said Mum, as she saw me and Melia off to school next morning, “you’re picking Emilia up at three thirty. Right?” I said, “Right.” “Emilia, Frankie’s going to come and collect you at the end of school, so you just wait there for her. Don’t try coming home by yourself. I want you to come with Frankie.” “Come with Frankie.” Melia nodded. “Wait there for her.” “That’s it! Good girl. Frankie, just make sure you’re there.” I said, “Mum, we’ve already agreed!” We’d been over and over it. “I already said.” “Well, I’m just reminding you. It’s Emilia’s first day, we don’t want anything going wrong.” “Mu-uum!” I did think she might have a bit more faith in me. All I had to do was collect Melia from school and bring her back home. Nothing to it! I’d been taking Rags up the park by myself since I was eight years old. At least Melia wasn’t likely to go running off, or getting into punch-ups, or rolling in fox poo. “OK, OK!” Mum held up her hands.
