Emmy & Tara

Tara was stuffed after the snack. Honestly, she thought she could do without dinner. As it was, there was homework to catch up on. Her mind was set to excuse herself. After all, she didn't want to be a bother, anymore than she was.

"No, you have to meet Mini." Jonsey was all smiles when he spoke of her. It was like he was in the clouds, already. "Besides, she's bringing her little brother Matty."

"Great." Tara looked at him wide-eyed, but she hugged herself and pursed her bottom lip. What was he expecting? A babysitter? With a name like Matty, was he all of eight? She was ready to complain. but the doorbell rang and he grabbed her elbows to pull her along in the excitment.

"They're here." He was practically bouncing like a puppy. Just what sort of spell had she put on him?

His mum got to the door first.

Jones put his arm around Tara, as she sucked in a breath. "This is one of my oldest and dearest friends." He told Mini while Tara struggled to look Jones in the eye. She wanted to tell his bouncy girlfriend it was a lie. A big fat lie.

Was that true? An old friend? She festered a slight frown without even thinking.

Naturally, Mini with her big smile shook Tara's hand so firm and with enthusiem.

"He tells me you're like a sister." She informed Tara. Again, Tara remained just a bit a smug, thinking, why in the world had Jonsey been talking to his girlfriend about her?

"My baby brother, Matty." She grinned from ear to ear as she put her arm around his neck and almost took him down in a wresting match.

Matty was taller than Mini, but his grin was silly and he didn't seem to really mind she was being so physical with him.

He pushed her off and just smiled at Tara.

"She never lets up." He sighed as if she didn't want him to be a grownup, and yet he was the one who drove them.

Finally, they gathered around the dining table. Jonesy's Dad was working late so his mum fed them the one pot meal along with a salad and fresh bread that Jones pulled apart.

Mini dipped her bread into the gravy of the stew with ease. She didn't hold back making a mess of herself. Tara couldn't help but watch. She knew Emmy would be grimacing by now and saying Jonesy's girlfriend was a pig. Maybe even a cow.

Tara soon did the same as she looked up to see Matty buttering his bread. He only ate the potatoes and carrots.

"He's gone veg." Mini told her. "Has to keep that girlish figure, somehow. I suppose." Mini smirked. But she ate hearty with Jones. She could possibly out eat him and was so dainty. He went to get them a second helping.

"What do you suppose your Dad is eating, these days?" Lorde, Jonesy's mom asked Tara.

"I, I suppose he eats at the boarding house." Tara pressed her lips tight thinking of the time she found a biscuit in the tin. Perhaps it was prohibited, but she was hungry. She knew she'd made the old woman angry, but she hated her cooking. "I think.." She winced. "Old Mrs. Fields serves breakfast and dinner." Yet the porridge was so thin and so bland. She'd made blood sausage once, and it still left Tara with a bad taste to think on.

"You, OK?" Matty asked as he pushed more of loaf of bread toward her. He pushed the saucer of butter her way too.

Tara only nodded. Did Jones intend her to entertain the bloke? Naturally, Tara wasn't sure she appreciated being set up like this.