Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. >The Girl at the Bus Stop by alan14 Copyright(C) 2021 by alan14 Chapter 40 Belle was up bright and early again the next morning, brewing coffee as I walked into the kitchen. -What are you doing up so early? - she called across the room as I entered. -I was about to ask you the same thing, I came down to make breakfast for you all. - -Ahh, I beat you to it, sorry. - I watched Belle as she poured cereal into several bowls, all neat and tidy in her new uniform, tie fastened perfectly, hair tied in two neat buns, a little makeup, but not too much, she rarely wore much makeup, none of the girls did. -How long have you been up Belle? - -Not long, about ¾ of an hour. - -Did you sleep ok? - -I slept brilliantly, our talk worked so well, I wasn -(TM)t worried at all last night. We had a cuddle for a while and kissed for a bit. I think I was asleep before Poppy. - -So why are you up so early? - -Because I slept so well, silly. I slept like a log for 7 hours. That -(TM)s all I need. I was awake at 6, so I got up to make breakfast. - -Is that enough sleep? - -Oh yeah, I bet I could manage on 5 hours, you don -(TM)t sleep for long stretches on the street. I feel really good today. - We took our coffees to the table and waited for her sisters. -How were Aunties last night after we went to bed? - -They were OK I think. They got an Uber home as it was still raining. I imagine they spent the whole night talking. I didn -(TM)t expect Nita to be quite so understanding, to be honest. I was surprised she just assumed Helen had secrets, that she -(TM)d done porn. I suppose she -(TM)s glad it wasn -(TM)t worse. - -She -(TM)s a doctor dad, I bet she -(TM)s seen and heard a lot. The girls like Poppy who get hurt in the bad films, they end up seeing doctors. Nita will have had to repair a lot of broken girls. - -She did amazing work on Poppy -(TM)s damaged skin, she knew exactly what to do, like she -(TM)d done it before. - -Poppy -(TM)s never told me how badly she was hurt, was it really bad? - -Very bad, - Poppy told her as she wandered into the kitchen, -I -(TM)ll tell you if you plait my hair. - -Ohh, you -(TM)ll look great in plaits, how do you want them? - -Two thin plaits please. Are you sure you want to know what they did to me? - -If you lived through it, I think I can stand hearing it. I -(TM)m your girlfriend, I need to know what you went through. - -OK, here goes. You know how sore you get after you -(TM)ve had sex with dad for a few minutes? - -Oh yeah, but it -(TM)s nice soreness, because what we did was fun. - -OK, so imagine that front and back for a couple of days, non-stop. Sometimes two at once, in the same hole. - Belle blanched and covered her face with both hands, -oh god Poppy, why? - -Because they -(TM)re fucking bastards. They punched and slapped me, my arse cheeks were red raw, my pussy and arse were torn up. My lower back was a mess of bruises on top of bruises. They used me as an ashtray, I had cigarette burns on my back, my tummy and my boobs. - Belle started to cry, -I don -(TM)t understand, why did they do all that? I know you sometimes enjoyed it rough, but just slapping and stuff, why all that violence? I just don -(TM)t understand? - -They wanted me dead, Belle, and they wanted their fun while I died. They -(TM)re all dead now, or at least all the ones I can remember are dead, and they definitely didn -(TM)t have fun while they died. - -If there -(TM)s any of them left, I want to meet them. I got a book about Krav Maga yesterday, Esther gave it me, and Lia is going to take me to some classes. In future, if anyone comes for you, they will have to come through me first. - Poppy turned around, she pulled Belle into a powerful hug, -after Monday honey, I know you can keep us all safe. The only thing that could hurt me now is if I lost you. If anyone hurts you, there -(TM)ll be hell to pay. - -Let me finish your hair, then I think I need a wash, I bet my face is a mess. - -Your face is perfect Belle, everything about you is perfect. - -But I -(TM)m all teary and my mascara has probably run. - -Yeah, there is that, but you -(TM)re still perfect in my eyes. - -Thank you, Poppy. - Belle combed her sister -(TM)s shoulder-length hair and parted it down the middle, she split each half and plaited them carefully, finishing each plait with a neat pink bow. Poppy turned in her chair and kissed Belle passionately, -now you definitely need a wash, you -(TM)ve got my lipstick all over your face. - -And you -(TM)re all smudged, - Belle laughed. They clasped hands, dashing off to their bathroom. I put a fresh pot of coffee on and waited for the others. Half an hour later, they were ready for school, an early start today as Poppy had a science lesson before registration. Belle was uncharacteristically quiet during breakfast. She was the last of the three to finish eating and dawdled as she put her coat on. -What -(TM)s the matter, Belle, - Katie asked. -I -(TM)m being silly, I know, but I -(TM)m dead nervous about school today. - -That -(TM)s not silly, but seriously, you do not have to worry about school. Jade -(TM)s friends will steer well clear of you, because they know if they do anything, they -(TM)ll have Poppy to answer to. No matter how impressively you flattened Jade, Poppy is much scarier. - -Now I -(TM)m confused, Poppy isn -(TM)t scary at all. - -It -(TM)s not that she looks scary, but rumours have spread, people know what she went through, that she survived and everyone else died. - -Oh, really. I thought Poppy -(TM)s past was a secret. - -Well, they don -(TM)t know everything, Jesus, they -(TM)d run her out of town with pitchforks if they knew everything. We just spread the homelessness and the brutal attack, and how it -(TM)s a weird coincidence that everyone who attacked her is now dead. - -Ahh, so you -(TM)re the girl who lived, like Harry Potter! - Belle replied brightly. -Yeah, but I -(TM)m rubbish at Quidditch, - Poppy replied as she helped Belle into her big coat. Jenny joined us in the hall, -if there -(TM)s any trouble today, I want to know, I have no problem arresting anyone who gives you shit. - -It -(TM)ll be fine mum, me and Katie, we spoke to them all yesterday. - They left, Belle in the middle, Poppy and Katie each holding a hand. -It -(TM)s not that long since I was at school and none of the girls I was at school with were brave enough to walk hand-in-hand like that, - Jenny said as she pulled me into a hug, -they -(TM)re all heroes in my eyes. - -Including me, - Lia asked as she slipped an arm around Jenny. -Especially you Lia, just being alive is a miracle. To be as well balanced as you are, and so well read, yeah, you -(TM)re a goddess just like Poppy. - -One day I hope to be as kind as she is. - -I -(TM)ve seen nothing to suggest you aren -(TM)t as kind as she is. - -I dunno, in my head I -(TM)m not a kind person, I can be bitchy at times. - -How do we know Poppy isn -(TM)t bitchy in her head? - -She