"Come in, Kate," Mrs Arnott greeted their early morning visitor several months later. It had soon become routine that Kate called every morning before school. Her and Steve had developed a very good friendship and Mrs Arnott was happy to see her son happy and doing well at school.
Their Shakespeare project had received a commendation, but it wasn't just academic things where they worked well together. Kate had also encouraged Steven to try out for the Year 7 boys football team and he had been successful. He was a good midfielder and had soon become accepted by the other boys in the class and made lots of new friends. Kate herself was in to dance, ballet in particular and had made friends with the other girls in the club.
"I suppose he's still getting ready," Kate said to Mrs Arnott as she closed the front door behind her. Steve was not known for his good time keeping.
"Of course he is," Mrs Arnott said as Kate followed her in to the kitchen and helped herself to some cereal. This had also become routine after Mrs Arnott began to realise that Kate's mother wasn't home all that much due to the long hours she worked and Kate had to fend for herself.
The first morning Kate happened to call for Steve, Mrs Arnott noticed Kate looking at the laden breakfast table. "Have you had breakfast?" she had asked Kate.
"I had a Pop Tart," Kate replied. It wasn't much but was all there was in the cupboard.
"You need more than that in your stomach," Mrs Arnott had informed her. She fetched Kate a bowl and handed it to her. "Why don't you help yourself to something whilst Steven finishes getting ready,".
"Steven!" Mrs Arnott hollered up the stairs back in the present day.
"It's Steve, Mum!" Steve shouted back, still having to remind his mother of his new moniker.
"Sorry!" replied Mrs Arnott. "Are you nearly ready? Kate's here!".
"Coming!" answered Steve.
"I'll believe that when I see it," Mrs Arnott joked to Kate who smiled at her friend's mother. "Are you going to the Year 7 end of year prom, Kate?" she asked the girl at the table. Steve had mentioned it to her the other day and wasn't all that keen at the thought of dancing. Girls were different.
"Umm probably not," Kate replied sadly. She had really wanted to go but had been told it was impossible by her mother. "Mum's on a night shift,".
Mrs Arnott took pity on the girl in front of her. "Why don't you spend the night here?" she suggested. "Me or Steve's dad can pick you both up and I can make up a bed for you for the night,".
"I'll ask mum," Kate said hopefully. She didn't want to be the only person in the year not going.
The clattering of footsteps running down the stairs was heard and Steve appeared in the kitchen. Shirt untucked, tie all wonky as he sat down at the table and poured himself a big bowl of cereal. Mrs Arnott sighed. Girls and boys really were very different at this age. Kate was dressed neatly and her son wasn't. She'd often hoped for a daughter after Steven had been born but it wasn't to be and Steve had been an only child.
"Have you got time for that?" Kate asked Steve as he shovelled a mouthful of cereal in to his mouth.
"Ye'" Steve replied with a full mouth.
"Maybe set your alarm clock five minutes earlier tomorrow," Kate suggested.
Mrs Arnott smiled. Kate was obviously the one in charge in this friendship.
"'K," replied Steve.
And her son didn't seem to mind being bossed about either. For the time being at least.
"Don't you look pretty," Mrs Arnott said to Kate the evening of the prom. Mrs Fleming had agreed to let her daughter spend the night at the Arnott's and had dropped her off before heading to her night shift. Kate was now in a dress with a few sequins and netting which was actually a ballet costume she had worn for a recent show, but it would do nicely for the prom. Mrs Fleming hadn't been able to afford to buy her a new dress.
"Thank you, Mrs Arnott," Kate replied as she fidgeted about in her dress. She didn't really like wearing them. Despite liking ballet she was a bit of a tomboy and was much more comfortable in jeans. "It's a bit itchy," she said.
Steve appeared in the room somewhat hesitantly. He felt a complete prat in what his mum had made him wear to this stupid dance. A suit with a waist coat and bow tie. "And you look very handsome," Mrs Arnott informed her son before reaching out to straighten Steve's bow tie.
"Mum!" scolded Steve as he batted her hand away. He didn't want Kate to see his mum fussing over him so much.
"Sorry," said Mrs Arnott removing her hand. "Can I just get a photo of the two of you before we go. Don't often get to see you so smartly dressed,". The kids agreed and Mrs Arnott fetched her Polaroid camera. "How about you hold hands," she suggested. Steve and Kate both looked horrified at the suggestion. It wasn't cool to hold hands with someone of the opposite sex. "Ok," said Mrs Arnott. "Try something else,". She watched as Steve and Kate hugged each other, one arm around the other's shoulder. For some reason this was more acceptable to them than holding hands. "Lovely," said Mrs Arnott as she pressed a button. The developing photo shot out the bottom of the camera and Mrs Arnott waited for it to dry. It was a lovely photo of the two friends. Something that Mrs Arnott would keep as a souvenir.
"How was it?" Mr Arnott asked as Steve and Kate got in the of the back of the car and put their seatbelts on after the prom.
"It was good," Steve told his dad.
"All the boys did was play football," Kate informed Mr Arnott unimpressed. It was the girls that had done all the dancing whilst the boys ran about kicking a ball.
"What's wrong with that?" Steve asked. It had been a great evening. Kate just rolled her eyes at her friend's idiocy. Mr Arnott chuckled to himself.
"Your mum has made Kate's bed up in your room Steven," Mr Arnott informed his son.
It was a single inflatable mattress that Mrs Arnott had made Mr Arnott inflate with his lungs much to his chagrin, but he liked keeping his wife happy.
"Ok," replied Steve.
"That ok, Kate?".
"It's fine, Mr Arnott," Kate replied.
"Come and have a look at this, honey," Mrs Arnott said to her husband later that night as they were headed to bed. There had been a bit of chatter from Steve's room initially on the light being turned off but they hadn't heard anything from the children in a while and Mrs Arnott had stuck her head in to her son's room to make sure everything was ok. She had found Kate and Steve fast asleep together in Steve's bed.
Mr Arnott came up behind his wife and took in the scene before him. "Should I put Kate back in her bed?" he asked, not sure what to make of his son sharing his bed with a girl.
"No it's ok," Mrs Arnott said. "We don't need to worry about that particular scenario just yet," she told her husband gratefully although it wouldn't be long. Her son was growing up much too quickly for her liking.
"And what scenario is that?" Mr Arnott asked his wife.
"You know damn well what I'm talking about," Mrs Arnott replied.
"No I don't,".
"Well then I'll just have to show you," Mrs Arnott said as she led her husband out of Steve's room.
