"Cooeee! Hello, anybody at home? I'm Joss, live next door. Thought you might want some help unpacking.""Oh, er, I think we're nearly there, but come in." Ray put down his box of train magazines and opened the door. A middle aged woman with dark curly hair and a bright pink scarf around her neck pushed past him.
"So this is it," she said, gazing around. "The house."
"Yes it's... ours," Ray answered uncertainly. "Would you like a cup of -"
"How on earth did you manage it?" Joss began to poke around the kitchen. "Fully fitted. Nice."
"I'm Ray and this is my wife, Mary," Ray said, politely ignoring the fact that Joss was trying to open the kitchen drawers.
Mary stood up, one hand resting on her stomach. "A neighbour? How lovely. I feel like I've always known you, Joss."
Joss looked Mary up and down. "So that's why you got the house. Things are changing for you."
"Yes, I hope so," said Ray.
"I won't hold it against you." Joss gave Mary a hug. She stood back, surveying her. "I've just had the most fabulous idea! You must join our girl group. Well, lady group. We're all ladies of a certain age. We call ourselves Uterus."
"Er, I think that would be a bit difficult," Ray said quickly. "Mary's nearly due, you see, and -"
"That sounds absolutely delightful," said Mary.
"We rehearse every Wednesday evening at the school," Joss continued. "My sister Wendy is lead vocal and Trisha and I are backing singers. Trisha's leaving so there's a vacancy. We're taking part in Battle of the Bands next month. It's between us and Gore Hell Vandals but I think we capture the zeitgiest. Anyway, can't stop - I'll have that cup of tea another time, Ray!"
"Good," said Ray, who was having trouble opening the fridge.
Tom and Sara climbed down from the bedroom and stood shly looking at Joss.
"These must be yours," said Joss, as though she had just picked up something they had dropped. She looked critically at the children. "They'll fit perfectly into Plastic St."
Tom held a red plastic train close to his chest, while Sara cuddled her toy mouse.
"How old are they? I've got a nephew a little older than the boy," Joss said, eyeing the train.
"He must be..." Ray counted in his head. "Fifteen," he said finally. It didn't seem possible. The children had always been... well, just children. And Tom had always carried that train. It was almost part of him.
Joss was looking at Tom in disbelief.
"They're... slow developers," Ray said quickly. "Give me the train, Tom." He tried to wrench the toy out of Tom's hands.
"Waaaahh!" Tom burst into tears and ran to Mary.
"Well, I was going to suggest he might like to play drums for Gore Hell Vandals with Brandon, but perhaps not," said Joss, raising her eyebrows.
