The three girls and myself got in the back of the camper for the short drive back to Bond’s lair.

“You girls hungry?” Dad called back to the Walter’s
“Famished!” they chorused and burst into giggles
“What’s so funny?” Jules asked
“Well we’re always doing that, it’s like ESP, don’t you girls do that at all?” Debbie asked
“Er no” Jules answered, did I just hear Debbie right?
“We’ll drop your bags off, let you freshen up a bit, then we’re invited to the Peters to eat” Dad informed us
“Sounds pretty cool” Britney mentioned

I felt a bit awkward already; I was going to be further outnumbered all evening! We were quickly in our driveway and getting the girls bags out.

“Nice house Mr Bond” Debbie stated
“It does” he demurred
“Come on,” Jules cajoled, “lets get your stuff inside”

Dad and I let the others go in and followed with the Walter’s luggage.

“Show the girls where they’re staying you two, I’ll bring the bags up in a minute” Dad suggested
“Okay Dad, come on you’ve got Drew’s room” Jules told the visitors as she led the way upstairs.
“Where’s she staying then?” Britney asked
“In the box room, we moved everything yesterday so you can use the wardrobe and draws.” Jules told them as we got to the top of the stairs
“Neat room Drew!” Britney exclaimed
“You’ll have to toss for the fold up but it’s pretty comfortable” Jules rambled on
“Here you go” Dad huffed as he deposited the bags in my room, “we’re expected about seven thirty so you’ve got time to change if you want, you can unpack later”
“Thanks Mr Bond” Debbie thanked Dad who left us to it.
“You didn’t have to move Drew, we could of shared” Britney told us
“We er thought you might prefer to be together” I mumbled
“And Drew prefers to sleep on his own” Jules slipped in
“Where’s the bathroom Juliette?” Debbie asked
“I’ll show you” and she led the elder of the Walter’s out of the room
“This is real cool Drew, Debs and me we’re like always fighting at home” her inflection was a bit odd, a bit like down in the West Country. “We share at home too but our room is tiny”
“I thought all American houses were huge” I mentioned as Britney opened her case and started rooting around.
“Where we live is like right near the commercial district”
“I thought Forest Avenue would be in the country” I mentioned
“We wish! Our end is in town, the other end runs to South River Elementary”
“What’s that?”
“You know, like the school after kindergarten?”
“I think we’d call it infants”
“What do you think?” Britney held a blouse up
“Erm, it’s okay”
“What are you two talking about?” Jules asked
“We were just talking about the house” I told her

Britney meantime was divesting herself of her top

“I er better go see if Dad needs any help” I stammered making a quick exit

I heard Debbie as I headed downstairs

“Your sister’s a bit shy”
“Not usually and she’s… oh you’ll find out later” Jules replied

“They settling in?” Dad asked
“Yeah, I thought I’d best make myself scarce while they change though”
“I should hope so young man”

We sat watching ToTP while we waited. At quarter past Dad called upstairs

“Are you girls ready, we need to leave in five minutes”
“Coming” Jules called back

The clamour of three teenage girls on the stairs warned us of their approach, I turned off the telly while Dad got the car keys.

“Ready?” Dad asked
“Yes Dad” Jules answered
“We’ll take the car, Drew can you lock up please?”
“Okay”

Britney waited for me as I set the alarm and locked the door.

“Why did you leave just now?”
“You don’t really want me watching you change”
“Doesn’t bother me”
“Really Britney, you don’t!” I emphasised
“Who are these ‘Peters’ we’re eating with?” she asked as we walked to the car
“Oh Maddy’s my girlfriend, Sabrina is staying with her”

Britney gave me a funny appraising look that turned to puzzlement. We reached the Passat; the girls sat in the back while I joined Dad in front.

Mrs P did us proud. Instead of a sit down dinner, she’d done a sort of buffet which meant that ‘us kids’ could get our food and eat outside as it was still quite pleasant.

“So what do you girls get up to then?” Sabrina asked

Not another one! Why do they all think I’m a girl?

“Yeah are there any cute guys that you guys hang with?” Britney enthused
“Well there’s Rhod and Drew of course” Mad told them
“You mean there’s a guy called Drew too?” Sabrina queried
“What do you mean too?” Mad countered
“Mad I think we need to get ‘Drew’ sorted out” Jules suggested

It was like the proverbial lightbulb switching on.

“You mean” she silently motioned with her eyes
“I think so” Jules replied
“What guys?” Debbie demanded
“Let’s go down the garden a bit,” Mad suggested nodding towards the house

Taking the hint that some great secret was to be divulged, the Americans followed as we moved out of earshot of the house.

“I would have thought you’d have sorted it by now Drew” Mad stated
“You know I tried”
“Is this something about you girls being a couple?” Britney suggested
“Er you could say that” I admitted
“It’s not what you think though, really” Mad continued
“You tell ’em Mad” Jules proposed
“Okay. By the look on your faces just now you think Drew is my girlfriend right” they nodded in agreement, “well the friend bit is right but it’s boy friend”
“You mean Drew pretends to be a boy?” Sabrina suggested. I could only roll my eyes heavenward.
“Drew’s my brother!” Jules told them
“Well I know she doesn’t dress very feminine but that’s no reason to call her a boy” Debbie mentioned
“I am a boy!” I said with a hint of hysteria, “I’ve got all the equipment”
“I can vouch for that,” Maddy added
“I didn’t think you could get that sort of surgery at your age” the elder Walter sister commented
“There was no surgery, I am Mad’s boyfriend because I am a boy!” I almost screeched

There was a shocked silence as they finally got it.

“You mean, in the pictures, and changing, oh sorry Drew!” Britney blubbed, “and I’ve told everyone I was staying with this real cool girl” she put a hand to her mouth in realisation.
“But why didn’t you say something?” Debbie asked me
“I did drop some pretty strong hints, it’s not like I was wearing a dress or something”
“We just thought you were a bit of a tomboy, but how come we got paired up”
“Mr Wood, our headmaster, you met him earlier little guy with a tash, he said there was a bit of a mix up in numbers and this was the best solution. Otherwise at least two people would miss the trip.” Jules explained
“No one told us” Britney stated, “not that I mind, Drew,” she quickly added
“Well I can’t say that I was that thrilled to start with”

We were all surprised by the flash going off, Sabrina, Drew, Britney, Mad, Debbie and Jules!

“Just thought I’d get a picture of all you girls together” Mrs P mentioned
“Mum, Drew?” Mad hinted
“Sorry Drew, I’ve got so used to Gaby being round, there’s ice cream when you’re ready” and she returned to the house.
“Who’s Gaby?” Sabrina queried
“Our cousin” Jules and Mad replied together
“Whoa! Hold up there, start again” Debbie asked
“She’s our cousin, we’re all related” Mad supplied
“So when do we meet her then?” Britney enquired
“I don’t think she’s gonna be back while you’re here” I hinted at Mad and my sister
“Yeah Drew’s right, I think she was going to Scotland for the rest of the summer” Mad adlibbed.
“Pity” Britney mused
“Let’s go get some ice cream” I suggested

Before we left to go home, we had arranged to meet the others and give the visitors the basic tour of Warsop in the morning and once home I was only too happy to collapse into ‘my’ bed, another hectic day over!

Maddy Bell 28.01.04