‘Bad news,’ said her mum, poking her head around Katie’s bedroom door.
‘What?’ She’d had enough of her mum’s news.
‘Georgie’s sick. She says she’s got stomach cramps – Liam thinks she’s all right, but isn’t sure about taking her to the concert.’
‘Bummer.’ A smile crept across Katie’s face. ‘So Play School and pizza are off? What a shame!’
‘Maybe not –’
‘Well we can’t take a sick kid out in public, can we? What if she throws up everywhere?’
‘I don’t think she’s that sick – Liam says there’s no fever or anything. But, Katie, we were wondering – I mean, I was wondering if you could mind Georgie here? It would be great if you would. Liam really doesn’t want to disappoint the boys and Georgie will just watch TV while you do your homework.’
‘What about Mrs Parfitt? Can’t she look after Georgie? She’s her grandmother.’
‘Normally she would, but she’s visiting her brother in Melbourne. It’ll be fine, Katie, and I know you didn’t really want to go to the concert.’
Katie wished her mind could speed up. She fumbled for words. ‘I – I – I don’t think I can. I don’t know anything about little kids!’
‘They’re not much different from big kids. Why don’t you get Lorraine to come over? She’s great with little ones.’
‘Lorraine’s – ah – going out.’
‘You’ll be fine. And we won’t be late, I promise. Katie, love, I really appreciate you doing this for me. So does Liam. Silly, but I’m quite excited about going to a Play School concert. I never got the chance to do that sort of thing with you. I was always too busy working.’
As her mum left the room, Katie felt herself getting angry. She’d never thought about things like missing out on kiddie concerts before. Why should Liam Parfitt’s kids get her mum’s attention? It wasn’t fair.
‘Katie!’ her mother called. ‘They’re here!’
Katie mooched out to the front steps and watched Liam Parfitt lift Georgie from her booster seat. She didn’t look that sick. Katie was a faker from way back and knew one when she saw one.
‘Thanks heaps for this, Katie,’ said Liam, as they climbed the front steps.
Katie watched a plane passing overhead as her mother and Liam kissed.
‘Oh yuck,’ said Georgie, ‘I’m going inside.’
Vanessa and Liam laughed.
‘What will I do if she’s really sick? Like if she throws up or something?’ said Katie.
‘Call me on my mobile,’ replied Vanessa, a hint of frustration in her voice.
‘I think she’s fine,’ said Liam. ‘We’d better get going – we need to park and getting this lot anywhere takes forever.’
Katie groaned silently, picturing how life was going to be from now on, but her mother just smiled. Katie wondered why falling in love made people turn into idiots. The car backed out the driveway and she was left staring into the brown eyes of this soon-to-be stepsister. She turned on her heel and headed back into the house.
‘Where’s the stupid phone?’ she said as she flung cushions and bits of the Sunday paper around.
‘I don’t know,’ said Georgie, standing in a corner of the lounge room.
‘I didn’t ask you!’
‘I’m the only one here.’
‘I wasn’t asking anyone. I just wish my idiot mother could leave the phone on top of something, for once in her life.’
‘I think she’s nice.’
‘Yeah, well, you haven’t known her as long as I have.’
Georgie watched as Katie tore the room apart.
Then the phone rang. Its buuurrrr, buuurrrr came from the front of the house, from Katie’s room.
‘Aaaaaaagh! Stay right there!’ she pointed at Georgie.
It was Dominic calling. ‘Good news,’ he said. ‘Joel’s in.’
‘Yeah, well, I’m out.’
‘But why?’
‘My mother’s gone out with Liam and left me with one of his kids. Apparently she’s sick.’
‘Erk. She’s not vomiting, is she?’
Katie smiled. It was nice to know Dom’s mind worked along the same lines as hers. ‘Nah, I think she’s faking.’
‘How old is she? Can you leave her?’
‘Don’t think so – she’s only four, I think.’
‘FIVE!’ Georgie bellowed from the hallway.
‘Five,’ said Katie, ‘and an eavesdropping brat.’
Dominic thought for a moment. ‘Maybe Lorraine will stay with her and the rest of us can go to Rocklea.’
Katie had thought of this, but that wouldn’t be fair. ‘No, it’s my problem; I’ll have to stay. But you guys go. Just come over the minute you get back.’
‘But, Katie – there’s no point in going without you. There has to be someone else who can mind her.’
