Page 15 of In Just One Day

‘You know what she’s like. I honestly don’t think she means to, but she just can’t help herself.’ Billy knew his mother didn’t really deserve defending but he didn’t want to fuel Flora’s fury any further.

Johnny topped up Flora’s glass with the last of the red wine. ‘I think she just wants what’s best for you, Flo. I mean, I can understand her horror at the thought of me not having a “proper” job…’

‘But this might just be a proper job and she’s writing it off before we’ve even started! She doesn’t even really know what you did beforehand, let’s be honest about it.’

Billy put his hand on his sister’s shoulder. ‘Look, she has no idea what I do really either. She works on top-line information only, as we know. And anyway, what you’re about to do is really exciting! I’m kind of jealous…’ Billy looked across at Pip and Tom. ‘Hey, where’s mine, you little toerags?’ He gestured at their lollies.

‘I’ll get you one, Uncle Billy. What colour would you like?’ Tom was already on his feet, delighted to be of service.

‘Hmm, I think I want my mouth to look as revolting as yours does so I’d better go for blue too.’

‘Be right back!’ Tom shot off towards the kitchen.

‘Don’t drip yours on the floor inside!’ Flora shouted after him. ‘Well, that’s kind of you to say, Billy. But it might be a non-starter if Mack says no. Then we’re back to square one.’

‘Well, I’ve got a good feeling about it.’ Billy clapped his hands.

‘Me, too,’ said Johnny, pushing his doubts back down for now. ‘Anyway, how’s your work going?’

‘Fine. Busy, actually. It’s been a tough year but buildings still need building. Looks like I might be off to work for another company soon, though.’

‘Headhunted again?’ Johnny laughed.

Billy looked slightly embarrassed. ‘Yeah, I guess.’ He ran his hand through his hair. ‘But I’m not really sure about it. It’s more money, but it would mean staying in London and I’d hoped to move out of the city at some point. Maybe move nearer to the coast.’

‘Near us? Oh, please do, Billy. God, we’d love that! Babysitting on tap…’ Flora laughed. ‘Ooh, how’s…?’ Flora waved her arms around her head, willing the name to come back to her.

‘Ruby?’ Billy volunteered, putting Flora out of her misery.

‘Yes, Ruby! Exactly, Ruby… What happened?’ Flora had learned from experience not to grow fond of Billy’s girlfriends, given the fairly high turnover, but she’d really liked the sound of Ruby.

‘You don’t want to know.’ Billy shook his head.

‘Oh, I think we do, Billy.’ Johnny nudged his brother-in-law playfully.

Billy looked sheepish. ‘She ended it. I was a bit gutted, to be honest with you. But I just wasn’t…’ He trailed off.

‘What? But we didn’t even get to meet her! And she sounded so lovely! God, you’re annoying sometimes.’

‘I know, I’m sorry. I’m just not very good at…’

‘Being a grown-up? Oh, come on, Billy, you’re going to have to be one sooner or later.’ She threw a grape at him across the table.

‘Now who’s being childish?’ said Billy, dodging it neatly. ‘I know, I know. I’ve been an idiot. But I’m meeting her next week; she’s agreed to one drink.’ He picked up another grape from the table, returning fire on his sister.

‘Well then, try not to fuck it up.’ Flora laughed, catching the grape and popping it in her mouth.

* * *

As children they’d been peas in a pod, born barely eighteen months apart. They’d grown up in the house where their parents still lived, a rambling old farmhouse set back from the banks of the Beaulieu River. Of course, there had been the usual sibling fights, usually over disputed toy ownership or what to watch on television, but mostly, they’d had each other’s backs. Flora, being the eldest, was in charge but Billy was usually happy enough going along with whatever activities his elder sister had planned for them. Even if that did mean dressing him up in their mother’s old clothes and painting his face thick with make-up pinched from her dressing table in order to perform plays that Flora had written (and usually insisted on starring in).

They spent much of their childhood summers on bikes or building dens in the garden, taking food rations so they could stay out all day. Flora would make sandwiches, carefully wrapping them in paper and putting them in a tin. Billy’s job was stealing as many biscuits as he could without being caught. He was particularly good at it. Sometimes they’d sneak down to the river that flowed beyond the garden, and fish or swim in the cool waters when the tide was in, even though they’d been strictly forbidden to do so without an adult around. When the tide was out, they’d race around on the mudflats, covered in thick dark grey mud from head to foot and sliding into the water to wash it off.

When Flora was ten years old and Billy almost nine, his pride and joy had been his BMX bike. Flora would look up from her book from time to time as Billy tried to perfect his jumps and bunny hops. Once, when she hadn’t looked up at the right time, Billy had let out a long squeal of pain. She had run over to him, lying on the floor having come off his bike, to see his arm lying at a strange angle. Leaving their bikes, she’d practically carried him home as fast as she possibly could, then waited whilst their mother had taken him to hospital. He’d returned home hours later with his arm in a cast. ‘Broken in two places!’ he’d said, pleased as punch. It became quite the talking point, Billy’s story of the jump. It grew more dramatic with every retelling.

Flora persuaded Billy to paint the cast, covering it in green paint they’d found in the garage. Kate was horrified, ordering them to wash it off. When they tried, the plaster disintegrated, falling off in chunks into the sink. Back to the hospital they went, to get a new cast put on. They still managed to swim in the river that summer, Billy holding his arm aloft so as not to get the cast wet. Together, they were a real team.

When Flora hit her teens she lost interest in her little brother for a short while, finding him simply too annoying. But that didn’t last long; he was far too much fun for Flora not to want to be around him. By the time they were in their late teens, they shared friends and stolen booze and cigarettes alike. When Flora left home to go to university, Billy missed her dreadfully. The house seemed so quiet without her and he felt quite lost, noticing for the first time how much he and Flora had been one unit, his parents another.

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