After a while I went upstairs to dress in my blue print dress and White stockings. I looked at myself in the mirror. Many people say I look like my mother. I suppose I have the same hair, but I also have my father's green eyes. I am not especially tall and not especially short. Morgan came in and I took that as my queue to leave.
I found Martha, Michael, Edward and Kate in the kitchen with Mum. They were packing a basket with bread, cheese and tomatoes.
"Hi Martha! Hi Michael! Hi Kate! Hi Edward!" I said.
"Hello Ellie! I haven't seen you for ages!" said my aunt Martha as she hugged me. I heard Dad come down the stairs and go into the bathroom without even noticing Michael and Martha. I turned to Mum.
"Do we have any cake? Or fruit?" I asked. She opened a cupboard and hunted through it, coming out with a bottle of juice.
"Martha brought some cake. Maybe Flower will have some fruit…"
*HMC*
About an hour and a half later we were sitting with Abdullah, Flower-in-the-Night and Sabrina under an apple tree. Sabrina, Kate and I sat up against the tree, talking. Well, I talked. Kate mostly just giggled and tried to catch Morgan's eye, whilst Sabrina just nodded and smiled at everything I said.
"….and then Calcifer told him that she was in the Waste!" I finished my funny story. Kate giggled, looking over my shoulder and Sabrina nodded, not quite meeting my eyes. How could she be shy of me – she's known me for ever! I took a bit of apple and cinnamon cake.
"Are you two even listening?!" I burst out, sick of them not talking to me. Kate giggled and Sabrina nodded. I sighed and took another bite of cake. "You don't realise how lucky you are to have a Mum that works at a cake shop, Kate. All I get is flowers!"
"Hhhmmm?" Kate was still gazing over my shoulder.
"Forget it…" I ate the last mouthful of cake and got to my feet. Grabbing a low branch, I hauled myself up into the tree, not caring when my skirt rode up above my knees.
"What are you doing?" said Kate, looking up.
"Climbing the tree. What does it look like?" I called from halfway up. Kate sighed and rolled her eyes. She may have a crush on Morgan, but he'll never fall for her. He's too quiet and artistic and nice. Kate's never liked me ever since I was born. I remember when I was six and she was eight and she tripped me up and I fell in a muddy puddle and she laughed at me and I said 'and' way too many times there, didn't I? Sorry about that.