Furious tears stung Katie’s eyes. ‘No, it has to be me.’
Suddenly, Georgie pushed open the door and hurtled into the room and onto the bed. Her eyes were wide and her lips were white. She wrapped her arms around Katie’s neck and clung to her like a limpet.
‘Dom, hold on. Georgie – off! What’s the matter with you?’
‘There’s a scary lady in the house!’
Katie grinned. ‘Dom. It’s okay. I think I’ve found a babysitter.’
Katie knew if she asked Nancy to babysit Georgie she’d say no, so she didn’t. Instead, she cooked Georgie a ham and pineapple pizza and made her a caramel milkshake.
Georgie looked suspicious, ‘Why aren’t you having dinner, too?’
‘I’ve got to go out for a while. I’ll have mine when I get back.’
‘But who will look after me?’
Katie held Georgie’s shoulder and led her down the narrow passageway that ran behind the back deck. She pointed at a peeling brown door. ‘My auntie Nancy is in there. Just knock if you need anything.’
Georgie froze. ‘The scary lady?’
‘She’s not that scary, really. She looked after me heaps when I was little.’ Katie didn’t add that she’d always been terrified herself. She pushed the little girl back towards the kitchen. ‘Look, I’ll get you a bowl of ice-cream and put the TV on. You probably won’t even need to see her. Just forget she’s here. You only need to call her if the house is on fire or something.’
‘I don’t want to stay with her,’ said Georgie firmly. ‘My dad said you’re looking after me.’
‘I am looking after you. I’m not leaving you alone. I’m leaving you with a responsible adult.’
‘But she yelled at me.’
‘She yells at me all the time. That’s why I keep out of her way – and you should, too. It’s a lesson you need to learn.’
Finally, Katie got Georgie settled on the sofa. She looked small and frightened. ‘Come on, be a big girl. Nothing’s going to happen and Nancy’s there if you need her.’
‘C’mon, Kato!’ Joel was down in the front yard. ‘We’re off to Rocklea-eeeeeeeeeeee!’
Katie patted Georgie on the head and tried to ignore the little girl’s stare.
She ran down the steps, and the others were waiting for her.
‘Right, explain what you’re wearing as we walk, Lorraine.’ Katie laughed. ‘It could take a while and we’re in a hurry.’
‘Well,’ said Lorraine, ‘I didn’t know whether to dress undercover – to make out I work at the fruit markets, or in a way that would get us noticed. We want people to talk to us, right?’
Katie hadn’t thought things through in that much detail. She hadn’t thought through much at all.
‘So I went with a bit of both.’
‘You went with a bit of everything, you mean,’ said Joel.
Lorraine was wearing a black dress – very businesslike, with a vest made of yellow hi-vis fabric, like the ones road workers wore, except Lorraine’s fitted quite snugly. On her feet was a pair of black work boots with dayglo orange socks.
‘Where’s the pom-pom?’ Joel pointed at the black beanie on top of her head.
‘You really have no idea about fashion, do you?’ Lorraine said haughtily. ‘There’s nothing worse than overkill, so I cut it off.’
Katie sometimes enjoyed their bickering. It was as much a part of summer as cicadas and cane toads were. It put her in a happy mood – she was also excited. Being away from the house – especially leaving Georgie behind with Nancy – felt fantastic. But there was work to be done, even if she hadn’t planned exactly what.
Dominic seemed to be reading her mind. ‘I think we need to talk more about what we’re going to do on this little excursion than what Lorraine’s wearing,’ he said.
‘You’re right,’ Lorraine chirped. ‘Fashion should be a part of the event, not the event itself.’
‘Who said that?’ Clementine was impressed. ‘Some famous designer?’
‘Yes. Her name is Lorraine Crabbe.’
Joel ran ahead and turned to walk backwards. ‘Quiche, this isn’t about you. Dom asked a serious question and I want to know the answer. What are we doing going to the Rocklea markets on a Sunday night? I’ve got better things to do, you know.’
‘No you don’t,’ said Katie. ‘You don’t do anything better than Mosquito Advertising stuff. Look, all we’re doing is finding a client. We want to find someone who’s big in the strawberry business and tell him –’
‘Or her –’
‘Or her, thank you, Lorraine – that we want to do some advertising for them and ultimately all the fruit and vegetable growers of Australia.’
