‘Well, keeps your hand in, doesn’t it?’ Serena chortled at her own words. ‘So,’ she went on, pointing her car keys at me, ‘avoid Tinder unless you’re wanting casual sex. Actually, maybe that’s what youshouldbe aiming for, Jess. Get a bit of practice in before your next big relationship. And I wouldn’t bother with Hinge either.’ She moved her head to one side, obviously thinking. ‘eHarmony?—’
‘Sounds like a toilet cleaner.’
‘Yes, look ateHarmony. For starters anyway. See you next Thursday, fully kitted out. And let’s have something to report by then…’
‘Something to report?’
But Serena was off at speed, waving an encouraging hand in my direction.
14
ROBYN
‘He’s having you on when he says he can’t sing and act.’ Sorrel stood in front of Robyn as she moved to turn up the heating in the drama studio.
‘Hmm?’ Robyn, intent on picking up bits from the floor that the cleaning staff appeared to have missed as usual, wasn’t concentrating on what Sorrel was saying. She liked the students in her dance classes to work barefoot and there’d been a nasty moment the previous week when a drawing pin had become embedded in Chloe Jennings’ big toe. There’d been quite a to-do about it, phone calls and emails being exchanged between herself, Mason and Chloe’s father who was, apparently, talking of suing the school. As if!
‘You’re not listening.’ Sorrel tutted.
‘I am, I am, go on.’
‘Joel? Hecansing andyoucan teach him to act. And maybe you can adapt the script so that he can do more dance moves.’
‘He’s over in Castleford with his aunt, Sorrel. He’s not going to be around to rehearse.’
‘You’ve changed the performance dates, so loads of time to catch up. You’ve a good three months.’
‘Still only gives him a term to come up to scratch. Anyway, he says he won’t do it. He turned me down flat when I asked him the other day.’ Robyn folded her arms. ‘And I’m not convinced his support team would want to be bringing him over on a daily basis just to rehearse. Why would they? They’re doing it at the moment because Ms Waters pulled out all the stops to enable him to come back for revision sessions as well as to do his actual exams here after Easter.’
‘What happens if his aunt over in Castleford tells his team she’s not prepared to have him any more? Apparently, according to Joel, when she offered to have him when he came out of hospital and needed to be away from the gang who attacked him, she didn’t realise she’d be expected to have him so long. And he’s feeling reallyguiltybecause she’s supposed to be going off on somecruisethat she’s saved up foryearsfor herfiftieth birthday.’ Sorrel emphasised the words. ‘AndJoel’s no longer on bail, remember. The court case is over. He’s in the hands of the local authority social worker team as well as the youth justice team overseeing his court order. Which, according to Joel, he’s totally keeping up with.’
‘Well, if he can move back in with his mum, that would be great.’ Robyn saw a tiny glimmer of hope regarding the performance.
‘Not sure that’s the best way forward.’ Sorrel took a deep breath. ‘So, here’s the plan.’ Her eyes were shining. ‘It suddenly came to me when I was in the shower this morning.’
‘Go on.’ Robyn looked at her watch. ‘You’ve one minute.’
‘So, how about if Joel asks if he can change his address to Jess’s cottage?’
‘What? And then what?’ Robyn actually put up two hands.
‘Duh! Then obviously he moves in with her.’
‘With Jess? What? She’s only just got Dean out of her hair. Why on earth would she want a sixteen-year-old – already with a criminal record for supplying – in her spare room? She’s got Lola to think about… You can’t have a sixteen-year-old boy in the next bedroom to an eleven-year-old little girl.’
‘How bloody insulting is that?’ Sorrel glared at Robyn. ‘Making him out to be some sort of paedophile?’
‘I wasn’t… I didn’t mean…’ Robyn tutted in turn.
‘Oh, I think you did, which really wasn’t very nice of you at all.’ Sorrel was most indignant. ‘And anyway, people who foster teenagers often have children of their own.’
‘You seem to know a lot about it.’
‘I do,’ Sorrel retorted. ‘I googled it. And Jess is a qualified and experienced foster carer. She’s had loads of kids in that box room of hers.’
‘Exactly! A little box room. Joel is a big strapping lad. The kids who were brought to Jess were always a lot younger. And usually on an emergency, temporary basis.’
‘Thiswould be temporary. His social worker is looking for independent living for him, but is not having much success at the moment. So it would be on a temporary basis. Maybe for the summer term while he does his exams and helps getGreaseback to being a reality? Let this dump of a school go out with a sizzling performance before the demolition lot move in?’
