Chapter 2

Toby let himself in and found both of his parents cuddled up on the sofa in the sitting room. He smiled warmly at them both. They happily returned it showing no embarrassment at all.

“How I love them!” he thought. “So natural and so loving. To me and Nell too.”

“Hello, sweety,” said his mother. “How did it go?”

“Great! I really enjoyed it. She’s a sweet little girl, full of fun and energy, giggly and, I reckon, highly intelligent. She showed me some drawings which I thought for a seven year-old were pretty good and she reads quite well too. Some of the longer words, particularly if the spelling’s not easy, stumped her but no, I liked her and enjoyed her company. I think she likes me too because she said she wanted me to come back and baby-sit her again.”

“Well done, darling!”

“Baby snatcher!” grinned his father.

Toby pulled a face at him and both his parents laughed as did he.

“Anyway, even though it’s still quite early, I’m quite tired so I’m going to push off to bed.”

“All right, darling. Sleep tight.”

“Sweet dreams!” added Ned with a grin.

“Dad!”

“Take no notice of him, Toby love. He’s got a dirty mind.”

“What?”

“That’s one of the reasons I love you, old fruit.”

“You two are impossible,” grinned Toby and left them to it.

He wandered off to bed and wondered idly why he felt so tired. Presumably he had used up quite a lot of nervous energy doing something to which he was totally unaccustomed. He smiled. “I enjoyed it though.”

Around ten o’clock the following morning the doorbell rang and Alf, the Roberts’s cockerpoo, barking loudly answered it with Nessa. It was Leah with Allie holding tightly to her hand and hanging back nervously. She did not know about dogs.

Nessa sternly quietened Alf and invited them in.

“We’ve come to pay Toby his dues,” said Leah.

“That’ll please him,” Nessa smiled and called him.

He joined them immediately from the kitchen, said good morning to Leah and then kneeling in front of Allie did the same to her. Alf immediately came to join in. Toby collected him under one arm.

“You haven’t met Alf, have you?”

Allie, wide-eyed, shook her head.

“Hold the back of your hand out to him so that he can sniff it.”

Allie timorously did so. Alf sniffed and then licked it. She snatched it away.

“It’s all right, Allie. He likes you. Licking is the way dogs kiss.”

Allie stared at him.

“Really. Reach out and gently stroke the top of his head. He may try to lick you again but just reach over the top.”

Allie did as she was told and succeeded. She looked very pleased with herself. Alf craned forward and licked her nose which made her jump back and giggle.

“I’m going to let go of him now. He’ll probably try to lick your face again. Just say ‘no’ and push him gently but firmly away.”

That is just what happened and Toby had to intervene and tell him firmly no. He obeyed.

The two mothers had been watching with amusement. Leah held out a five pound note to Toby. “Your wages, sir,” she said.

“Thank you, Mrs Pettigrew,” replied Toby taking it.

“Is it too early for coffee?” Nessa asked.

“Never!”

The two women headed for the kitchen.

“Let’s take Alf out into the garden,” said Toby to Allie. “He’s got a ball there he loves playing with.”

Allie nodded excitedly and off the three of them went.

“Your son’s got a girlfriend if the non-stop chatter from Allie this morning is anything to go by,” said Leah.

Nessa chuckled. “He was clearly very impressed with her too: her drawing, her reading but most of all her enthusiasm and cheerfulness. I think he was quite surprised how much he enjoyed yesterday evening.”

“I’m glad his having been dragooned into doing it. That’s why I’ve paid him a couple of extra quid.”

“Which I’m sure he appreciates.”

In the garden all was going better than well. Allie quickly lost any nervousness. She did ball discipline no good at all chasing after Alf when he got the ball shrieking with excitement. Toby had to temper it a bit in order to get Alf to drop the ball at all. Allie being the bright little girl she was quickly realised that fetching the ball was an important part of the game. That did not stop her from racing after it with Alf whenever Toby threw it. She rarely beat Alf to it so Toby changed to a game of catch with Alf as pig in the middle. He did not mind that a bit as Allie quite frequently dropped catches to squeals of laughter.

After quarter of an hour it was clear that Allie was tiring so Toby took her back in for a glass of orange squash. Alf attacked his drinking bowl with enthusiasm.

Having taken three big swallows of her squash Allie was off, telling her mother what they had been up to. Alf with a dripping muzzle joined her.

“Ooh, you’re all wet! Down!” she commanded without thinking.

Alf did.

“Well done, Allie,” said Toby clapping. “You’ve won him over. You’re a friend for life now and he’ll do as he’s told for you.”

Allie’s smile almost split her face and she jigged up and down delightedly.

Leah winked at Nessa who winked back.

At which stage Eleanor drifted in. Susie’s birthday party had gone on a bit.

“Hi, everyone,” she said mutedly and beamed in on the coffee pot.

Allie was oblivious of her sleepiness.

“Hi, Eleanor! Toby and I have been playing with Alf in the garden...”

Eleanor having collected her coffee sat down, put an arm round Allie and let her prattle on.

Nessa caught Toby’s eye and winked. He smiled happily back.

Shortly afterwards Leah collected Allie and left but not before the latter had demanded and received a kiss from Toby.

Toby and Allie’s friendship continued. At first she came round to play with Alf. Then the two of them would take him for a walk at weekends. She scarcely ever drew breath but Toby delighted in her intelligence and exuberance. He also took over from Eleanor as chief baby-sitter.

One evening when he was baby-sitting she announced that she was going to sing a song in front of her class and if she did it well she would sing it in front of the whole school at the end of term concert.

“Wow!” exclaimed Toby. “That’s super. Will you sing it for me?”