Despite the Angels - By Madeline A Stringer Page 0,140

deserved a day off; then sighing internally, Lucy said goodbye to her friend and hung up. She scooped up Fuzz and hugged her, burying her face in the soft fur, feeling the hot skin with the end of her nose. It’s so simple for Fuzz, she thought, she’s so lucky. She just loves me and she’s with me and that’s it. No worries, just happy for now. Maybe I can copy her.

In a similar house a little way down the street Marge was distracted and busy. She had just got home and was being bombarded by demands from her three children. Her baby-sitter in contrast was calm and unflustered.

“I’ll walk Aisling and Robbie home, Marge. They tell me it’s only a little way. I’ll come back for my bike.”

“Thanks, Clare. That would be great, it’s dark out. It was really good of you to help out, when you had to come so far. Yes, Jamie, I’m looking, it’s gorgeous, clever boy,” she said to her three year old who was dancing on the spot just in front of her, holding up a Duplo construction to be admired, “now, hold on while I find my purse. Three hours, wasn’t it?”

“Yes. Do ring me again if you’re stuck. It’s not that far really, my bike is pretty good. And I have different lecture times from Mandy, so if she can’t make it, maybe I can. Thanks.” Clare pocketed the money and wrapped her scarf snugly round her neck. “Come on, Robbie, Aisling, coats! Hurry up, Marge is busy now.”

“I’m sorry for inflicting neighbour children on you, as well as my own,” Marge was unwrapping Jamie from her leg and trying to take off her coat.

“It was really no trouble. Aisling and I got on really well, didn’t we? And Robbie just mucked in. It made no difference.” Clare took Robbie’s hand and they moved towards the door.

“Clare has twins,” Robbie announced solemnly.

“Is a twin, silly,” Aisling was knowledgeable. “She’s called Caroline and she has the same hair but straight. They don’t know which one is older.”

“Why not?” Marge was momentarily interested.

“Because my parents couldn’t decide which of us was which, until after they’d taken our identity bracelets off and then they couldn’t remember. It doesn’t matter really; actually we think it’s better.”

“No fights? Just as well you aren’t royalty and needing to know,” Marge opened the door. “Thanks again, Bye now.”

Aisling and Robbie walked slowly up the street with Clare. It was only a few hundred yards and Aisling suddenly found she didn’t want to say goodbye to this new friend.

“Can you come and babysit us? I’ll ask Mum, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind changing.” She reached up and rang the bell, then hopped from foot to foot. “Mum? This is Clare, she’s Trish Jamie and Conor’s sitter and we’d like her to be ours, is that all right?”

“Good idea, Aisling,” said Selta, who had accompanied Clare on this new job, “Hey, TRYNOR! Are you there? Look what we’ve got here!”

“Brilliant!” said Trynor, “Come on Lucy, say yes. It’ll work out just fine, her Dad can collect her one night and then you’ll meet and Bob’s your uncle, as you say.”

“Hello, Clare,” Lucy looked at this young woman and felt she had met her before. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“I don’t think so, Mrs Fitzgerald. I don’t live locally.”

“Oh, that’s a pity. Though we already have two girls who sit for us. They’re both nearby.”

“That’s okay, I didn’t come to ask for a job, that was Aisling’s idea. I was just helping Marge out, my friend normally sits for her. But we both have Finals coming up, so we don’t do as much as we used. But if you’re stuck, Marge has my number. Bye now, bye Ash, Bye Rob.”

Aisling watched Clare walk down the short drive.

“I’ll ask Marge for her number tomorrow, Mum.”

“Why?”

“Because we’ll need her and Marge will be out and then we’ll have lost our chance.”

“You make it sound like winning the Lotto! Our chance of what?”

Aisling thought about this as she took off her coat. “Of being friends with Clare. Seeing her twin sometime.”

“Well, it sounds like she’s really busy, if she has her Finals. Those are really important exams. She’s a bit old for baby-sitting.”

“She’s nice,” Aisling was pouting, “she can tell stories and knows how to do hair and she can draw. I’d like a sister like her.”

“I’d like a brother,” said Robbie.

“Dad, you should get a girlfriend. It’s not right, being here all on