can -(TM)t be, look how she is with Belle, and Katie. - -And I -(TM)ll counter that by telling Jenny just how nice you were with Belle yesterday, - I replied, -and how loving you are with Katie, and how you -(TM)ve refused all offers of expensive clothes and gadgets. - -Well, that -(TM)s just natural isn -(TM)t it, I can -(TM)t have you spending a lot of money on me when you don -(TM)t even know me properly. - -You -(TM)ve clearly not met some of the girls Helen dated before Nita, they took her for every penny they could get. - -Ahh, ok. I guess I -(TM)ll stop running myself down. It -(TM)s just when I see the three of them together like that, I wonder whether I could ever be as happy and confident as they are. - -You -(TM)re getting there, - Jenny told her. I thought back to yesterday, and Belle -(TM)s worry about Katie. -You know, Katie really does love you a lot. She was so excited when we suggested going looking for you. She was super worried about how Poppy would feel about you, and about any possible fall out. Poppy told her straight that she still loved her, always would, but she knew that Katie wanted to be with you. She told Katie straight that she loved her too much to stand in her way, she should see how it went with you. - -Oh my god, that -(TM)s what I -(TM)m telling you about! Poppy is just so lovely. - -You do love Katie, don -(TM)t you? - -I love her so much, she appeared that first day and I think we must have clicked right then, because I can -(TM)t think of a sensible reason why she risked catching something by kissing me. - -There -(TM)s definitely something about Katie, because Poppy fell for her immediately as well. - -She -(TM)s so loving, and her eyes, they just pull you in, so do Belle -(TM)s. I love Belle, she -(TM)s just such an immense bundle of cuteness, but she -(TM)s not like Katie. With Katie I feel whole, you know. - -That -(TM)s exactly what Poppy feels about Belle. And it -(TM)s why you shouldn -(TM)t be worried about losing Katie. They were almost perfect together, but not quite perfect enough. Like a jigsaw piece that looks right but doesn -(TM)t quite fit. - -Thank you Alex, I feel so much better now. - Lia went upstairs while Jenny followed me back to the kitchen as I cleared away the breakfast things. -That was a great talk Alex, almost as good as Helen. - -Funnily enough, that -(TM)s what Belle said yesterday after I had a word with her about much the same thing. - -Oh really, what was she worried about? - -She was terrified Poppy wanted Katie back, so terrified she hasn -(TM)t been sleeping. - -Oh gosh, the poor thing, and she hasn -(TM)t said anything. - -No, I only found out by accident as we were talking and she said she spent the night looking at Poppy -(TM)s boobs, and we got talking. You mustn -(TM)t say anything though. She doesn -(TM)t want Poppy to know. She slept fine last night, I checked, she -(TM)s happy now. - -She looked so pretty this morning in her uniform, and her hair so neat. Poppy -(TM)s hair was lovely as well, with the cute ribbons. - -Belle did Poppy -(TM)s hair over breakfast, before Katie and Lia came down. They had their own little meltdown this morning as well. - -Oh gosh, what about. I feel bad for missing out because I slept in again. - -Don -(TM)t you worry about it, you didn -(TM)t sleep at all yesterday. Anyway, we were talking about something, and the subject of Poppy -(TM)s injuries came up, and Belle told me she -(TM)d not talked to Poppy about them, she had no idea how bad she -(TM)d been, and Poppy entered at that moment. She checked that Belle really did want to know what happened, and then she told her. Belle didn -(TM)t handle it well, so they had a cry. - -Oh my, they looked OK as they left. - -Oh yes, it -(TM)s all cleared up, they -(TM)ve decided that nothing bad will happen to Poppy now, as Belle has Krav Maga skills. - -Belle is so funny, she -(TM)s like Scrappy Doo. - -To be fair, she did deck Jade so quickly nobody saw what happened. - -True, she did. Oh yeah, I -(TM)ve noticed something the last couple days, since Lia arrived. - -What -(TM)s that? - -They call you dad now, and I -(TM)m mum. I don -(TM)t know if it -(TM)s subconscious because Lia -(TM)s an adult and calls us Alex and Jenny, so they differentiate themselves by calling us mum and dad. - -I -(TM)d noticed that, but not made the connection. - -I -(TM)m not saying I -(TM)m right, but I think it -(TM)s interesting. Anyway, I -(TM)ve got to get going in a minute, what are your plans for today? - -We -(TM)re going to look at the office buildings we showed you last night. Get a picture of them in the flesh, so to speak, and see what work is involved building them, because they come flat-packed. - -Oh exciting, I guess we -(TM)ll be giving Ernie some more work. - -I guess we will. - There -(TM)s no simple way to get from home to the part of Teddington we needed, so I booked an Uber to get us there, we -(TM)d take a slower way back via Finsbury, so we could have a chat with Jeremy. I wasn -(TM)t quite prepared for the garden buildings -(TM) office, I suppose I just expected an office, not unlike an estate agents. What we saw before us was a huge plot of land with dozens of cabins dotted around, the nearest one to the entrance being the actual office. -Well, I guess I -(TM)ll get to see exactly what I -(TM)m getting, - Lia whispered to me as we entered the front office. We were greeted by elderly man who introduced himself as the founder and owner of the company, and we were immediately reassured by his warm and friendly manner. -Hello, I -(TM)m Stanley, how can we help you today. - I let Lia speak, it -(TM)s going to be her office, so she can lead the purchase. -Hi, I -(TM)m Lia, this is my guardian, Alex. I -(TM)m looking for a garden office where I can run my sisters -(TM) charity. - -A charity you say, let -(TM)s have a wander around the site while you tell me about your charity. Oh, do be careful outside, last night -(TM)s rain means it -(TM)s a little muddy under foot. - -Don -(TM)t you worry about me, last week I was sleeping outside in the rain. - -Ahh, I wonder, are you connected to the young girls who were on the television at the weekend? - Lia turned to me, -were Poppy and Belle on the telly? - -Oh yes, so much is happening right now we -(TM)re forgetting things. Yes, they were presented with an award at the weekend, they were interviewed on the weekend news. - -That -(TM)s amazing, I shall make them show me the interview tonight, - Lia replied brightly before turning back to Stanley, -so, to answer your question, yes, I am connected to the young girls who were on the telly, they -(TM)re my sisters Poppy and Belle. - Lia excitedly explained the charity -(TM)s aims to Stanley as we walked to the back of the lot, she told him what her role was, and how she expected the charity to function, the food waste interception project, the kitchens, the plan to distribute personal hygiene products and little treats. She -(TM)d