Eleven – Skye aged 9

Dear Diary,

Rhydian comes home today! Rhydian's on his way, Rhydian's on his way. I'm so excited to see him. He said the first thing he is doing after he lands is getting coffee and then coming to see me. I can't wait to see my big brother again. I've missed him so much, and I only get to Skype him every three days. But now I can see him in person.

Write soon,

Skye.

"Skye," Mike called. "You need to get ready. Megan is going to be here soon," he said. I rolled my eyes and closed my diary, slipping it into my penguin pyjama case so that Floss wouldn't look for it and read it. I ran down the stairs in my jeans and ladybird hoodie and looked at Mike.

"I am ready," I said before going to the kitchen for breakfast. I found the cereal I wanted and poured myself a bowl.

"Do you want some help with the milk?" Tee asked me who was also getting breakfast.

"Yes please Tee," I said smiling up at her. She smiled back at me and poured some milk on my cereal.

"There you are. You going to be alright carrying it to the table?" she asked me. I nodded and took the bowl of the counter and walked round the worktop towards an empty seat at the table. The back door flew open and Bailey charged into, straight into me and making me drop the bowl. CRASH! The bowl shattered. I stared at the shattered pieces of my bowl as Mike ran down the stairs.

"What's happened?" he asked.

"Skye dropped a bowl," Bailey said. I didn't reply. I was still staring at the pieces of the bowl and realising how shattered my family was. I started crying.

"Hey Skye there's no need to cry. We have plenty more bowls and it's only spilt milk," Mike said as he started clearing it up. I was still crying and unable to explain why. "Tee can you take her to the office?" he asked. I felt a tug on my hoodie and then someone grasped my hand and took me out the kitchen. "You had better have a good reason for running into Skye," Mike said to Bailey as we left.

"Come on Skye. Your brother is coming today. You need to cheer up," Tee said as she led me to the office. I sat on one of the chairs in the office.

"I don't care if he's coming," I said. Tee looked surprised. "It's not like he mend can all this. It's like the bowl. First it shattered into half and then those halves shattered when the fell over. My family shattered when he left for Africa. Then what was left shattered between mummy and daddy. And then it shattered again. If he hadn't gone to Africa none of this would have happened," I said angrily. Tee pulled a funny face.

"He might not be able to mend it but he couldn't have stopped what happened. He couldn't have stopped the car crash. He's barely old enough to look after himself, let alone a nine year old as well. Skye you have to see him. He needs you. You're all he has left," she said. I looked up at her.

I pouted. "I hate it when you all act so grown up to me. I feel bad then," I said rolling my eyes. Tee giggled.

She sighed. "Skye, it's alright to cry. The others won't admit this but sometimes, sometimes we cry ourselves to sleep if it's a bad night. It's not so bad for Floss or Harry as they didn't really know their family. But for those of us that did. And you know, you never heard this from me and I'm certainly not admitting to it but we do."

"Why are you here Tee?" I asked.

She thought for a moment. "My mum's boyfriend hit Johnny and would have hit me if Johnny hadn't protected us. She's started a new life now with a baby called Hope but Johnny can't move in with her. It only allows females to live there. And I can't leave Johnny now. Not after what we've been through."

Mike opened the door. "How are we doing in here?" he asked. "All calm now Skye?" he asked. I nodded and then looked at Tee.

I went up to her and hugged her. "I'm glad you're here. I don't know why anyone would want to hurt you," I said before turning to Mike. "Well come on then. Let's go meet Megan," I said. Mike nodded and we left Ashdene Ridge and headed outside to find Megan waiting in her car for me.

"We'll see you when you get back," Mike said hugging me. I smiled and jumped into Megan's car.

As she drove us to the airport I read one of my books Rhydian had brought me on caterpillars and butterflies and sprouted some facts off for Megan. "Skye, I really need to focus on the road. Why don't you save the facts for Mike and May-Li?" she suggested. I nodded and went back to reading.

We finally arrived at the airport and we went and stood by arrivals. Rhydian's flight was all on time and so we knew he was coming soon. We were stood waiting for him, Megan on the phone to social services again when he arrived. "Rhydian!" I squealed. He pushed his suitcase towards me, smiled, let go of it, crouched down and I flung myself on top of him. "You're back," I said. He hugged me tight, not letting go.

"Yeah, for a bit," he said. He finally disentangled us and he looked at me. "How are you?" he asked. I shrugged.

"As good as I can be. I can't wait for you to see Ashdene Ridge. I love it there," I told him. He smiled.

"Well in that case, we'd better get going then," he said before introducing himself to Megan as we walked back to the car.

Dear Diary,

Rhydian is just downstairs waiting for me but I just had to tell you. He's home. Not for long but he is home and he is sorting things out with Mike and May-Li about the flights to Africa and he has been approved by social services to see me.

I'm so happy he's home even if it isn't for long. I'm just glad he is home. With me. To make me feel better.

Write soon,

Skye.

A/N: Does anyone else feel like Tee and Skye will have a great friendship if I write it that way? I can feel a good friendship forming there, just need to write the chapters to solidify it. Indie :)