Chapter 3

Life went happily on. In time Allie began to be given more homework. Leah made her do it every weekday between five and six o’clock. She had little trouble with it and by the time her eighth birthday came round she was reading fluently, even the long words. Fortunately ‘onomatopoeia’ did not crop up very often.

She undertook her piano-playing enthusiastically. Leah normally did this with her following a little guidance from Nessa. When Toby was due to baby-sit he would come round at six rather than at half past and do it instead. Invariably she would demand that he played something for her. While he would play something as long as a Moonlight Sonata movement he would also play something shorter and simpler which she might try and tackle in the near future, something to inspire her. Nessa was a great help in helping him choose those pieces.

Toby was working hard himself. Without fail he would do an hour’s piano practice daily, more at the weekends. He too had homework. As things stood he would be taking his GCSE a year early at fifteen rather than sixteen. He also had his cricket in the summer and hockey in the winter.

Allie had been a bit pouty to start with that he was not always available to her but she soon dovetailed in. They still walked Alf on Saturdays and Sundays and she would often slide silently into the room and sit quietly while he was doing his piano practice. He introduced her to piano concertos and she loved them. She also developed a liking for orchestral and choral work but the piano remained her first love. So much so that she worked hard on her own playing and Nessa took her on as a pupil way before she thought she would need to.

When Toby babysat she would still sit on his knee and nestle up to him. Certainly she grew but it was apparent that she was always going to be small.

Then Toby’s voice started to break. It did not take long to do so completely. Allie of course noticed but did not question it. She had learned about it at school.

“You’ve reached puberty,” she said without any embarrassment.

“Yes.”

“Are you growing hair too?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm. You’re a bit later than most boys.”

“What do you mean?”

“Most start at thirteen and some even at twelve.”

“Gorillas!”

Allie pealed with laughter and then sobered up again. “I’ll probably start in two or three years’ time.”

“A female gorilla.”

“No! Girls normally start puberty a year or two younger than boys but our voices don’t break. They just become a bit lower.”

“That’ll be a relief.”

“Toby!”

“You’ll be able to sing better with a fuller voice.

“Oh! Yes I suppose I will.” Pause. “Um, Toby, um, could I see your hair?”

“No, Allie.” This was said firmly but gently despite Toby’s surprise.

“O-Oh!” she whined. “Why not?”

“Because they’re my private parts. Didn’t they teach you that at school?”

Allie nodded shame-faced. “Yes,” she whispered.

“Well then.”

“Sorry, Toby.” Still a whisper and slightly shame- faced at that.

Toby whisked her up and kissed her. “Don’t worry, sweety, I still love you.”

Her eyes widened. “Do you really love me?”

“Yes, sweety. You’re my younger sister as far as I’m concerned and I love you very much.”

“Oh!” It was rather muted.

Toby noticed and mentioned it to Nessa when he got an opportunity.

“Do you think I ought to see less of her?” he asked. “I don’t want to because we have such fun together.”

“No, darling. Just carry on as usual. Little girls get crushes and she’s got one on you. She’ll probably grow out of it.”

Toby was relieved.

Some weeks later she was learning to play ‘Greensleeves’ and doing well. Toby was amazed at her progress.

“I like things better in the major key,” she announced.

“So you don’t like ‘Greensleeves’.”

“It’s all right but it’s so sad.”

“But it’s a sad song about lost love.”

“Yes. I like happy music.”

“I can understand that because you’re a happy girl.”

“So?” slightly belligerently.

“Move over.”

She shifted reluctantly on the piano stool but Toby took no notice and played Chopin’s short A Minor prelude.