The Boyfriend Dilemma by Fiona Foden

Author:Fiona Foden
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic UK
Published: 2014-08-10T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter fifteen

I don’t understand why Mum won’t let us take anyone else to Baxter Valley. There’s room for five in our car, and we’re always allowed to bring friends. It’s not a whole lot of fun otherwise since Mum hates going on rides, even the tiddly baby ones. How can someone who sees terrible things at the hospital every day be scared of roller coasters?

“Cheer up, Zoe,” she says as we clear up after breakfast. “I want this to be a special day for us.”

“I just wish Zoe could come,” I say, trying not to sound whiny as that drives her nuts.

“I’ll go on the rides with you,” Matty says, like that’s some kind of treat for me.

“Thank you, Matty.” I press my mouth in a straight line and put the orange juice back in the fridge.

“I’ll go on any rides,” he boasts, picking a bogey from his nose. “I’m not scared of any of ’em…”

“Actually,” Mum says with a smile, “someone else is coming along today.”

“Who?” I ask.

“Wait and see,” she says, flashing another mysterious smile. For one mad moment I imagine her announcing, Dad’s coming with us. He’s leaving pregnant Rosalind because he can’t bear to watch Olivia cantering round and round in circles for one second longer, and has had enough of spending all his spare money on magnetic horse blankets…

“Why won’t you tell us?” Matty demands. Mum checks her watch, then glances out of the kitchen window as a small silver car pulls into the drive.

“Oh,” she announces, “that’s her arriving now.”

“Who?” Matty and I yell, running to the kitchen window. The driver’s door opens and a tall, thin girl with raven-black hair steps out.

“Who’s that?” Matty exclaims.

“Annalise, of course,” Mum says with a grin. “Our new au pair.”

“She looks like a witch!” he yells.

“Don’t be silly,” Mum says with a laugh.

“You mean she’s starting today?” I gawp at Mum. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“Because I didn’t want you making a fuss,” she says, already unlocking our front door and smoothing her hair with her hands, even though it’s perfectly neat already. “Now come on, you two. Let’s go and give her a big welcome.”

Matty scampers outside after Mum while I lurk in the doorway, trying to mentally prepare myself for this. There’s no time, though, because Annalise is being hugged by Mum, then beaming at me and saying, “I’m so excited to meet you all.”

I stare at this tall girl with an orangey face that doesn’t match the rest of her. “We’re delighted to meet you,” Mum is saying. “This is Matty, and Zoe…”

“Hi,” I say, forcing a smile as if I’m delighted to have a stranger moving into the room next to mine, and to be the only family round here who has an au pair – a full-time babysitter, basically. I just hope the girls at school don’t find out.

“Let’s give you a hand with your luggage,” Mum says, beckoning us over to help. From the back seat of Annalise’s car comes a

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