The Boyfriend Dilemma by Fiona Foden Page A

instructor – a skinny woman who’s so tanned she looks grilled – has arrived now, and Olivia climbs onto one of the horses. “Er, how long is Olivia’s lesson?” I ask Rosalind.
    â€œJust an hour,” she replies.
    An hour! I think of the things I could do in that time. Like run seven miles – in fact, I’m seized by an urge to do that right now. To run, I mean. To kick off Rosalind’s wellies, which are two sizes too big, and pull on my trainers and get out of here… I don’t care that we’re getting an au pair any more. I’d rather be at home with a stranger than trapped with the world’s most irritating eleven-year-old girl. And because Matty’s a boy – and therefore not expected to be interested in watching Olivia canter around – he’s allowed to sit at the picnic table inside the stable and play games on Rosalind’s iPad.
    â€œAre you watching?” Rosalind shouts as Olivia trots past me.
    â€œYes,” I say quickly, trying to adopt a fascinated face. “Er, aren’t you riding today, Rosalind?”
    She pulls a tight smile. “Not at the moment. I have a little, uh … injury. Anyway, don’t you think Olivia’s doing well? See how relaxed she looks?”
    I nod.
    â€œMaybe we should book you a lesson sometime?”
    â€œNo, it’s OK, thanks,” I reply, wondering if this would be any more bearable if Dad was here. When he told Mum that it would be fine for me and Matty to stay, I assumed he’d be here the whole time. Like Mum, he’s also a doctor, only he specializes in bones. Rosalind worked on reception in his hospital – that’s where he met her. Luckily, Mum works at different hospital, or things would be even more complicated than they already are. Anyway, Rosalind doesn’t have time to go out to work any more, “because of the horses”. Or she doesn’t need to – now she has Dad to pay for the special magnetic blankets that stop her horses being “tense”. Huh. I’d be tense if I had Olivia yapping commands at me the whole time…
    It’s raining properly now. I’m tempted to join Matty in the stable – I can see him in there, jabbing at the screen – but can’t face the comments about me “not liking horses”, like I’m some kind of animal hater. Finally, after what feels like a thousand years, the lesson ends and Olivia trots back to the stables.
    Well, thank God for that.
    â€œMatty, you idiot!” comes a cry from the stable.
    â€œIt wasn’t my fault!” he exclaims. “It was an accident—”
    â€œI hate you!” Olivia snaps. “Why’d you have to come here? Mum! MUUUM!”
    Rosalind and I run towards the stable. I burst in ahead of her and find Olivia gripping her pony by the reins with one hand and her mum’s iPad in the other. Matty’s mouth has crumpled and his face is wet with tears. The only other time I can remember him crying is when a wasp snuck up his T-shirt sleeve and stung him when he was about six.
    â€œDon’t yell at him!” I glare at Olivia and put a protective arm around Matty’s shoulders.
    â€œI said I’m sorry,” he snivels, wiping away the tears with his hand.
    Rosalind clatters in behind me. “What’s going on here?”
    â€œGuess what Matty did, Mummy!” Olivia announces, waving her mother’s iPad in her face. “He dropped your iPad!”
    â€œWhat?” Rosalind snatches it and glares at the cracked screen.
    â€œIt wasn’t on purpose,” Matty cries. “I was just playing and suddenly your horse was right in my face—”
    Rosalind lets out an exasperated cry. “Look, calm down, everybody. Matty, that was very careless of you and – well, let’s wait till your dad gets home. I can’t deal with you right now…”
    â€œBut, Mummy,” Olivia