Free The Boyfriend Dilemma by Fiona Foden Page B

splutters. “You mean actual fish?”
    â€œYeah,” Amber says proudly. “We took the skin off and left it to dry out till the smell had gone and then we sewed it together—”
    â€œBut the smell hasn’t gone,” I say, creasing up with laughter.
    â€œYeah, it has! Anyway, it’s better than using leather…”
    Layla is up on her feet now, ushering Amber towards the door. “Take it away. Put it in the outside bin…”
    â€œNo,” she cries. “I made it!”
    I snigger and turn to Layla. “D’you want to come to my house instead? I did tell Mum I wouldn’t be long…”
    Layla nods. “At least your place doesn’t smell like that,” she adds, throwing Amber an exasperated look. “C’mon, let’s go.” We yell goodbye to Layla’s mum and run out.
    Even outside, it feels like the stink is still clinging to the insides of my nostrils. “Good job Ben wasn’t there,” I remark as we make our way along Layla’s street towards my place.
    â€œYeah,” she says.
    â€œImagine what he’d have thought,” I add, giggling at the very idea. “Anyway, have you seen much of him while I’ve been at Dad’s?”
    â€œEr, he was at the market when CJ and Toni unpegged the tent,” she mutters.
    â€œOh, no, was he?”
    â€œLet’s not talk about him,” she says quickly, linking her arm in mine.
    Poor Layla. The whole tent thing has obviously really upset her. Her phone bleeps again and she doesn’t even check who’s texted her. “What’s going to happen about this au pair?” she asks, obviously keen to change the subject. “D’you think your mum’ll go through with it?”
    I sigh. “Uhh, I hope not. Don’t mention it in front of her, will you?”
    She smiles. “You’re hoping she’ll just forget?”
    â€œMaybe.” We’re at our house now, where Mum pulls me in for a tight, heartfelt hug.
    â€œI’ve missed you, love,” she exclaims, pulling back and smiling at Layla. “Come in, girls. Zoe, it’s so exciting, I’ve been desperate to tell you…”
    â€œWhat is?” I ask hesitantly.
    Mum beams happily while Matty clatters downstairs. “I’ve found someone!” she announces.
    â€œWhat, already?” I glance at Layla in alarm, then back at Mum. “I didn’t think it would happen this quickly,” I add.
    â€œIt doesn’t if you go through the official channels,” she explains.
    â€œSo you’ve found someone … unofficially ?” And this is Mum, who says the two of us matter to her more than anything else in the world, and blew her top when Matty was left waiting at the perfectly safe holiday club to scoff toast and honey for half an hour?
    â€œIt’s not like that,” she says firmly. “I just put the word out at work that we were looking for someone, and a lovely girl got in touch. I’ve had a glowing reference from the family she’s been living with, and we’ve had long chats on the phone and lots of emails back and forth…”
    Whoa, would have been nice if Mum had let me and Matty know she’d found a new best friend… “What’s she like?” Matty asks brightly, obviously thinking this is a good thing. Someone else to torment, probably.
    â€œHer name’s Annalise,” Mum says. “She’s a friend of one of the girls who works in the flower shop – you know where hospital visitors buy bouquets to take in to—”
    â€œYes, Mum,” I cut in. I do know what a flower shop is …
    â€œShe’s eighteen,” Mum goes on, “and she has lots of experience…”
    â€œWhich country’s she from?” Matty asks.
    â€œShe’s British actually, from the Midlands.”
    â€œBut…” I frown. “I thought the whole point of au