had a new idea yesterday that she -(TM)d not spoken to Poppy about yet, logging all the street kids -(TM) birthdays, as best as they could remember them at any rate, and giving them a card and present on, or as close to their birthday as they could manage. Stanley was hugely impressed with Lia -(TM)s presentation. -I -(TM)m guessing that seeing as you were on the streets last week, you -(TM)ve only recently been made privy to this charity. - -Well, the whole thing is new, it -(TM)s not even properly off the ground yet. - -But you spoke so eloquently about their aims, it means a lot to you. Same with your sisters, Poppy and Belle? - -Yes, if you saw them on TV, Poppy is the older of the two, with the chestnut hair, she -(TM)s such a hero. Belle is the younger one, with black hair, she -(TM)s so cute. - -I was most impressed with how well Belle spoke, for such a young girl she was very well spoken. You -(TM)re all very passionate about your work. - We -(TM)d reached the back of the lot without slipping in the mud, here we were amongst some of the more ordinary looking sheds that Belle had seen first on the website. -What exactly are you looking for in a garden office? - -Ahh, well, I -(TM)d like it to be big enough for two desks at least, because Alex works from home, he -(TM)s an author. So it would be nice if he could keep me company during the day. I -(TM)d like big windows so I can watch the birds in the trees, and I -(TM)m sure I saw a squirrel yesterday. I -(TM)d like room to store books and things, and maybe a radiator would be nice in winter. - -I see, so two desks and large windows rule out these few, so we -(TM)ll step forwards a little. These models here, - he indicted the next row of buildings. -are our most popular, they can accommodate two people, but don -(TM)t give a huge amount of room for storage. I -(TM)m guessing as this will be a working office you -(TM)ll need space for things like a printer and filing, so we -(TM)ll move on. - The next row looked bigger than the model we -(TM)d looked at online, I paced the first one out, it was just a little longer, but significantly deeper. -I think you -(TM)ll like this model, - Stanley told us, -step inside, don -(TM)t worry about muddy shoes, the floor is very easy to keep clean. - The front of the cabin had two very big windows, one of which was a sliding door. -The big sliding window is very handy in summer, - he told us as we stepped though it and into the large cabin. It was set out as an office for three people, a large desk on one side with shelving fixed to the wall behind, and a printer on a cupboard against the side wall. The other side of the cabin was filled by two smaller desks facing each other, more shelves and a filing cabinet. The space was very well used. The walls were blonde wood, giving the whole place a light and airy feel. Lia was beaming, she sat behind the big desk and pretended to work on the fake laptop placed there to make it look more office-like. -I love it, and I have an idea, instead of two desks there, we could have a big table, for meetings, and, yeah, four people would work at the same table with laptops, the girls could use it for homework in summer, with the window open and some music playing. Oh yes, this is perfect. - -You -(TM)ll have lots of questions about building and setting up things like computers that are way beyond me, so I -(TM)ll leave you for a moment to look around while I lasso one of my salespeople and send them down to help you. When they arrive, please show them this card, they -(TM)ll know what to do with the price then. - Stanley gave Lia a black card, all it said on it was VIP in silver script. -I wonder what this means, - Lia pondered as she flipped it over, the reverse was blank. -I -(TM)ve no idea, I guess we -(TM)ll find out shortly. - -What do you think of the colour? It -(TM)s bright, but a bit bland. Do you think it comes in different colours, or do we paint it ourselves? - -I imagine that -(TM)s one of the questions the salesperson can answer, along with how we get the internet in here. I love your meeting table idea by the way, and your birthday present idea, Poppy was so right about you being the perfect person to manage the project. - -Thank you, this is all so exciting. I -(TM)m really buzzing to get started working properly. - It was a few moments before a salesperson arrived, introducing herself as JoJo, she didn -(TM)t look much older than Lia, dressed in a grey turtleneck sweater, black jeans and patent leather Doc Marten boots. -One of my daughters would kill for those boots, - I told her, -they didn -(TM)t have her size when we last went shoe shopping. - -I love them, they literally go with everything in my wardrobe. So, gramps said you wanted this model cabin, but you have some questions... - -Oh, Stanley is your grandad, that -(TM)s great, - Lia replied, -he gave me this to show you. - -Ahh, the VIP card, he must like you, he only hands these to the special customers. - -What does it mean? - -It means you get everything half price and we help with the build. You just have to lay the concrete base at least a week before we arrive. - -Oh really, that -(TM)s amazing, thank you. - Lia replied. -So, you have questions? - I started, -well, firstly, how do we get power and network to the cabin? - -We -(TM)ll give you a detailed set of instructions on that, normally customers dig a trench across the garden, run the cables in a plastic pipe and pour the concrete over the pipe, with the pipe sticking out of the base at the back. There -(TM)s connections on the back wall of the cabin for power and network, and phone if you need it. - -What if I want the walls inside a different colour, can you paint them before delivery? - -We didn -(TM)t used to, but so many customers requested different colours, we now offer to spray the walls any colour you like, just give us the RAL code for the colour you want, and we -(TM)ll do the rest. - -Thanks, I -(TM)ll talk to my sisters, I -(TM)m sure none of us will be able to agree so I -(TM)ll go for a light purple or something. - -How many sisters have you got. - -Three, but we -(TM)re not related or anything, not really, we -(TM)re waifs and strays collected by Alex and Jenny, and I can -(TM)t thank them enough for what they -(TM)ve done to ensure our safety. - -Now I -(TM)m curious. I -(TM)ll tell you what, let -(TM)s go through the options, work up a price and schedule, then you can tell me everything over lunch. Does that work for you? - -That sounds perfect, err ... what are the options? - Lia asked. -There -(TM)s loads, like the type of the window frames, whether you want the sliding door or a regular door, the regular door is more secure... - -We live in Wimbledon... - -I guess the sliding door will be fine then. We can fit ceiling speakers, they -(TM)re connected to a Bluetooth receiver, so you don -(TM)t have to worry about wires and stuff for your music. There -(TM)s a basic network switch in a box on