‘Why would they agree to that?’ Joel kicked a plastic bottle along the footpath.
‘Why wouldn’t they?’ said Clementine. ‘It’s not like they do much now.’
‘They haven’t got any money.’
‘Exactly!’ said Katie. ‘And that’s what I’m going to talk to Clara Whiting about on Tuesday. I want to take her a plan, and the more people we’ve got on board, the better it’ll sound.’
‘I dunno. My dad says Clara Whiting is hopeless. Says she hasn’t had a good idea since she was elected.’
‘Well, maybe we’re going to give her one.’
‘That’s my problem, don’t you get it?’ Joel stopped. ‘Dad wants to see Clara Whiting get chucked out at the next election. If he finds out I’m involved in making her look good, I’ll be in major trouble.’
They stood still near the entrance to Toowong station. A train was pulling in.
‘So you think our idea’s that good?’ said Katie quietly. ‘You think it could make a difference to who’s elected?’
Joel ran a hand though his floppy curls. ‘I didn’t say that, but I ran it past my dad in a general way. He said it was the smartest thing he’d heard in three years. But he said Whiting wouldn’t have the guts to make it happen.’
‘So why are you here?’ said Lorraine.
‘Dad was cleaning out the garage and I didn’t want to help. Come on, let’s get on that train.’
The doors closed, then opened again five seconds later. A man in a Queensland Rail uniform stepped into the carriage. ‘Excuse me.’ He smiled at Katie. ‘I believe you forgot something.’ He was holding the hand of a little girl. It was Georgie.
‘We can’t take a little kid to the Rocklea markets at night, Kato,’ said Joel. They were standing up, just inside the doors. ‘You’ll have to get off at Taringa and take her home.’
‘No,’ said Dominic, ‘that’s ridiculous. We need Katie. This is her show.’
‘Get Quiche to do it. She’s the professional babysitter, isn’t she?’
‘Stop being so mean, Joel,’ said Lorraine. ‘Georgie might be little, but she has feelings. You never wanted to come in the first place because you were scared of what your daddy might say.’
‘I’ll take her home,’ said Clementine. ‘Someone has to.’
‘Guys, guys, be quiet for a second.’ Katie needed to take control. ‘We’re on our way now. There’s no point in anyone turning back. We’re just going to pretend Georgie isn’t with us. Simple. She’ll be absolutely silent the whole time, won’t you?
Georgie’s mouth was set in a straight line.
Lorraine bent down to talk to her. ‘Don’t worry if Katie seems a bit tooshy. She gets like that sometimes. Here, you can hold my hand.’
‘Lorraine!’ snapped Katie. ‘Don’t be nice to her. She has to learn.’
It was getting dark when the train pulled into Sherwood. They hopped off and walked towards the exit signs. Katie took long, purposeful strides and the others matched her pace, so did Georgie, although she had to take three steps to Katie’s one. Katie glanced down at her – at least she was dressed sensibly in shorts, t-shirt and a red hoodie. There were sneakers with velcro straps on her feet.
The buildings at the fruit and vegetable markets were made of corrugated iron and concrete. Row upon row of long sheds without walls. There were also huddles of shipping containers under them – some refrigerated. Cold air chilled their legs as they walked past. And everywhere were trucks and vans and people. The people were carrying boxes and shouting at each other, but the vibe wasn’t angry, just busy. It was like there was some kind of race to get the fruit and vegetables where they needed to be, as though something disastrous would happen if the bananas ended up somewhere instead of the avocados. Katie felt her pulse quicken – she liked the markets. It seemed the sort of place where things happened.
‘Right, we need to find the strawberries,’ she said, pulling Lorraine out of the way of a forklift truck loaded with watermelons.
‘That should be easy,’ Lorraine almost had to shout. ‘We just have to follow our noses. Strawberries smell delish.’ Against Katie’s orders, she was holding Georgie’s hand tightly.
‘I’m allergic to strawberries,’ said Georgie. ‘They give me a rash. I can’t eat them.’
‘Well, we’re not here for dinner, so don’t worry about it,’ snapped Katie.
‘I like bananas, though,’ continued Georgie. ‘I have them with honey on my Weet-Bix.’
‘Me too,’ said Joel. ‘I should have had some before we came. I’m starving. Do you think we’ll have time to get something to eat, Kato?’
