The following Sunday, Penny visits her sister with both George and Alice. It’s a sweltering day and they sit in her back garden sipping lemonade. George asks if the pond has gone toxic because its surface is covered in a layer of green gunk. “It’s algae.” Felicity tells her nephew.
“It looks putrid, like nuclear waste or something,” George says.
“It’s quite harmless,” Felicity tells him. “It happens every summer when it’s hot.”
She shows her sister and niece some of the new flowering plants she’s put in. There are petunias and begonias, geranium, and one called black-eyed Susan. George sits by the pond, poking at the algae with a stick and turning his nose up at the gunky green gunge. Being a boy, he has no interest in flowers. Alice saunters over after he calls her name. She emits a high-pitched yelp and George laughs out loud before causing a huge splash. The adults rush over and grab his arms, pulling him out of the pond. “What happened!?” Felicity asked.
Alice is on the verge of tears. “He splashed some of that gunge on me,” she said. It’s all over her T-shirt and is dripping onto her shorts.
“George why would you do such a thing!” his mother barked.
“It was funny!” he claimed. The adults presumed that Alice must have pushed him, but the rotten little scoundrel had laughed so hard at his sister that he fell backward into the pond. He’s covered in gunk and both need a change of clothes.
Felicity rushes indoors and returns with a couple of bath towels. She tells them that they’re not going into the house until they’ve removed their gunky sodden clothing. Penelope berates her son for being so cruel and stupid. “What are you going to wear now?” she asks in total exasperation as he peels off his jeans.
“Leave it with me,” Felicity tells her sister. “You get them dried, I’ll be back in a moment,” she says before darting off. “Ah… Catherine! Sorry to call round unannounced… you’ll never guess what’s happened.”
“Is everything OK?” Catherine asked.
Felicity describes what her troublesome nephew has just done. “…and neither of them have a change of clothes… so I was hoping I could borrow something for a couple of hours. Alice and Emily are about the same size I guess… if that’s OK.”
“Of course,” Catherine replied. “And what about the boy?” she asked.
“What about the boy” Felicity said, clearly very annoyed with him.
“Well, I could find him some tracksuit pants that might fit, and a T-shirt,” Catherine suggested.
“I think it’s high time he was taught a lesson that he won’t forget in a hurry. I know it’s a bit of an ask but… could I borrow one of Peter’s dresses?”
“Absolutely,” Catherine replied as a wry smile swept her face. “Follow me,” she said as she beckoned her friend upstairs. “What size is he?” she asked.
“Normal-ish for his age,” Felicity replied as she was led up to the landing. “No kids today?”
“They’re at their granny’s,” Catherine replied as she opened a wardrobe and began rummaging.
“Are these all Peter’s?” Felicity asked as she took in the resplendent display of dresses.
“They’re all his old ones… a bit too small for him now and waiting for Emily to grow into them,” she said. “How about this one?” she asked as she removed a particularly garish frock.
“Er… maybe something a little more sedate,” Felicity suggested. “I don’t want him to think that I borrowed something really girlie on purpose… I’ll tell him it’s the best I could get.”
“OK… what about this?” Catherine suggested.
“That’s better,” Felicity said. “You sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all.” she smiled.
“If that’s OK.” Felicity didn’t hang around. Within five minutes of her leaving her sister to deal with the offspring, she was back. “I’ve borrowed some dry clothes from a neighbor… I hope they fit,” she said, handing Alice a T-shirt and a denim dungaree dress.
“Come with me George,” Felicity instructed. “You’d better come too,” she said to her sister. George followed his mother and aunt upstairs. First, she apologized to her nephew. Then she told a tiny white lie and explained that she’d borrowed some clothes from a friend who had a daughter. “…and this is the only thing she had that might fit you.”
“I’m not wearing that!” George blurted when faced with a dress. “I’ll stick to a towel,” he suggested.
“Oh no you won’t!” his mother said as She grabbed his towel. “Auntie Fliss has gone to the trouble to get you something dry to wear and you’re going to wear it whether you like it or not.”
Felicity unbuttoned the dress and handed it to Penelope. Penelope held it for George who reluctantly stepped into it. He pushed his arms through the sleeves. His mother turned him around and began to button him in. His face was an absolute picture. His cheeks blushed to a deep crimson as his mother turned him to face her so she could see how it looked. “That’s not so bad.” she said. “At least it’s blue and not pink.”
“It’s horrible,” George mumbled.