the rear wall, you can swap this for a more enterprise model, or lose it entirely if you choose the WiFi only option, which means you only need to run power from the house. - -How do we get the WiFi into the cabin, - I asked, -I don -(TM)t have a great signal at the bottom of the garden. - -You fit a transmitter to the house, and there -(TM)s a receiver on the outside of the cabin, it -(TM)s very easy to set up. They -(TM)re about the size of a pack of cards, so they -(TM)re very discrete. - We spent about 30 minutes discussing the details, towards the end of the meeting I phoned Ernie to see if he was available to lay the base and help with the build. He asked to speak with JoJo so I put the phone on speaker, they chatted for five minutes about the specification for the concrete base, the details about the fixings used to secure the cabin to the base, the location for the power connector etc. -I -(TM)ll come round in the morning to measure up for the base, - he told me after he -(TM)d finished with JoJo, -I -(TM)ll pop in and see the people about that network thingy, I may as well fix the unit to the house ready. I -(TM)ll talk to my brother Mick, he can do the electrics, and he knows a bit about networks. - -Nice one Ernie, I -(TM)ll be around all day tomorrow, pop round any time. - JoJo had a calculator out as I finished my call, adding up the itemised bill for the cabin, she wrote a figure at the bottom and slid the paper across to me. The final bill, even after the customisations Lia requested, was significantly below the price of the basic, smaller model we -(TM)d looked at online. JoJo saw me hesitate before signing the order and misunderstood me, -so, this is the absolute best price we can do. - -Ahh, sorry, I -(TM)m not worried about the price at all, I was fully prepared to pay the prices we -(TM)d seen online. I -(TM)d already weighed up the cost compared to renting office space. No, I -(TM)m just thinking about whether I pay this from my regular account and get my accountant to sort out the tax stuff for the charity, or I pay it from the charity -(TM)s funds. Ahh, bugger it, I -(TM)ll stick it on my card and let my accountant worry about it. - -Fantastic, we -(TM)ll need to pop up to the office to pay the deposit, then we -(TM)ll ask for the balance once you -(TM)re happy with the build. - Twenty minutes later we were in a pub down the road and Lia was chatting to JoJo about the aims of the charity while I ordered drinks and food. -I see, so all your sisters were homeless? - JoJo was asking as I returned to the table. -Oh no, Katie has a family, they just hated her because she -(TM)s gay, and her mother was about to start work on a cruise ship and dump her in a boarding school, changing schools right in the middle of her GCSE year. - -Oh man, that -(TM)s harsh. How did you get to know Katie? - -She was dating my other sister, Poppy, at the time. - -So, Katie is also Poppy -(TM)s girlfriend, this is crazy, but I love it. - -Hahaha, well you -(TM)ll love this more, because it -(TM)s way more crazy than that. - -I -(TM)m listening... - -Katie is my girlfriend now, because Katie helped Poppy find the true love of her life, Belle. - -She -(TM)s the third sister, right? - -Yes, but they -(TM)re not actually my sisters if that makes sense. Poppy, Belle and Katie have all been adopted. I -(TM)m 18, so Alex hasn -(TM)t adopted me. - -If you feel a kinship with them, then they -(TM)re your sisters in my book. - -Oh definitely. - -So, what -(TM)s it like having four teenage daughters? - -Well, I think my experience is less than typical, because they -(TM)re all so well adjusted and respectful of each other. Yeah we -(TM)ve had trauma over the last few weeks, because the girls have all lived through horrors, but they help each other through them. Frankly, Poppy behaves like Belle -(TM)s mother sometimes, so we don -(TM)t have to look after her at all. - JoJo was smiling, -I bet my dad wishes I was like your girls when I was their age. The poor guy, I terrorised him, I did everything I could to rebel, fighting, smoking, coming home drunk with unsuitable boys. Shit, I thought I was pregnant when I was 14, luckily it was just indigestion, that was a lesson I should have learnt from, but I was stupid. - -I would never have thought you were a bad person, you seem so nice. - -There -(TM)s a misspelt tattoo on my arse as evidence that I was an absolute twat for a few years. It took a weekend in a police cell to straighten me out. - -Seriously! - Lia gasped, -what happened? - -I got drunk and stole a car, I didn -(TM)t get far though, I crashed it at the end of the street. It -(TM)s a miracle I didn -(TM)t kill myself. I was arrested and dad refused to bail me out, so I was held until my court appearance. - -What happened in court? - -I was banned from driving for two years, which was weird as I didn -(TM)t even have a driving licence, I still don -(TM)t. I also got a fine that dad refused to pay, so I worked weekends on the market earning money to pay my fine. - -How -(TM)s your relationship with your dad now? - I asked. -Great actually, because that crash woke me up. I guess I -(TM)d have come to my senses at some point anyway, but crashing a stolen car is better than ending up in hospital with a drugs overdose or getting pregnant and not knowing who the dad is. - Lia nodded in response, -true, very true. I saw a lot of girls die from drugs on the streets. Poppy nearly did, twice, but I didn -(TM)t know her then. - -I work with dad, gramps, a couple of uncles and several cousins. We -(TM)re all family at work. - -Oh, really. An office romance would be awkward, - Lia muttered. -Oh shit, it so would. I really fancy one of my cousins as well, it -(TM)s so awkward. - -Does he like you? - -She... - -Ahh, does she like you? - -I -(TM)ve no idea, she -(TM)s married anyway. - Our food arrived, cutting off that line of conversation. JoJo, who -(TM)d ordered a Caesar Salad, looked enviously at Lia -(TM)s Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. -Do you want half my sandwich? - Lia asked, -seriously, I need to save room for apple pie. - -Are you sure? - -Absolutely, you can -(TM)t survive on salad. - -I hate my life sometimes, - JoJo whispered, -I -(TM)m a model part time, and my agent weighs me every time I go to see him, if I -(TM)ve put in an ounce he screams at me. - -Well dump him and find a better agent, - I told her, -there -(TM)s no reason why a model should be unnaturally skinny. - I pulled out my phone and flipped though my camera roll, -here -(TM)s my sister, she -(TM)s a model. - -Oh my god! Helen Taylor is your sister, oh fuck, she -(TM)s so gorgeous. Yeah, she -(TM)s got a proper figure, I so wish I could just be natural, but Gerald, he -(TM)s my agent, he only likes girls who look like pre-teen boys, it -(TM)s weird. Does she have an agent, maybe I could speak to them. - -Helen works for herself, she does very little modelling nowadays. - -Can I be really