if you like.”
     
    “Oh cool” Lucy brightened immediately and followed Katie into her flat. Katie soon had the milk warming on the range and spooned chocolate into the mugs, mixing them into a froth as she added the milk.
     
    “There you are” Katie handed one of Cliona’s hand painted mugs to Lucy, “help yourself to cookies.” Lucy was soon tucking into the homemade biscuits, happily munching the crunchy treats. To Katie she suddenly looked like a different person, not much more than a child despite her typical teenage attempts to look grown up.
     
    “So, Lucy, where has your Mum gone?” Katie enquired.
     
    “Oh, I’m not sure really. She’s disappeared off with Clever Trevor on a holiday or something.”
     
    “Clever Trevor?” Katie questioned
     
    “Yeah, he’s her boyfriend - well her current boyfriend anyway.” Lucy’s attempt at cynicism was at odds with her blonde childish face Katie thought.
     
    “You don’t get on then?” Katie added
     
    “With Trevor, not really, he’s not as bad as some of them.” 
     
    “What about your Mum?”
     
    “She’s ok; she’s just in another world, really, not the same one as us, that’s all.” Lucy said sadly, “she’s always got some flight of fancy to follow, this time it was a romantic holiday in the sun or something.”
     
    “So she arranged for you to stay at your brother’s - that’s ok isn’t it?”
     
    “Well, half-brother actually. Ben’s ok, but she didn’t arrange it, she just took me there and left. Ben was a bit pissed off at first, but its ok now.”
     
    “Oh” Katie didn’t know what to say. Her parents had always been away, working on some project or other across the world so she knew what it felt like to be left behind but she’d always had Mo and Granddad to fall back on – and at least they were always expecting her, it seemed that Lucy wasn’t so lucky.
     
    “What about your Dad?” Katie asked
     
    “Never met him, he was a very brief part in Mum’s life” Lucy said matter-of-factly “it’s ok really; I expect he was a bit of a waster anyway.”
     
    “Maybe” Katie smiled at Lucy’s world weariness, “men are generally more trouble than they’re worth.” she added with feeling, “Do you want another biscuit?” Lucy nodded and grinned
     
    “You’re ok Katie - and these are gorgeous” she said biting into the golden biscuit “So how do you know Ben, he’s never mentioned you before.”
     
    “Well, I knew him at school when I was nine and ten, he was a pain in the neck behind me in class, always kicking my chair and trying to be clever. But more recently I came back to look after my Gran’s house as she had an accident and Ben