too,” Amber said.
“For someone who hated it here and wasn’t interested in nothing or no one, you’ve changed your tune pretty quick,” Helen said sharply.
Amber continued to watch her mother. She wouldn’t let her grandmother bother her. She hoped. “You did say you wanted me to be more involved. Or was that just talk?”
Donna turned to Maira. “Will there be adult supervision at the party?”
Maira shook her head. “No. And Kade’s my cousin, not brother. And Brann is no relative.”
Amber shrugged. “Brother, cousin. He’s still family. So can I go?”
“Well…”
“Look, Mum, don’t take all day to decide or I’m going to change my mind again. I had planned to lock myself in my room, but Maira insists anyone not at the party will be considered not worth knowing.”
“When will it finish?”
“Late. Which is why I thought I might stay at Maira’s place.”
“And is there adult supervision there?”
Maira shook her head again.
“I guess that means I’m hanging out in my room again. Thanks, Mum. I told her you wouldn’t go for it. Glad to see I can rely on you to be consistent.” Amber turned to leave.
“Don’t try that reverse psychology on me. It won’t work.”
Amber shook her head. “I wouldn’t think about it. I told Maira I’d only come if I could sleep over. It looks like I’ll get out of having to go after all. Thanks.”
“Are you going to let her get away with talking to you like that, Donna?” Helen demanded.
“Mum-” Donna began.
“Don’t worry about it, Mum,” Amber interrupted. “It’s Hicksville. How exciting will a party be here? Half the people are probably inbred morons.”
“You will stop calling my town Hicksville,” Helen snapped.
Amber shrugged.
“Don’t give me that attitude, miss. I don’t go calling Brisbane Murderopolis.”
Amber grinned. “Way to go, Grandma. I didn’t know you had it in you. I actually quite like that name.” She had no idea if it was accurate or not and didn’t care if it was. All she cared was that it was her city and she wanted to return to it.
Helen turned to Maira who stood quietly watching the drama unfold before her. “I don’t know what you see in my granddaughter.”
“She’s new to our school. I thought she’d be interested in making friends, but I’m beginning to wonder.”
“Who’s having the party?” Donna asked Maira.
“It’s at Jessica Chambers’ place.”
Donna nodded and turned to Amber. “You’ll ring me and check in when you arrive, when you leave and when you get to Maira’s house.”
“You’re letting me go?” Amber feigned surprise. Although she hadn’t been completely certain her mother would let her go even with all the guilt she’d probably be feeling over tricking her into moving.
“You have got to be joking,” Helen exclaimed.
Donna ignored her mother and continued to face Amber. “I grew up here. I know Jessica’s mother. She was always quiet at school. I’ll have all the details of the party by Monday afternoon. You might want to remember that.”
“Just great. Small towns suck. I might as well stay home. It’ll be as bad as having you there holding my hand.”
“Come on, Amber. Why don’t we go and see what you’ve got to wear?” Maira glanced between Amber and Donna.
Amber grunted, turning towards the doorway.
“Nice meeting you.” Maira looked first to Donna and then Helen before she followed Amber.
“That girl is going to end up ruining her life and causing you nothing but heartache.” Helen’s words followed Amber out of the room.
She took the stairs two at a time, closing and locking her bedroom door the moment Maira stepped inside. “Thanks.”
“I’m not sure how I helped, or if I helped at all.”
Amber grinned. “If I act too eager to go anywhere, she always thinks something is planned. So when I don’t want to go, I act like I can’t survive if I don’t get to go and then sulk for a couple of days when she
“For someone who hated it here and wasn’t interested in nothing or no one, you’ve changed your tune pretty quick,” Helen said sharply.
Amber continued to watch her mother. She wouldn’t let her grandmother bother her. She hoped. “You did say you wanted me to be more involved. Or was that just talk?”
Donna turned to Maira. “Will there be adult supervision at the party?”
Maira shook her head. “No. And Kade’s my cousin, not brother. And Brann is no relative.”
Amber shrugged. “Brother, cousin. He’s still family. So can I go?”
“Well…”
“Look, Mum, don’t take all day to decide or I’m going to change my mind again. I had planned to lock myself in my room, but Maira insists anyone not at the party will be considered not worth knowing.”
“When will it finish?”
“Late. Which is why I thought I might stay at Maira’s place.”
“And is there adult supervision there?”
Maira shook her head again.
“I guess that means I’m hanging out in my room again. Thanks, Mum. I told her you wouldn’t go for it. Glad to see I can rely on you to be consistent.” Amber turned to leave.
“Don’t try that reverse psychology on me. It won’t work.”
Amber shook her head. “I wouldn’t think about it. I told Maira I’d only come if I could sleep over. It looks like I’ll get out of having to go after all. Thanks.”
“Are you going to let her get away with talking to you like that, Donna?” Helen demanded.
“Mum-” Donna began.
“Don’t worry about it, Mum,” Amber interrupted. “It’s Hicksville. How exciting will a party be here? Half the people are probably inbred morons.”
“You will stop calling my town Hicksville,” Helen snapped.
Amber shrugged.
“Don’t give me that attitude, miss. I don’t go calling Brisbane Murderopolis.”
Amber grinned. “Way to go, Grandma. I didn’t know you had it in you. I actually quite like that name.” She had no idea if it was accurate or not and didn’t care if it was. All she cared was that it was her city and she wanted to return to it.
Helen turned to Maira who stood quietly watching the drama unfold before her. “I don’t know what you see in my granddaughter.”
“She’s new to our school. I thought she’d be interested in making friends, but I’m beginning to wonder.”
“Who’s having the party?” Donna asked Maira.
“It’s at Jessica Chambers’ place.”
Donna nodded and turned to Amber. “You’ll ring me and check in when you arrive, when you leave and when you get to Maira’s house.”
“You’re letting me go?” Amber feigned surprise. Although she hadn’t been completely certain her mother would let her go even with all the guilt she’d probably be feeling over tricking her into moving.
“You have got to be joking,” Helen exclaimed.
Donna ignored her mother and continued to face Amber. “I grew up here. I know Jessica’s mother. She was always quiet at school. I’ll have all the details of the party by Monday afternoon. You might want to remember that.”
“Just great. Small towns suck. I might as well stay home. It’ll be as bad as having you there holding my hand.”
“Come on, Amber. Why don’t we go and see what you’ve got to wear?” Maira glanced between Amber and Donna.
Amber grunted, turning towards the doorway.
“Nice meeting you.” Maira looked first to Donna and then Helen before she followed Amber.
“That girl is going to end up ruining her life and causing you nothing but heartache.” Helen’s words followed Amber out of the room.
She took the stairs two at a time, closing and locking her bedroom door the moment Maira stepped inside. “Thanks.”
“I’m not sure how I helped, or if I helped at all.”
Amber grinned. “If I act too eager to go anywhere, she always thinks something is planned. So when I don’t want to go, I act like I can’t survive if I don’t get to go and then sulk for a couple of days when she
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