Exasperated, Katie shook her head. ‘Look, we’re on a tight schedule. You –’ She pointed at Georgie, the tip of her finger a centimetre from the tip of the kid’s nose. ‘You have to be quiet. We’ve got work to do and you shouldn’t be here, anyway. One more word and I’m locking you in there.’ She waved her arm at a shipping container. Georgie shivered and gripped Lorraine’s hand tighter.
‘Hey.’ Clementine pointed to a van with the words Glasshouse Strawberries painted on the side. ‘Let’s follow that.’ The van wasn’t driving fast – there was too much traffic – so they followed at a jog.
‘I hope you know what happens next,’ said Joel, ‘because I sure don’t.’
‘Oh, shut up.’ He had said exactly what Katie was thinking.
The van pulled up under a sign saying, ‘Grasso Bros Wholesalers’.
‘Stop, everyone,’ Dominic stretched his arm in front of them like a boom gate. ‘This is what I think we should do. Clementine and Lorraine, you go up to whoever’s driving the van and say you’re lost.’
‘Lost? Why would we say that?’
‘Because we just need to suss out what this person’s like. It could be some cranky old dude who’ll wonder what a bunch of kids is doing sniffing around the fruit markets on a Sunday night. I’m pretty sure we shouldn’t be here. Not with forklifts and trucks racing around.’
‘Dom.’ Joel rolled his eyes. ‘It’s a public place. We can’t get in trouble for being here. No one’s even noticed us. And, considering Quiche’s get-up, that’s pretty amazing.’
‘Dom’s right,’ said Clementine. ‘It’s pretty intense here. People could get snarky, wondering what we’re doing.’
While the others were talking, a plan had been forming in Katie’s head. Not like a light turned on, more like clouds clearing. ‘I agree with Dom,’ she said. ‘We only get one chance at this. Clementine and Lorraine, you say you’re looking for the office. There has to be an admin office here somewhere.’
‘There is,’ said Joel, ‘near the front gate. That big brick building. That guy’s going to think you’re either blind or idiots.’
‘Yeah well, for some reason you missed it.’ Katie kept talking. ‘Say you’re doing a school project.’
‘All right.’ Clementine looked nervous, but Lorraine was bouncing in her gumboots. Katie could tell she was concocting a more elaborate story than a project on the fruit and vegetable trade.
‘Now don’t go over the top, Lorraine. We just need to know if Mr Glasshouse Strawberries is friendly or not.’
‘That’s it,’ said Dom, ‘and if he is, we have a bit of a talk with him about his business.’
‘And government policy,’ added Joel in a high-pitched singsong voice, like the woman on the Brand Power ads.
A man of about sixty got out of the van. He had bowed legs and a shiny bald head. He moved so quickly, it was impossible to tell if he was friendly or not. He opened the back of the van and there was a sweet whiff of strawberry mixed with the heavy smell of diesel.
‘Go now,’ Katie elbowed Lorraine, ‘before he gets busy unloading.’
Lorraine bent over and said to Georgie, ‘I’ll be back in a minute. I’m just going to ask the man where the cumquats are. Stay with Katie now.’
Katie folded her arms. There was no way she was taking over hand-holding duties.
Lorraine and Clementine strode up to the van. Katie admired them. They were perfect for this sort of thing – Lorraine’s exuberance guaranteed attention, but Clementine’s calm added credibility.
‘Hi! Hello? Excuse me?’ called Lorraine as she approached the guy bending into the back of the van.
He turned and peered down at them over four flat boxes, with his chin resting on the top. ‘Yes, what?’
‘Ah, could you please tell us where we might find the cumquats?’
‘The what?’
Clementine looked at Lorraine then back at Katie and the others, who were too far away to hear what was going on. Lorraine was making up her own script. All Clementine could do was go along with it.
‘Cumquats,’ said Lorraine. ‘I’m Felicia di Martini and this is Deirdre Carruthers. We’re looking for top-quality cumquats for our jam.’ She waved a hand at Clementine, who tried to look like a Deirdre – whatever Deirdres looked like.
The man jerked his chin. ‘No idea. And this is a market, not a shop. I hope you need a lot. At least twenty-five kilos.’
‘Oh,’ said Lorraine airily, ‘we’re not some small-time operation. Deirdre and I run quite a large company – Jungle Jams? We supply restaurants, hotels – just signed a contract to supply the Blade Air first class lounges. You’ve probably heard of us.’