cheeky? - -Of course, be as cheeky as you like. - -Can you, like, arrange a meeting with your sister, I -(TM)d love to speak to a professional, get some advice off her. - -That -(TM)s not even slightly a problem, - I told her as took my phone back and dialled. -Hey Helen, how -(TM)s it going? - -Oh, hey Alex, thanks for ringing, you just woke me up. - -Ahh, I -(TM)m sorry. - -Don -(TM)t be, I shouldn -(TM)t be in bed, it -(TM)s past noon. We talked until about 4 in the morning, everything is straight, I asked Nita to marry me, she said yes, then we went to bed, to sleep. - -That -(TM)s amazing, I -(TM)m glad you got everything sorted. Anyway, in other news, how would you like to be a mentor? - -A mentor? Who -(TM)ve you adopted now? - -Hahaha, I -(TM)ve not adopted anyone. Lia and I are having lunch with an aspiring model, she -(TM)s with an agent who likes the pre-pubescent boy look... - -Oh fuck Alex, you know how much I hate agents like that. Where are you? - -We won -(TM)t be here by the time you -(TM)re dressed... - -Ahh yes. - -And she -(TM)s got to get back to work soon. - -Ask her what time she finishes. -(TM) -Helen wants to know what time you finish work. - -Err, 5 o -(TM)clock. - -Did you hear that? - -Yeah, give her my address, tell her to come round and we can have a chat. - I cut the call and pulled out a pen and some paper, -Helen says you -(TM)re welcome to pop round to her house after work, she has a very deep hatred of people like your agent. Here -(TM)s her address and phone number. - -Seriously, she wants to see me? - -Absolutely, Helen has one mission in life, and that -(TM)s to use her experience to help others. - JoJo checked her watch, -oh shit, I -(TM)ve really got to get back to work soon. Thank you both so, so much. Please, pop round again, bring your sisters next time. - -Here, take half my sandwich, - Lia said as JoJo stood to put her coat on, -eat it on the way. - -You -(TM)re an angel, I -(TM)ll so enjoy eating this. - -Wow, she was so lovely, - Lia said after JoJo had dashed off, -you would never guess someone so pretty and well-spoken had been so wild. - -What about Poppy? - -Oh yeah, she -(TM)s really well-spoken, she can sound proper posh at times too. - -Exactly, never judge a book by its cover. - Lia finished her diet coke, -I kind of want to see her misspelt tattoo. - -Do you want to see the tattoo, or her arse. - -Mmm, both I think, - she replied with a smile. We got the train over to Finsbury, I phoned Jeremy to let him know we were on our way, he apologetically asked for a couple of bags of coal from the hardware store. Lia was happy carrying two bags of coal, so we grabbed a couple each and walked up the road to the abandoned house that served as Jeremy -(TM)s HQ. He must have some kind of lookout posted elsewhere on the street, because once again the door opened before I had chance to knock. -Oh man, this is so great, it -(TM)ll keep the place warm for a week or so, - Jeremy said as he took the bags off Lia as we stepped into the cold, dark house. He led us into the lounge and started to build a fire as we helped ourselves to drinks from the flasks on the table. -So great to see you Lia, - he called over his shoulder as he tried to get the damp newspapers to burn. -And you Jeremy, you -(TM)re looking well. - -I -(TM)m fully vegan now, I finally cut dairy out of my diet, I feel great, - he replied as he fanned the small fire until it caught properly, -so, how are you enjoying life with Alex and his family? - -It -(TM)s great so far, I can -(TM)t believe how nice it is being in a family. Everyone is so accepting. - -And you -(TM)re getting along with Katie? - -You know about me and Katie? - -I know everything, - Jeremy chuckled as he wiped the coal dust from his hands onto a dirty towel, -I spoke to Helen yesterday, she told me. - -We -(TM)re getting along great, she -(TM)s so warm and friendly, and so pretty, but I guess you know that. - -I do, all you girls are stunning. - -Which caused a problem for Belle on Monday, - Lia told him. -Oh really, what kind of problem? - So Lia filled Jeremy in on the brief fight after school, and Belle -(TM)s immediate one day suspension. -Ahh, I see, so Belle did learn how to protect herself. I always worried that she was too dependent on Poppy -(TM)s protection, it seems I worried unnecessarily. - -I learnt a lot of martial arts while I was on the streets, I -(TM)m happy to give Belle some more formal training. - -Thanks Lia, I hope it won -(TM)t be necessary now, but it -(TM)ll be good just to give Belle some peace of mind. - Once Jeremy was happy with the fire, he poured himself a coffee and we discussed where we were at with the charity, Lia -(TM)s role managing the funds and the volunteers, Belle -(TM)s role managing the kitchens, Poppy -(TM)s role as figurehead and street liaison, Jeremy -(TM)s role intercepting supplies. -On a related note, I -(TM)m sure we could use charity funds to get the power back on here, - I said, -if you -(TM)re playing a significant role we can legitimately claim this place is one of our offices. - -Thanks, but there -(TM)s no point, we -(TM)ll have to move out soon, the guy who owns this whole row has just sold all the houses to a developer. The 20 houses are being turned into flats. So, I -(TM)m having to find a new operations base for our work. I think I -(TM)ll get something closer to the centre of the city. - -I always wondered why you were so far away from the action, so to speak, - I replied. -Ahh, that -(TM)s simple, I live round here, two streets over. Although, due to my desire to keep my multiple lives physically and emotionally separate, I -(TM)m afraid I can -(TM)t let you know where I live. - -And that is completely understandable, - I assured him, -your family life is precious. - -I thank you for being so understanding, as always. - -You mentioned before you -(TM)d spoken to Helen, was that about the fire? - -Yes, it was. She wanted to know if we -(TM)d checked about any of her films, it took a little effort to get the information out of the guy, as he didn -(TM)t recognise either of the names she gave me. Seems she needn -(TM)t have worried, he had no idea she was famous and so the videos he -(TM)d taken without her permission had never been uploaded to their servers. We saw a clip of one video, it was nowhere near as grim as the videos of Poppy. - -Oh gosh, - Lia cried, -were Poppy -(TM)s videos bad. - -Very, very bad. The courts have a 10-tier system of classification for child pornography, some of this stuff was solidly in level 10. I -(TM)ve seen some bad shit in my time doing this work, what that kid survived during those sessions made me cry. I was going to have my guys just shoot the bastard, but we decided he needed to suffer like she did. You just caught the end of that in the video I sent you. - -How long did he suffer? - I asked, not sure if I wanted to know the answer. -A couple of days... - Jeremy muttered, he turned his attention to the