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Kate's using it, Rachel murmured, still colouring in the trunk of her tree with a brown felt-tip. She's had it for ages, she added, and Kate sighed and tutted and muttered that it was her pen anyway. Becky sat back in her chair, waiting, looking across at the other girls' work.
You haven't got all the dates on yours, she said, leaning towards Kate. How come?
My mum didn't know all of them when I asked her, Kate said, not looking up, it's all my nana' s brothers and sisters and she said she couldn't remember all of them, there was too many.
Why don't you ask your nana? Becky asked.
We never see her, Kate said. Rachel looked up from her work, first at Kate, and then at Becky, and then at Kate again.
You never see your nana? Why not? she said.
She lives in Scotland, Kate said. It's too far away.
It's not, said Rachel, we went on holiday in Scotland last year so it's not too far. Kate didn't say anything for a moment.
But anyway we don't see her, she said quietly.
Why don't you phone her up and ask her then? asked Becky.
Mum won't let me, Kate said.
Oh, Becky said. The three of them were silent again, concentrating on their drawings, Becky tracing over her pencilled branches with a biro while she waited for the green felt-tip, the scrape and scribble of the other girls' pens the only sound for a moment.
They always say it's too far away but really I think my mum doesn't like her mum, Kate said abruptly. I think she was not very nice to her or something. The others looked at her. Anyway I've finished now anyway, she said, passing the green pen to Becky and sitting back in her chair.
Let me see let me see, said Rachel, pulling Kate's piece of paper across the table and looking at it for a moment before passing it back. It's nice but it doesn't look like a tree much, she said. Kate gasped.
Yeah it does, she said loudly. Yeah it does, it looks more like a tree than yours does, yours is all a funny shape, look, it looks stupid.
Looks more like a tree than yours does, Rachel insisted; your drawing's even more bad than Lisa's is so there. Kate threw a felt-tip at Rachel, and stuck her tongue out, and then smiled.
I thought you wanted to come to my birthday, she said. Becky, who'd been keeping out of things by concentrating on colouring in the leaves of her tree, looked up and smiled as well. Rachel looked at them both.
Yeah I did but I don't now, because it's going to be boring anyway, she said.
No it's not, said Kate, smiling to herself.
Yeah it is, Rachel repeated. Who are you inviting anyway then, she said, her voice wavering a little; I bet you're inviting Paul because I bet you fancy him, everyone knows.
No I don't! Kate shrieked, and then all three of them looked up at the ceiling as they heard a steady thump-thump-thump from the room above.
Who's that? Becky whispered, as all three of them ducked back down over their work.
My mum, said Kate. She's in bed. We were supposed to be quiet and not wake her up. She looked pointedly at Rachel as she said this, as if it was all her fault.
What's she doing in bed? said Rachel. Is she working nights?
No, Kate said. She's ill, she's got a cold or something like that. Have you finished yet Becky? I want to go out now.
Yeah, said Rachel, this is boring.
Nearly, said Becky, as the other two started putting the lids back on the pens. Give me a chance, you were hogging the green for ages.
David closed the back door loudly, and the girls looked up as he appeared in the kitchen doorway.
All done? he said, smiling at them; how did you get on?
There was a pause as each girl waited for the other to speak.
