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ght of the house； which lately had sunk even further below its usual filthy tidemark。 Krystal was especially worried that Kay had found Robbie at home when he ought to have been at nursery； because Terri’s mitment to keeping Robbie in pre…school； which he had begun while with his foster mother； had been a key condition of his negotiated return to the family home the previous year。 She was also furious that the social worker had caught Robbie wearing a nappy； after all the work Krystal had put in to persuade him to use the toilet。
‘So whaddid she say？’ Krystal demanded of Terri。
‘Tole me she wuz gonna e back；’ said Terri。
Krystal had a bad feeling about this。 Their usual social worker seemed content to let the Weedon family get along without much interference。 Vague and haphazard； often getting their names wrong； and confusing their circumstances with those of other clients； she turned up every two weeks with no apparent aim except to check that Robbie was still alive。
The new menace worsened Krystal’s mood。 When straight； Terri was cowed by her daughter’s anger and let Krystal boss her around。 Making the most of her temporary authority； Krystal ordered Terri to put on some proper clothes； forced Robbie back into clean pants； reminded him he couldn’t piss in this kind； and marched him off to nursery。 He bawled when she made to leave； at first she got ratty with him； but finally she crouched down and promised him that she would e back and pick him up at one； and he let her go。
Then Krystal truanted； even though Wednesday was the day she liked best at school； because she had both PE and guidance； and set to work to clean up the house a bit； sloshing pine…scented disinfectant over the kitchen； scraping all the old food and cigarette butts into bin liners。 She hid the biscuit tin holding Terri’s works； and heaved the remaining puters （three had already been collected） into the hall cupboard。
All the time she was chiselling food off the plates； Krystal’s thoughts kept returning to the rowing team。 She would have had training the following night； if Mr Fairbrother had still been alive。 He usually gave her a lift both ways in the people…carrier； because she had no other means of getting over to the canal in Yarvil。 His twin daughters； Niamh and Siobhan； and Sukhvinder Jawanda came in the car too。 Krystal had no regular contact with these three girls during school hours； but since being a team； they had always said ‘all right？’ when they passed each other in the corridors。 Krystal had expected them to look down their noses at her； but they were OK once you got to know them。 They laughed at her jokes。 They had adopted some of her favourite phrases。 She was； in some sense； the crew’s leader。
Nobody in Krystal’s family had ever owned a car。 If she concentrated； she could smell the interior of the people…carrier； even over the stink of Terri’s kitchen。 She loved its warm； plasticky scent。 She would never be in that car again。 There had been trips on a hired mini…bus too； with Mr Fairbrother driving the whole team； and sometimes they had stayed overnight when they peted against far…flung schools。 The team had sung Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ in the back of the bus： it had bee their lucky ritual； their theme tune； with Krystal doing Jay…Z’s rap； solo； at the start。 Mr Fairbrother had nearly pissed himself the first time he heard her do it：
Uh huh uh huh； Rihanna …
Good girl gone bad –
Take three –
Action。
No clouds in my storms …
Let it rain； I hydroplane into fame
in’ down with the Dow Jones …
Krystal had never understood the words。
Cubby Wall had sent round a letter to them all； saying that the team would not be meeting until they could find a new coach； but they would never find a new coach； so that was a pile of shit； they all knew that。
It had been Mr Fairbrother’s team； his pet project。 Krystal had taken a load of abuse from Nikki and the others for joining。 Their sneering had hidden incredulity and； later on； admiration； because the team had won medals （Krystal kept hers in a box she had stolen from Nikki’s house。 Krystal was much given to sneaking things into her pockets that belonged to people she liked。 This box was plastic and decorated with roses： a child’s jewellery box； really。 Tessa’s watch was curled up inside it now）。
The best time of all had been when they’d beaten those snotty little bitches from St Anne’s； that day had been the very best of Krystal’s life。 The headmistress had called the team up in front of the whole school at the next assembly （Krystal had been a bit mortified： Nikki and Leanne had been laughing at her） but then everyone had applauded them … it had meant something； that Winterdown had hammered St Anne’s。
But it was all finished； all over； the trips in the car and the rowing and the talking to the local newspaper。 She had liked the idea of being in the newspaper again。 Mr Fairbrother had said he was going to be there with her when it happened。 Just the two of them。
‘What will they wanna talk to me abou’； like？’
‘Your life。 They’re interested in your life。’
Like a celebrity。 Krystal had no money for magazines； but she saw them in Nikki’s house and at the doctor’s； if she took Robbie。 This would have been even better than being in the paper with the team。 She had burst with excitement at the prospect； but somehow she had managed to keep her mouth shut and had not even boasted about it to Nikki or Leanne。 She had wanted to surprise them。 It was as well she had not said anything。 She would never be in the paper again。
There was a hollowness in Krystal’s stomach。 She tried not to think any more about Mr Fairbrother as she moved around the house； cleaning inexpertly but doggedly； while her mother sat in the kitchen； smoking and staring out of the back window。
Shortly before midday； a woman pulled up outside the house in an old blue Vauxhall。 Krystal caught sight of her from Robbie’s bedroom window。 The visitor had very short dark hair and was wearing black trousers； a beaded； ethnic sort of necklace； and carrying a large tote bag over her shoulder that seemed to be full of files。
Krystal ran downstairs。
‘I think it’s ’er；’ she called to Terri； who was in the kitchen。 ‘The social。’
The woman knocked and Krystal opened the door。
‘Hello； I’m Kay； I’m covering for Mattie？ You must be Krystal。’
‘Yeah；’ said Krystal； not bothering to return Kay’s smile。 She showed her into the sitting room and saw her take in its new； ramshackle tidiness： the emptied ashtray； and most of the stuff that had been lying around was crammed onto the broken shelves。 The carpet was still filthy； because the Hoover did not work； and the towel and the zinc ointment were lying on the floor； with one of Robbie’s matchbox cars perched on top of the plastic tub。 Krystal had tried to distract Robbie with the car while she scraped his bottom clean。
‘Robbie’s at nursery；’ Krystal told Kay。 ‘I’ve took ’im。 I’ve put ’im back in pants。 She keeps puttin’ ’im back in pull…ups。 I’ve told ’er not to。 I put cream on his bum。 It’ll be all right； it’s on’y nappy rash。’
Kay smiled at her again。 Krystal peered around the doorway and shouted； ‘Mum！’
Terri joined them from the kitchen。 She was wearing a dirty old sweatshirt and jeans； and looked better for being more covered up。
‘Hello； Terri；’ said Kay。
‘All righ’？’ said Terri； taking a deep drag from her cigarette。
‘Siddown；’ Krystal instructed her mother； who obeyed； curling up in the same chair as before。 ‘D’yer wanna cup of tea or summat？’ Krystal asked Kay。
‘That’d be great；’ said Kay； sitting down and opening her folder。 ‘Thanks。’
Krystal hurried out of the room。 She was listening carefully； trying to make out what Kay was saying to her mother。
‘You probably weren’t expecting to see me again this soon； Terri；’ she heard Kay say （she had a strange accent： it sounded like a London one； like the posh new bitch at school half the boys had stiffies for）； ‘but I was quite concerned about Robbie yesterday。 He’s back at nursery today； Krystal says？’
‘Yeah；’ said Terri。 ‘She took ’im。 She e back this morning。’
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