When We Were Lying ✓

The cottage | 26

"Walked into a door." He lies, throwing mum a look.

She grins at him secretively, miming thank you when Mrs Peters heads back to her family.

Once we're all packed and ready to go, we get onto the road, both families in one car each. Apparently Will is still asleep, and Lillie won't get out of her seat, so I won't be seeing them until we arrive at the cottage.

Mum's driving the car, seeing as dad isn't exactly stable enough to drive due to his now splitting headache.

Unfortunately, with mum driving, it means that she has choice over what we listen to. That means songs that she doesn't even like, but knows all the words to. "So I put my hands up they're playing my song, you know it's gonna be okay! Nodding my head like yeah, moving my hips like yeah."

"Mum!" I shout from the backseat, attempting to send my voice over the loud speakers. "Do you even know what song this is?"

"Duh." She says, taking one hand off the wheel to turn the sound down. "It's Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus."

And there she is, ladies and gentlemen. My clueless mother.

Halfway through our journey, we make a stop to get some petrol, the Peters driving in just behind us.

Mrs Peters and a little girl jump out, who I can only guess is Lillie. She has dark hair like her brother, and big green eyes. Her two front teeth have fallen out, making her look like a baby lion - and therefore extremely adorable. She wears her hair in a French plait, most likely styled by Will, and little freckles are spotted about her nose and cheeks.

As I jump out of our car to get some coffee and go to the toilet, I hear Mrs Peters sigh loudly. "Yes, okay Lillie. I'll take you in a minute. Please let go, I'm already tired as it is."

Feeling sympathetic towards Mrs Peters, I approach them slowly, careful not to startle her, unlike dad with mum this morning.

"Hi." I say, causing them both to look up and settle their eyes on me. "I was wondering whether you'd like me to take Lillie to the toilet? You know, seeing as you're busy and I'm going that way anyway."

Her eyes light up. "You'd do that? Oh! Gosh, thank you Viola. And please, call me Harriet."

Lillie looks at me suspiciously, moving over to stand by my side, but refusing to say a word. Her hands are in the pockets of her pink dungarees, chin held high as she studies her surroundings.

"Hello," I greet, throwing my biggest grin to comfort her. "I'm-"

"Vi-oh-laa. My big brother told me." She interrupts, starting to walk towards our destination, seeming to see the shop where the toilets will be.

Jogging slightly to catch up with her, I laugh. "I see. Told you a lot about me, has he?"

"Yep." She turns her head, watching me with her big eyes. "He told me you're weird."

"Did he? Well I think he's gross. Boys are gross, aren't they?"

She giggles. "Will is. He stinks bad!"

Feeling better at her sudden change of mood, I open the door of the shop and let her walk under my arm, checking she's following me as I lead her to the sign of the lavatories.

When we get there, she goes into a cubicle and says, "Mummy comes with me. I don't like being by myself because I could fall in."

I stifle a laugh at her comment. Sure, I used to be scared of that when I was younger, but the toilet is far too small for her whole body to go down it.
Nevertheless, I follow her into the cubicle and wait for her to finish, before she waits for me to pee too. It's not as awkward as I thought, truthfully. She seems to be used to doing it this way.