Free Following Flora by Natasha Farrant Page A

she couldn’t stop laughing. She actually thought she couldn’t have babies anymore, so it took her ages to realize she was pregnant. She’s known for months, but she and Dad didn’t want to tell us until they were used to the idea.
    â€œWe were a bit shaken up at first,” Mum said.
    I’m not sure Dad is at all used to the idea of the baby yet. When Flora asked if they had thought of any names yet, and Mum said what did we think about Hazel, either for a boy or a girl, he winced, and not just because he doesn’t like the name Hazel. Talking about names, he said, made the whole thing feel more real.
    â€œOf course it’s real!” Flora cried. “Now I know Mum’s pregnant, I can see the bump and everything! I can’t believe we didn’t notice before!”
    â€œIt will be all right, David.” Mum beamed, and Dad gulped down more wine.
    Twig, Jas, and I didn’t say much at all, but Flora and Zoran made up for it. Some people are like that, they can just chat away nonstop whatever is going on, as if a massive bombshell hasn’t just landed on them. Zach sat next to Flora, and at first he was completely silent, but then Mum asked him how his grandfather was and about his music, and Dad started going on about how he was in a band at school and reminiscing about all the gigs he used to go to, and Flora looked like she might die of embarrassment except it turns out that Zach likes a lot of the music Dad used to like. And then Twig, who was sitting on the other side of him, started to talk to him about football, and also asked him if he was any good at carpentry, because would he like to finish building the tree house, and even though Zach didn’t become exactly talkative, he stopped looking like the whole plan for the evening was to flay him alive and throw his body to a pack of ravenous vultures.
    I didn’t talk to him until the end of the evening, because I was building up the courage for what I had to say. But just before they left, when Zoran was hugging everyone and Zach was standing on his own, I went up to him and apologized. I didn’t even try to blame it on Dodi. I’d actually rehearsed a whole speech, but in the end all I managed to mumble was, “I’m really sorry about the video,” and he blushed and mumbled back, “Hey, don’t worry about it.” I thought we were going to leave it at that but then he added, “Actually, I looked at it again, and it’s pretty funny,” and suddenly I completely got why Flora is so crazy about him. I know it’s a cliché, but his whole face really does light up when he smiles, and he has this way of looking at you, like you really matter.
    Zach is lovely.
    The parents think so too. “What a nice boy,” Mum said when they had gone. Dad said yes, and did she think he should take up the guitar again, and then they went up to bed hand in hand like they’d never had a fight in their whole lives. And Flora beamed and floated on upstairs after them, followed by Twig who is pleased because in one evening he has accumulated not only a sort of brother-in-law who plays football and can build tree houses, but also potentially an actual brother.
    Which just left Jas and me.
    A
baby
.
    I can’t believe it.
    MONDAY, DECEMBER 16
    A baby. Not a fatal illness or imminent death or divorce. A
baby
.
    On the way to school this morning, Flora said, “You do realize what this means, don’t you, it means the parents still do it.” Jas said, “Do what?” and Flora said, “Well how do you think babies are made?” Twig made a gagging noise. Jas blushed scarlet and said, “Oh that, I know that!” and then we were silent, all thinking private thoughts about Mum and Dad making babies. It was an enormous relief when Dodi bounced up to us at the crossroads.
    â€œWhat’s up?” Dodi asked. “You all look a bit sick.”
    I told her, and