fire, but not before I caught some tears in his eyes at the memory of what he -(TM)d seen in the films. -So, Helen was in the clear all along? - -Yes, and as far as we can tell, Poppy is now. Although my guy Terry has some screenshots from both Poppy and Helen -(TM)s films that he -(TM)s using to search the deep web. This is beyond me, but he knows what he -(TM)s doing. Every time he finds footage, he -(TM)s going to remotely initiate a secure wipe of the server. It -(TM)s an aggressive tactic, but completely necessary. He -(TM)s also got some more generic photos of Helen and he -(TM)s going try to find other films of hers, then we -(TM)ll see about removing them from the internet. - -You can do that? - Lia asked, -find films and destroy the computers? - -Apparently so, although we won -(TM)t destroy the computers, just the data on the hard drives. Don -(TM)t ask me how. - -If I got you some photos of me when I was younger, could he look for me, please, I always worry that my bastard brothers filmed me being raped. - -Of course, and the offer still stands about your family, I -(TM)m more than happy to send money to some people in prison to do your brothers some serious harm. - -OK, if there -(TM)s films out there, they need to pay, and my dad. - -We know where your dad is, I -(TM)ve been watching him for the past year. - -Really? Why? - -Because he -(TM)s been picking up young girls. So far none have been underage, and none have been hurt much, and they -(TM)ve all been paid. I don -(TM)t like it, but if I wade in on every guy who slaps the working girls around, I -(TM)ll be too busy beating people up to get my day job done. - -I know what you mean, I know that -(TM)s the kind of work that Poppy did, although, she -(TM)s underage, and if you -(TM)ve been watching my dad... - -Yes, I know where you -(TM)re going there. I -(TM)m not aware that he -(TM)s ever touched Poppy. If he has, then he -(TM)s dead, he just doesn -(TM)t know it yet. - Lia thought for a moment, -you really love Poppy, don -(TM)t you? - -It -(TM)s not fair to have favourites, but if I did have one, then she -(TM)d be my favourite. - -Why is she so special to you? - -You -(TM)ve met her right, you make your mind up. - -Well, she -(TM)s incredibly sexy, but I know that -(TM)s not why you help us. - -She -(TM)s special to me, has been from the first time I met her. I -(TM)m not going to debate it further. - -Fair enough, I -(TM)m not going to argue about why she -(TM)s special because I -(TM)ve felt her aura. - Lia was silent for a moment, then she asked -do you think my dad is a danger to girls. Is there a noticeable change in behaviour, like worse damage, younger girls? - -Not that I -(TM)ve noticed, but I -(TM)ll ask the guys watching him. - -If he goes for anyone younger than me, kill him, but make it quick. - -Ok, and your brothers? - -Yeah, if you find films ... Oh fuck it, I can -(TM)t believe I -(TM)m saying this, but please, do your thing. - Jeremy pulled out his phone and dialled a number from memory, -hey, that Lia business, do it ... yep, all of them. - He put the phone away, -sorted, your dad will be quick, your brothers less so. - -My brothers are big bastards, I don -(TM)t want your guys to get hurt. - -They -(TM)re not my guys, they -(TM)re brutal fighters who live for blood, I have no feelings for them one way or another. - -Ahh, OK. About my films, I have some photos at home, if I scan them in and send them over, will that be enough? - -I imagine so, if not I -(TM)m sure Terry will get in touch and ask for more. - -Brilliant, I guess. Is it ok that I feel really bad about what I -(TM)ve just asked you to do? - -It -(TM)s perfectly natural, at the end of the day, they -(TM)re family. Something I see day in day out is the terrible truth that most abuse happens within families, and that family tie means it -(TM)s difficult for victims to condemn their abusers. - -I guess, - Lia said quietly, then she looked at me, -can we go home now please? - -Of course, we -(TM)ll get some cake on the way. - Back home Lia went straight upstairs to try on a couple of t-shirts she -(TM)d bought in a charity shop, while I made some coffee. 15-minutes later Lia hadn -(TM)t returned, so I took her coffee upstairs. I heard her crying as I reached her bedroom door, I knocked. Lia sniffed and said I could enter. -I, err ... brought you coffee. - She gave me a weak smile and patted the pillow beside her, -hop aboard. - I passed Lia the mug and kicked off my shoes as I slipped onto the bed. Lia held the mug in both hands as she slipped it slowly. I waited for her to gather whatever thoughts had brought on the tears. -You know, I -(TM)m not sorry about what will happen to my brothers, or my dad, they were utter bastards who killed my mum then did horrible things to me. - She took another sip of her coffee before setting the mug aside, she rested her head on my shoulder, tears slowly running down her cheek and onto my sweater. I put my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, I gave her has much time as she needed. -I really don -(TM)t care whether any of my family live or die, and that -(TM)s why I -(TM)m upset. Something inside me is dead, I feel nothing for them. - -That part of you that feels this way, it -(TM)s not your fault, they killed it. - -I don -(TM)t want to be dead inside, - she cried. -I don -(TM)t believe you -(TM)re dead inside... - -I must be, my whole family is about to be killed, and I don -(TM)t care. - -But your family were monsters, they killed your mum and would have killed you in a heartbeat once they got bored or found someone else. Just because you don -(TM)t feel anything for them doesn -(TM)t mean you -(TM)re a bad person Lia. And you are not dead inside, you -(TM)re a loving, kind woman who just happened to be born into a shit family. - Lia lifted her head and looked into my eyes, -even after what I just said, you think I -(TM)m a kind, loving woman? - -Yep. Would you describe Poppy as kind and loving? - -Oh yes, just look at what she -(TM)s doing, and how she treats Belle, she -(TM)s pure love. - -She gave Jeremy a list of names, knowing full well they -(TM)d die a horrible death. - -Ahh, but were any family? - -A couple of them could be her dad, we -(TM)ve still no idea who he is, but Nikki -(TM)s pimp and dealer are good candidates. - Lia put her head back on my shoulder, cuddling up close, -this is nice, can I stay here for a bit? - -Of course, you can cuddle me as long as you like. - -I -(TM)m starting to feel a bit better, but I need to think for a while. - I stayed as still as I could as I felt Lia relax, her breathing slowed and soon she was asleep, so I carefully slipped back against the headboard and prayed I wouldn -(TM)t need to use the bathroom before she woke. I carefully checked my watch, not too long before the girls would be home. Thankfully they were reasonably quiet when they arrived home. I heard the hall cupboard open as they discarded their coats, then quick