Frozen in Time (31 page)

‘You’re turning into Mum,’ laughed Ben. ‘Hey— they’ll be home this weekend! What on earth are they going to say when they find out what’s been going on—and who’s coming to live with us?’

Outside, Professor Emerson blinked as someone went by on a unicycle, and handed him a leaflet for a Tattoo Parlour. Uncle Jerome took it off him and they all stood around, slightly awkwardly, until Polly hugged Rachel and then Ben.

‘I’m not going to blub,’ she sniffed. ‘Because we’ll see you all again in a week or so, to meet your mother and father … and I can’t wait.’

Rachel hugged her back and
did
start to blub.

Freddy shook Ben by the hand. ‘I want you to know,’ he said, ‘that I have never seen anyone do that flail thing so impressively. To see you knock out that bad sort was just so … cool!’

Ben grinned. Freddy thought
he
was cool. And well … maybe he was. He shook hands with his great-uncle and best friend and then gave him a blokey hug. This was 2009 after all.

‘I say, steady on!’ laughed Freddy. ‘No really,’ he added. ‘You’ve been an absolute brick!’

‘Um … best not say that again,’ advised Ben.

The refugees from the 1950s turned and walked along Oxford Street, a government minder discreetly a few steps behind them. Ben was glad the minder was there. London in 2009 was a big, startling place. Their new branch of family should be protected.

‘Back to normal then,’ said Rachel.

Ben grinned. ‘Do you think anything’s ever going to be normal again?’

‘I suppose not,’ smiled his sister. ‘I’m really going to miss Polly’s cooking, though. Do you think
I
could make a hot pot? In time for Mum and Dad coming back?’

‘I’m sure you could,’ said Ben, as they walked towards the tube station with Uncle Jerome. ‘I’ll help, if you like—but first you’ve got to try out Freddy and Polly’s skates! They’re super … way faster than in-lines …’

‘Ben—did you just say “super”?’

‘Me? Don’t be daft.’

‘You
did
. You jolly well did …’

Ali Sparkes is a journalist and BBC broadcaster who chucked in the safe job to go dangerously freelance and try her hand at writing comedy scripts. Her first venture was as a comedy columnist on
Woman’s Hour
and later on
Home Truths
. Not long after, she discovered her real love was writing children’s fiction.

Ali grew up adoring adventure stories about kids who mess about in the woods and still likes to mess about in the woods herself whenever possible. She lives with her husband and two sons in Southhampton, England. Check out
www.alisparkes.com
for the latest news on Ali’s forthcoming books.

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