‘Nope. And I don’t want to be rude to you girls, but I’ve got work to do.’ He walked the few steps to a wooden pallet and put down his boxes.
Clementine took Lorraine’s wrist. They had picked the wrong grower. Lorraine drooped – she had put quite a bit of thought into her story. She hadn’t got to the part where Prince William enjoyed Jungle Jams on his visit to Australia. He had even taken some home from Australia as a gift for his granny, the Queen.
‘Deirdre?’ said Clementine as they walked back to join the others. ‘Not that I mind, but our own names would have been fine.’
‘Oh, character names make life more interesting.’
‘So,’ said Katie, ‘was he our man?’
‘He made your auntie Nancy look like Tinkerbell,’ said Lorraine. ‘We need to pick someone else. Let’s find someone with curly hair. He was bald. In my experience, bald men are often cranky.’
Katie humphed and looked around. Vans dashed here and there. People shouted. It was obvious everyone was too busy to want to chat with them about advertising.
‘Come on,’ said Dominic, pointing to an area by the far wall of the market where a lot of people seemed to be heading. ‘Let’s go over there. It looks like a coffee van or a snack place. We might find someone taking a break.’
‘Hey!’ It was a boy’s voice behind them. They turned to look and he was about their age, but stockier and more tanned than Joel or Dominic – like he’d spent a lot of time working hard, outside. He had white-blond hair and wore jeans and a long-sleeved khaki shirt. On his feet were weird work boots – although spattered with mud, they were deep purple, like an eggplant. ‘You’ll find some cumquats right at the back,’ he said to Lorraine, as her eyes moved quickly from his boots to his friendly face. ‘There won’t be a lot, but the fancier fruit shops buy cumquats all year round. Look for Allan & Sons wholesaler.’
‘Thanks,’ Lorraine smiled at him in a way Katie had never seen before.
‘Right, thanks,’ said Joel. ‘Allan & Sons. Let’s go.’
‘Hold on.’ Lorraine glared at him. Hadn’t they come to speak to a strawberry grower. Surely this guy would do?
Katie was thinking the same thing. ‘Actually, have you got a second?’
The boy glanced over at his father, who was arguing with another man. ‘Just one,’ he said.
Dominic stepped into the conversation and held out his hand. ‘I’m Dominic and this is Katie, Joel, Clementine and Lorraine.’
The boy grinned. ‘I’m Zach. I didn’t think you looked like a Felicia.’
Lorraine scrunched up her face a bit. ‘I should have come up with something better, I know.’
‘But why were you coming up with a name at all? And why are you looking for cumquats? I don’t believe you make jam.’
Katie relaxed. Zach seemed friendly, even if his dad didn’t. ‘Actually we need to speak to a strawberry grower about advertising. But your father seems – ah – busy.’
‘Yeah, he’s flat out and, anyway, he’s not interested in marketing and stuff, but I am. Maybe I can help. I’m more interested in that side of things than the farming, believe me.’
‘Zach!’ his father bellowed from the van. ‘Get back here and give us a hand.’
‘Would you be able to get away and talk to us? Just for twenty minutes?’ Katie winced as if she was about to be hit.
Lorraine chipped in. ‘Or even ten?’
Zach looked at his watch. ‘Dad normally has a coffee when we’re done. Meet me over there – where the flower wholesalers are, at eight.’
‘Okay,’ said Katie.
Joel shook his head. ‘No good. That’s not for another hour. We’ve wasted enough time as it is. Katie, you’ll get into trouble for sure.’
‘C’mon, Joel, when did you ever worry about Katie getting into trouble?’ Lorraine laughed.
‘I’m not worried about Katie, I just reckon if her mum gets – difficult, this whole fruit plan for the prime minister will fall over.’
‘What’s this about the prime minister?’ said Zach.
‘Nothing,’ snapped Joel.
Katie stepped in. ‘Cool it, Joel. We’ve come this far and Zach’s offered to help us. Mum has been much more – relaxed, lately. We can hang for a bit.’
Joel shook his head. ‘She might be okay about you being out this late, but what about the kid?’
Katie looked around. ‘Lorraine, where’s Georgie?’
‘I don’t know. I left her with you, remember?’
Katie’s heart stopped.