feet on the stairs. Katie ran into the room, she let out a little gasp as she saw us, the gasp attracted her sisters, who were about to speak until they saw Lia was asleep. They came closer and I whispered that we -(TM)d tell them later, Belle put her mouth to my ear, -she looks so gorgeous like that. It -(TM)s her turn to cook, but I -(TM)ll do it if you help me with my English homework. - I had to chuckle at that, but I agreed to help her, so she and Poppy left the room and Katie changed out of her uniform into casual clothes as silently as possible. She carefully kissed Lia -(TM)s forehead before crossing the landing to start her homework. It was about half an hour before Lia stirred, -ohh, I guess I was comfy if I fell asleep. Have the girls got home from school yet? - -They -(TM)re home, and they -(TM)ve been in and seen you, Katie even got changed and kissed you. - -Really, oh man, I must have been completely zonked. I hope I didn -(TM)t give you a dead shoulder from leaning on you. - -I -(TM)m sure I -(TM)ll be fine, in a day or two. - Lia touched my cheek, so I turned to look at her, then she shocked me, she brought her lips to mine and kissed me. Not just a quick peck either, a proper, long kiss. Our lips parted, she brushed her tongue across my teeth, just once, but it was obvious she was kissing on her own terms, this wasn -(TM)t something she thought I expected for being kind. We parted, breathless. -You -(TM)re a fantastic, kind man, - she gasped, -one day... - is all she said before she jumped off the bed to use her bathroom. I left the room quietly, so she wouldn -(TM)t be embarrassed when she came out. Katie saw me leaving and pulled me into their study, -is she OK? - -Mostly, - I replied, working out what to tell them without going into details, -we went to see Jeremy, and she made a decision, I can -(TM)t really tell you any more than that. Please don -(TM)t grill her, I -(TM)m sure she -(TM)ll tell you once she -(TM)s got things fixed in her head. - -You -(TM)ve got lipstick on, - Belle giggled, -did she kiss you? - -She did, and she also soaked my good sweater with tears, so I -(TM)m going to get changed. - -And have a wash, or mum will be wondering who kissed you. - -It can -(TM)t be any of us, - Poppy added, -that shade only suits Lia. - -Does it suit me, - I asked. -Not really, - she replied, -but Lia suits you. - -What do you mean? - -You looked really good together, - Katie said, -she -(TM)s a good kisser isn -(TM)t she. - -She is, I hope you -(TM)re not upset. - -Oh gosh no, as long as I can kiss mum sometimes you can kiss Lia any time you like. - -I -(TM)m fairly sure Jenny will be happy with that arrangement. - -We really are the best family ever! -(TM) Belle cried. -Definitely the best family I -(TM)ve ever had, - Poppy agreed. -What was your family like, Dad? - Katie asked, -was it fun at home? - -Well, our parents were much older than us, they -(TM)d both had careers before they married. Mum was in her early 30 -(TM)s when she met dad, and dad was in his mid-40 -(TM)s. They were good parents, we wanted for nothing. Helen and I went to good schools, we went on good family holidays, as you -(TM)d expect with dad -(TM)s job. They weren -(TM)t fun parents though... - -Were they dementors, like Katie -(TM)s mum? - Belle asked. -Gosh no, mum could be fun, Helen got on with her really well, but we didn -(TM)t go out for fun day trips to the zoo and stuff, we -(TM)d go to galleries and museums. Which were very useful from an educational point of view, but it would have been nice to go somewhere like Alton Towers at least once. - -So, what did you do at home, did you watch films and play music? - -Dad was a film buff, he had a big collection of films. He loved Gregory Peck and Humphrey Bogart films, and he had a lot of westerns. We didn -(TM)t have much music playing though. Mum loved Abba and Madonna, she played them when dad was out, but he couldn -(TM)t stand music when he was working, so we had to be quiet if he was working at home. - -Is that why you -(TM)re like you are, to be different to your dad? - -Maybe, but until you all arrived I wasn -(TM)t like this. - -Surely you were, - Poppy replied, -you have all that music, and the films, and your books are quite fun. - -David Harris -(TM)s books are quite fun, I -(TM)m definitely putting that on my next book, - I teased. Poppy slapped me playfully, -Stop it, you know what I mean. - -I do, and I guess to a certain extent you -(TM)re right, Helen and myself, we -(TM)re different to our parents, although you -(TM)d have to check with Helen, because like I said, she was close to mum, and they spent a lot of time together. If we all took after our parents nothing would change. Today -(TM)s society is very different to the one my parents were born into. We -(TM)re more tolerant on the whole, yeah there -(TM)s pockets of racists still, and a section of society who will never accept women as equals, but mostly, people today will allow everyone to express themselves in any way they wish, and I -(TM)ve tried hard to understand how you all think, because before you moved in Poppy I had almost zero experience of teenage girls. - -But Helen was a teenager once. - -True, she was, but when she was your age, I was at university, so we only really spent time together during the holidays, and by that time she was with mum a lot. She started modelling almost full time when she was 16. - -What kind of modelling did she do then? - Belle asked. -You -(TM)d have to ask her, she was always well developed, so I guess she was doing lingerie and swimsuit kind of shoots. - -Didn -(TM)t you have a girlfriend at school? You know, someone like us? - Katie asked. -I went to a boys -(TM) school, and we lived in a village, so once I got home from school there was no one my age around to meet up with. - -Aww, that -(TM)s a shame. - Belle sympathised, -Did you fancy Helen when you were younger? - I had to laugh at that, only Belle could ask such a question. -I honestly have never even considered that. I -(TM)m older than her by a few years, so when I was 15 and thinking about girls she was still in primary school. I -(TM)ll admit that when I look back at her old photos, she was a very beautiful girl, but no, I didn -(TM)t lust after her back then. - -So, you genuinely only got together with her recently? - -Absolutely, from us becoming close after I finished university and moved back to London, she -(TM)s been strictly gay, so I never even thought about her in a romantic way. - -Cool, so it -(TM)s down to us that you got together at long last. - -It -(TM)s entirely down to you Poppy. - -What is? - Lia asked as she entered the room, make-up fixed and wearing a fresh t-shirt, she looked beautiful. -Alex -(TM)s affair with Helen, it -(TM)s my fault apparently, - Poppy answered with a smile as Lia hugged Katie. -Ahh, getting his excuse ready for when the authorities come for him, smart. Anyway, who wants to help me burn food? - -I -(TM)ve already offered to cook, - Belle replied, -that way we don -(TM)t have to wave tea-towels at smoke alarms to stop the bleeping. - -You can help me then, I was thinking I really fancied some chips, do we have a chip pan? - -We do, - I told her, -it -(TM)s in the back of the cupboard with the other pans. Please turn on the extractor over the hob, I don -(TM)t want the house smelling like a chippy. - -If Belle doesn -(TM)t watch me closely the smell will be the least of your worries. If we survive, I -(TM)ll reward you with the story of what happened earlier. - Jenny arrived as they were making dinner, she looked a little flustered as she closed the front door. -Is Lia about? - she whispered. -Yeah, she -(TM)s cooking with Belle. - -Lia honey, - Jenny spoke as we entered the kitchen, -where -(TM)s your brother being held? - -Which one? - -Err, I guess all of them. - -Jayden -(TM)s in Belmarsh, because he put a guard in hospital when he was in Wormwood Scrubs. Malky is in Scrubs, Jordie is in Brixton. - -Ahh, Jordie -(TM)s real name is Michael Jordon Jackson? - -Yes, why? - -I -(TM)m afraid he was stabbed to death about an hour ago. - Lia fell forwards, Belle caught her quickly and helped her over to the table. -Oh fuck, really? That was quick work. - -What do you mean? - Jenny asked. Lia turned to Belle, -err, I guess you should get the others, we -(TM)ll have the talk now. - -Should I turn the pan off? Will this take long. - -Turn it off Belle, I -(TM)ll take us all out for dinner, we can have chips out. - -Nooo, I -(TM)ll make us chips when we -(TM)re done talking. - -Ok, you can cook, just get Poppy and Katie. - Soon we were all around the table, Lia reached across and held Katie -(TM)s hands. -We had a word with Jeremy earlier, - she started, -you know, introducing me as finance and admin girl, getting an update on preparations and stuff. After we -(TM)d finished, we spoke about other matters, and the subject of my family came up. It seems my dad is spending time looking at young girls in parks and paying for young looking prostitutes. Jeremy again offered to deal with my family, so I agreed. - -This would be dealing with them in the same manner as he dealt with Poppy -(TM)s attackers, - Jenny asked, knowing the answer before she -(TM)d even asked. -Yes, and it seems he had people ready and waiting to start. - -Why start with Jordie, - Katie asked, -I thought Jayden was the main offender? - Lia smiled weakly and gave Katie -(TM)s hands a squeeze, -he was, but he -(TM)s in Belmarsh, that -(TM)s a really high security prison, so he won -(TM)t be easy to get to. Jordie was in Brixton, which is a Category C prison, the guys in there are out of their cells most of the day. I -(TM)d imagine it would be easy for someone to arrange a fight. - -That -(TM)s what happened, we got a call to send support as there -(TM)s now a riot going on. - -Oh god, - Lia cried, -I hope Jeremy -(TM)s guy is OK. - -I -(TM)ll check with him later, - Jenny said, -now, I -(TM)m going to ask a question, and I want a serious answer from all of you, because some day someone is going to put two and two together and realise a lot of people connected with you girls are dying of unnatural causes. - All the girls looked serious as Jenny stared at each of them in turn. -Poppy, is everyone that did you harm gone? - Poppy thought for a few moments, she looked sad as she answered, -I think so, but I -(TM)ve still got gaps in my memory. Like, I -(TM)ve no idea what happened to me most of the time between letting Belle go with Flower and me ending up being gang raped, and that -(TM)s like a month or more. - -More like three months, - Belle said quietly. -Fuck, really? - -Yeah, it was September when you went missing. - -Sorry mum, I haven -(TM)t a clue. - -Fair enough, Belle, what about you? - -Me, nothing. Seriously. Nobody hurt me after I left home, and Liam -(TM)s gone now. - -Katie? - -Why me? You know my family, they -(TM)re harmless. - -Sorry, but I have to ask. And Lia? - -Just my dad and two remaining brothers. - -Nobody hurt you on the streets? - -Nope, I kept myself to myself. - -OK, and Jeremy has agreed to take out all your family? - -Yes, I -(TM)m so sorry if this is a problem for you, I wasn -(TM)t thinking straight. - -It -(TM)s fine, honestly. I -(TM)ll speak to Jeremy in a bit and see what his plans are. Right, why don -(TM)t you start making dinner while I get changed. - Jenny stopped at the door, -and don -(TM)t think I haven -(TM)t spotted that lipstick mister. - -I -(TM)m so sorry, - Lia replied, -he was so nice to me before, and I kind of got carried away. - Jenny laughed, -it -(TM)s fine honey, you can kiss Alex as much as you like, as long as you kiss me sometimes. - -That would be so much fun. - -It really would honey, it really would, - Jenny replied as she headed up to the bedroom to change. -Why don -(TM)t you tell Poppy about the idea you had this morning? - I told Lia. -Oh yeah, I -(TM)ve been thinking it might not be so good, and it would be a lot of work for you Poppy. - -I don -(TM)t mind work, what -(TM)s your idea, then we can decide together if it -(TM)s good or not. - -Ahh, ok. Well, I thought we could collect the date of birth of all the street kids, then we could give them a card and gift for their birthday, assuming we can find them at the time. - -Oh wow, that -(TM)s such a nice idea, I love it. I was thinking that one of your jobs would be to collate all the data on all the kids, you -(TM)d just enter it on the computer, we -(TM)d collect it. Then we could use the data to monitor them, for health and stuff. Jeremy has some medical teams around the city that he calls on. They saved my life twice, at least. So I was thinking we could keep track of the kids, and help the medical people up to date. -Then you just added a really nice use for the information we collect, amazing work Lia, thank you. - Katie moved around the table and hugged Lia, -I just knew you -(TM)d be perfect for the charity, you think along exactly the right lines. And perfect for me, too. - -Thank you, Katie, you -(TM)ve no idea how much it means to me, you saying that. - -You complete me, Lia. - -Ditto, - Lia replied as they kissed. -I guess I -(TM)ll make chips while you two get a room, - Belle said with a smile. -I -(TM)ll help, - Poppy told her, -what else are we having? - -What was your favourite meal when we had a bit of cash and ate at Tony -(TM)s off Wardour Street? - -Sausage, egg, chips and baked beans, - Poppy replied, her eyes twinkling with delight. -That -(TM)s what we -(TM)re having, you cook the sausages, I -(TM)ll do the chips and the eggs. - -Who -(TM)s doing the beans? - Lia asked. -That -(TM)s your job, just put them in a bowl and pop them in the microwave. - -I reckon I can do that... - Lia answered. -And you -(TM)ve got about 20 minutes until we need you, if you know what I mean, - Belle laughed. -That gives me time for my maths homework, - Katie said. -Wrong answer, - we all laughed.