eyed the rest of the group up ahead and laughed as they attempted to perform handstands on the sand. It was cold and dark, and the smell of the sea blew around them in the breeze.
‘Course that’s not going to happen. Don’t be stupid. Me and you will always be together. You know that. We’ve already got it all planned, haven’t we? I mean, we’ve planned to try and become pregnant at the same time so our kids can grow up together. It’s mad, really.’ Magda laughed and nudged Sophia’s shoulder with her own. They were sat side by side. ‘But don’t worry, we’ll never be apart. I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you.’
‘Come on, you two!’ Ben called from up ahead, waving at them. ‘Show us what you’ve got!’
‘Best friends for ever?’ Sophia held her little finger out towards Magda.
‘Best friends for ever.’ Magda hooked her own pinky finger around Sophia’s and they grinned at each other before leaping to their feet and joining the rest of the gang further out, laughing as they ran hand in hand across the sand.
Sophia Good stared listlessly at the boiling kettle. Was it her imagination or was it taking longer than usual? Finally, once she was able to, she poured the steaming water into her cup of coffee granules and sugar and stirred it into the magical concoction known as coffee that would hopefully put some life back into her tired body.
From the lounge, the sound of early-morning cartoons babbled away. It had become the soundtrack to Sophia’s mornings, if not her entire life. Esther’s giggle floated through to the kitchen, mingling with a theme tune Sophia hummed along to without even having to think about it. She knew them all, she’d heard them that many times. With her first cup of coffee of the day placed beside her on the small end table, Sophia sat down and eyed the back of her daughter’s head from across the room.
‘Come on then. Let’s get ready for a lovely day at school.’ Sophia clapped her hands in a businesslike manner and picked up the hairbrush she’d brought through from the kitchen. Esther didn’t move. Sophia glared at the smiley-faced cartoon characters on-screen who seemed to do a much better job of capturing and keeping her daughter’s attention than she ever could. ‘Esther? Come on, sweetheart. We haven’t got long until the school bell rings and you’re not even out of your pyjamas yet.’ Her attempts were again met with silence.
She was beginning to reach the end of her tether just lately. It seemed her daughter didn’t want to listen to a thing she said. Sophia was trying her best to remain upbeat and positive, but the cheery act she often put on was beginning to wear thin. She was tired, drained of all energy, and would have given anything for a full night’s sleep or just a hot bath in peace. Esther only seemed to have two moods. She would either cling to her mother’s side like a limpet or, as was the case this morning, simply refuse to acknowledge Sophia was even there.
Sophia rubbed at her eyes, still crusty with sleep. ‘Come on, darling. I need to brush your hair and get you into your uniform.’ She held up the small burgundy cardigan and made it perform a little dance in the air. She wasn’t sure why. Perhaps in the hopes that a dancing cardigan would entice her daughter to put the bloody thing on.
‘Five more minutes,’ whined Esther, still glued to the TV screen.
Sophia closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. ‘No, Esther. I need you to come and get dressed right now, otherwise you’re going to be late again, and that will be the second time this week. Do you think Mrs Harvey is going to be happy if you’re late?’
Esther glanced over her shoulder but only for a second. The thought of upsetting her favourite teacher seemed to be the only thing with the power to shift her from her cross-legged position on the carpet. But it wouldn’t do to rush so Esther dawdled lazily towards her mother while performing an exaggerated yawn.
‘Good. Now we’re getting somewhere. Turn around so I can quickly brush your hair.’ Sophia looked at the tangled mess and gulped. ‘This might hurt, sweetheart, but I’ll try to be as gentle as I can, okay?’ Eventually, Sophia managed to brush Esther’s hair into a high ponytail and patted her on the bottom as her daughter put on her shoes. Sophia gulped down the last dregs of her coffee, wishing for an instant refill, before quickly brushing her own hair and nipping to the toilet. Afterwards, she tugged on her coat and prepared to leave, with Esther dragging her feet behind her.
‘See?’ Sophia sang, as she stepped out of the front door and locked it behind them. She deposited the keys in her coat pocket and felt triumphant that they wouldn’t be late after all. ‘That wasn’t so hard, was it? Now you’ll be on time and Mrs Harvey will be very happy. Come on then, let’s get down the road and into… Oh, my God…’ Sophia stumbled backwards and grabbed the fence that separated their garden from next door’s. ‘Esther, what have you done?’
Esther grinned. ‘It’s make-up.’ She twirled on the spot and fluttered her lashes. If Sophia hadn’t been so shocked she would have laughed but, as it was, she wasn’t amused in the slightest. ‘Do you like it?’ asked Esther, ignoring her mother’s stricken expression.
Sophia gathered herself and closed her eyes. She tried to keep her voice level. ‘Where did you find the make-up, Esther?’ Her eyes remained shut as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Sophia had taken to shutting her make-up bag away on the top shelf of her wardrobe because this wasn’t the first time Esther had painted her face with her mother’s make-up. How on earth had she managed to get hold of it this time?
‘In your bedroom,’ replied Esther, looking pleased with herself. ‘I got the stool and climbed up. Why do you put it so high? It’s silly.’
‘I can’t believe it. I take my eyes off you for five seconds just so I can have a wee and you’ve managed to do this to yourself. You know we’re going to be late now, don’t you? What is that?’ She bent down, licked the tip of her thumb and tried to rub away the vivid red smudges from her daughter’s eyelids. The rubbing only seemed to make it worse. ‘Have you… have you put lipstick on your eyelids?’ she whispered, leaning down to get a closer look.
‘It looks nice,’ Esther said stubbornly, turning away from Sophia’s close inspection. She frowned fiercely and her little eyebrows furrowed, as if she’d just been insulted.
‘Absolutely un-bloody-believable. We’re going to have to go back inside and try to wash this lot off your face now, aren’t we?’
‘Mum,’ Esther squeaked. ‘Swearing is naughty. That’s what you said. Bloody is a bad word.’
Sophia hustled her daughter back into the house as beads of sweat began to form beneath her too-long fringe. ‘I know and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that, it just slipped out. Please don’t repeat it because you’re right, it’s a naughty word. Come on, up the stairs and into the bathroom, please. I’d better give the school a ring to let them know what’s happened. Wait for me, Esther, and don’t touch anything! Do you understand me? Not a single thing. I’ll be five minutes.’
As Esther bounded up the stairs, filled with glee at her makeover, Sophia held her mobile to her ear and waited for Rosie, the school receptionist, to answer. Thankfully, Rosie was understanding and even found the tale rather funny, tittering to herself.
‘You would think it’s funny,’ Sophia huffed once the call had ended. She trudged her way up the stairs feeling exhausted. It wasn’t even nine o’clock yet. ‘It’s not you who has to bloody put up with it.’
Although
