Reflections of Light

Playdate

"Hey. Hey. Hey!"

Groggily, Billy peeled open his eyes. "Wot?"

The short blond boy beside his bed waved cheerily. "Hi!"

Sitting himself up, Billy scowled grumpily at the kid. "Who is you?"

"I'm Cody." The boy chimed happily. Giggling, he pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh, I'm not 'posed to be here. My Grandma an' Grandpa brought me, but they're upstairs yellin' at my muvver, so I sneaked away to 'splore."

Billy considered the other boy for a minute, then smiled. "I'm Billy."

" 'Ello, Billy! What'chu in bed for? It's nearly tea time!"

Billy shook his head. "Not feelin' well."

"Ohh? That's not nice for you. Did you twyyy... Dwinking a honey an' lemon dwink? That's what my Grandma makes me do when I'm sick."

Billy shook his head. "Want Pizza, but dey taking forwever to bwing et! So slow, do dey not know how hungwy I am?
An' et better not have mush'wooms on et, or I will 'ave to get dem all off, 'Cause dere yucky-blucky!"

"Yucky-blucky veg'tables!" Cody agreed, giggling enthusiastically. "I not eat them, not ever! Not even when Grandma puts them in my sand-widges!"

"My Grandma's a snake. My Mummy makes my sand-wichies." Billy said. "An' I always get'ta pick wot I want in dem. Ham 'n cheese 'n chicken 'n jam 'n... 'paghetti, 'n chocolate sauce 'n ketchup 'peanut butter...'n 'shmallows! Until it reaches up, up to da sky! A massive samich!"

"You can't put spa-ghetti in a sangwidge!" Cody laughed.

"Who sez? Your Gwandma?" teased Billy.

"My Grandma's very clever, 'n very... Borin'!" Cody announced, grinning ear to ear. "My Mummy's much more fun, but she's not very clever, my Grandpa says. He says she's got a brain of runny cheese, 'n dats why she makes silly decis'sions. A cheesy brain, she has."

"My Mummy's da cleverest in da world." Billy bragged. "She's da awesome-est, too!"

Cody chuckled. "Do you have any bruvvers or sista's?" he asked.

"Nope." Billy chirped, popping the 'p'.

"I do. I've got a li'l sista. But she don't live with Grandma an' Grandpa like me, or even Mummy. She lives with Mummy's special and bestest friends!
Ooh, you wanna see somethin' cool?"

"Yeah." Billy nodded.

Pulling his rucksack off his back, Cody rummaged in it, pulling out items and putting them on Billy's bed. "No... Not that... Ooh, liquorice. You can have some if you want. Err... Ah ha!"

He pulled his desired item out of the bag, holding it up to the light. "Look! I caught a shield beetle!"

He held the jar up for Billy to look inside.

"Wow!" Billy exclaimed. "It's shiny! So cool!"

"Yeah, I know! Found it outside, on a bush."

Cody pulled himself up on the bed, settling besides his new friend, holding the jar between them. "Look! You can see it's li'l legs when you tip the jar like this."

Taking the jar, Billy tipped it this way and that, admiring the insect. "It's so awesome! Like a little... Dinosaur beetle!"

"Yes, Dinosaur beetle!" Cody laughed. "Hey... You wanna... Keep it as a pwesent? To help you get better."

Breaking into a deep grin, Billy nodded enthusiastically. "Yeth please! I twuly love it!"

"Den you can have it!" Cody said, throwing up his hands excitedly. "Hey, you wanna watch Doctor Who?"

"Cody!" Maddie called, huffing loudly as she shoved open the door. "Where have you gone now?"

"And Cody would be...?" Luci said irritably, from her seat in the corner of the room.

"... And what are you doing here?" Maddie asked, eyebrow raised sceptically.

"What, has were you not paying attention the last twelve hours?"

"If you must know," Maddie huffed. "I was quarrelling with my parents about custody of my son, so forgive me if I was a bit distracted."

"You're forgiven." Luci said dryly. "So, you think your friends are done debating whether or not they can force me to take a pregnancy test?"

"That's what they're whisper-arguing about outside?" Maddie's eyebrows threatened to disappear into her hairline.

Luci shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just guessing. Anyway, I'm going to let them sweat it out a bit before I break it to them that I already know."

"Wha..." Maddie tried to make sense of it, then gave up. "Never mind."

Then something occurred to her. "Holy hell. Please don't say..."

"... No." Luci flatly shut her down. "It wasn't a certain someone, thank you very much. I wouldn't sink that low. Although I'd recommend keeping an eye on your babysitter, if you're worried about that."

"Ugh, no one cares for your barbs, Princess." Maddie said, rolling her eyes.

"And you don't seem to care for the truth. I was half surprised this lot weren't camped outside sugar 'n spice's door. Did someone happen to omit a few things when on their cave-in report?"

Maddie's eyes went storm dark; angrily, she marched over to Luci, jabbing an accusing finger up in her face. "You listen to me, you listen good. Nyx is a good person, and an amazing mother, and my best friend! I don't want her dragged into this mess! I can deal with it, I am dealing with it; and you can either get of your lazy ass and help me, or shut the hell up before I... shave off your eyebrows for badmouthing my friend!"

"Okay." Luci squeaked, looking a little shocked at the girls sudden outburst. "Can you... Please take your hands off my shirt?"

Maddie looked down, and realised in her fury she'd grabbed Luci's collar, practically lifting the smaller woman out of the chair. Quickly, she let her go.

"Oh, Bloody son of a..." Turning on her heel, she stormed out of the room.

Well, this was hard work. Anyway, Cody's returned after a brief appearance three books ago, yay! XD
Also, the absolute brutalisation of the word 'Sandwich' within their conversation totally cracks me up XD