Beth hugged my arms to her, then slid off, turning to kiss me. "Hmm -- if we hadn't already had a bath, I'd definitely be thinking about it."
"You're the only one who got really sticky," teased Amy. She wrapped her arms around Beth and Sarah. "We can just snuggle up now."
Sarah's expression was pensive. "Back to work tomorrow, then."
Beth looked at Amy, and I could see the emotions playing unmistakeably in their faces. "Sarah --"
"Hmm?"
"Well... we've all become so close... we'd like it if you could stay? For always, I mean."
Sarah blinked. "Beth -- you mean that?"
"We all do," I reached to take her hand. "How about it?"
Tears spilling down Sarah's cheeks, and she nodded wordlessly.
It was Amy's turn to speak. "If Sarah's staying, do I have to go back with you tomorrow? I brought my college stuff, so I can study here all week."
I grinned at Beth. "Sounds like a plan to me."
A mischievous look crept into Amy's face. "And Sarah -- you wouldn't mind tucking me in at night, would you."
Sarah's expression mirrored Amy's. "I think I could manage to look after my -- what shall we say? Nearly grown-up stepdaughter? As long as you promised to be good. And of course I'd have to tell Tim and Beth all about the fun we have."
"Can't wait," I chuckled.
"Settled, then," smiled Beth. "Now, sticky or not, we should get some sleep -- and Tim, don't you dare go stealing all the covers..."
Even though things were decided, Monday morning still felt like a parting -- Sarah headed off to work, promising to shop on the way back, and Amy covered the bed with books and notes, already chewing the end of her pencil thoughtfully. "We'll make sure we add a really nice desk and a chair to the furniture order," Beth nodded.
Amy waved from the window as Beth and I got into the car, Beth turning in her seat to look back until we reached the road. "Right then," she said determinedly as we headed for the motorway. "Lots to do, but by the weekend we can be down here permanently."
She grinned at me. "You'll be busy with all that flat pack, but I'm sure we can think up a way of thanking you."
Amy takes over the story:
Hi, everybody, I'm Amy -- I'm Tim and Beth's niece. I can still hardly believe how much has happened in the last couple of weeks, but I wouldn't change a second of it -- getting to know them better (a lot!), them offering to get me a place to live at uni. Then meeting Sarah -- mm -- I think there are more things she's imagined, would like to try, than we've even talked about yet.
So it was Monday morning, and Tim and Beth left for the week; they were coming back on Friday, and then we'd all be in the house properly. Sarah went to work, I could hardly wait till she got home -- I could already tell we were going to pretend all sorts of fun things.
But I had revision to do, so I sprawled on the bed, starting to look down my list of topics. Before I knew it, it was lunchtime, and I went down to the kitchen to make myself a sandwich. The house was so quiet, but I'm OK with my own company, and I sat at the kitchen table to eat my lunch. Then back upstairs -- I made myself do Maths in the afternoon, it's my least favourite subject -- and I was just closing my file when I heard the front door open. "Hi, Amy."
I dashed to the top of the stairs. "Hi, Sarah! Do you need a hand with the stuff?"
"Mm, please."
We got everything into the kitchen and put away, and I put the kettle on to make Sarah a cup of coffee. "Did you have a good day?"
She smiled, nodded. "Fine -- I didn't close any more properties, but two big sales in a week is enough to keep me in the partners' good books for quite a while."
She put her empty mug down. "So what shall we make for dinner?"
"I don't suppose we can have takeaway all the time," I pretended a hopeful look.
A grin. "'Fraid not. And I'd quite like to make something for Tim and Beth on Friday, then it'll really feel like they're coming home. But pizza or something on Saturday night, definitely."
Sarah opened the fridge. "Oh, I got this mince, but the date's tomorrow -- how about spaghetti bolognese?"