The head of security barked questions at Katie. ‘What did she look like? Height? Distinguishing features?’ They were in a bland room with a white table in the middle and six brown plastic chairs. There was a vending machine in the corner with a notice taped to it that said, ‘OUT OF ORDER’. Curling posters on the walls detailed evacuation procedures in case of bomb threat or flood. There were also yellowing flyers warning of bugs that could damage Australia’s biodiversity. Katie tried to focus on them in an effort to calm herself down. But the security man rapped his fingers on the table. He was a heavy-featured man, who looked incapable of smiling. His face was set in a permanent frown and his hairline almost met his eyebrows.
‘I don’t know. She’s short, she’s got brown hair, sort of lopsided . . . What does it matter what she looks like?’ Katie’s voice was thin, ‘How many five-year-old kids could be lost here? If anyone finds one, it’ll probably be her.’
‘Don’t be smart,’ the security man said. ‘You’ll have to give the police those details, so you might as well give them to me.’
‘The police?’
‘Of course. They’re on their way. A missing child isn’t something we take lightly. And I need to call your parents.’
‘My parents?’
‘Yeeees, your mum and dad.’ He spoke slowly, as if Katie wasn’t quite right in the head. ‘Your parents need to know your little sister is missing.’
‘But she’s not my sister!’ Katie’s tears were close to the surface. She hoped one of the others had found Georgie. Five was too little to be in a place like Rocklea markets all alone.
‘She’s not your sister? Well, what was she doing here with you? What are any of you doing here? This is no place for children.’
Katie shook her head. ‘We weren’t doing anything bad, but it’s hard to explain, and it won’t get Georgie found. I should go and help the others look.’
‘So who is this girl if she’s not your sister? I need to contact her parents. Do you even know who her parents are?’ His buggy eyes became beady.
‘I didn’t abduct her, if that’s what you’re thinking. She’s my mum’s fiancé’s daughter. I’m just looking after her.’
The security man looked like he wanted to say – You didn’t look after her very well, then, did you? ‘Okay, so what’s your mum’s phone number?’
Katie gave it to him.
Thirty minutes later, the little room was boiling with people. Outside, sirens blared and blue lights flashed. Joel, Lorraine, Dominic and Clementine had been told to stop searching – they didn’t know the markets and would only get in the way. They sat on chairs lined up against the wall. Lorraine’s face was puffy with crying. Joel ate a packet of chips. Clementine had found a pen and a piece of paper and was drawing a picture of Georgie. Dominic sat next to Katie, his knee touching hers. Four police officers pored over a map of the markets spread out across the table.
It was close to ten when Liam Parfitt rushed into the room carrying Billy. Vanessa followed close behind, pushing Sam asleep in a stroller. Barney trailed behind, holding onto Vanessa’s shirt.
‘Mr Parfitt?’ said a policewoman. ‘I’m Detective Sergeant Lloyd. Please come with me.’
‘Katie.’ Vanessa sat down next to her and wrapped her free arm around her shoulders. ‘What are you doing out here? And why would you bring Georgie?’
‘I didn’t mean to bring her, Mum. She was meant to stay home with Nancy. She followed us.’
‘What? All the way here without you noticing?’
‘No, she followed us to the station, so we brought her with us. It was too late to take her back. I only took my eyes off her for a second. I swear.’
‘That’s all it takes,’ grumbled the security man.
‘Please,’ Vanessa glared at him. ‘That’s not helping.’
Katie burst into tears, and wrapped her arms around her mum’s neck. ‘I’m so sorry. I’d never do anything to hurt Georgie – or any of the kids.’
‘I know, I know. It’ll be all right. Everybody’s looking for her. She can’t have gone far.’ She squeezed Katie tightly. If that was meant to reassure her, it had the opposite effect. It seemed like they were both falling apart over a kid they hardly knew.
Suddenly Liam’s voice lit up the room. ‘Look who’s here!’
They all stood up to see him with Georgie in his arms. He kissed her loudly on the cheek. The room exhaled and even the security man smiled. There was a moment of silence and then everyone seemed to be talking at once.
‘Who found her?’
‘The son of a strawberry grower,’ said Liam. ‘I’ll have to find him and say thanks.’
Lorraine beamed.
‘Katie,’ said Liam, ‘Georgie has something for you.’
‘What’s that?’ Katie felt the blood returning to her hands and feet.
‘I found this for you.’ Georgie held out a cumquat.