Pumpkin Pie (19 page)

The struggle goes on, except that I am not obsessed any more. I am trying very hard to
eat sensibly.
I am determined not to go back to being the human equivalent of a dustbin, and even Dad is beginning to accept that he cannot pile up my plate the way he used to.

We had this long, long talk, Mum and Dad, me and Petal and Pip. Mum said, “I have been such a bad mother!” Dad said, “No, I have!” which made us laugh. Mum then said, in all seriousness, that perhaps she should give up her job; at which we all shouted, “Mum!
No!”
Dad said maybe he should be the one to give up, but Mum said that wouldn’t be fair. She said he’d already done his stint as a househusband. In the end we unanimously decided to continue just as we were, except that from now on we were all going to sit down, once a week, as a family, and
share.

I must say that it has worked quite well. We all gather round the table and say what we’ve been doing. We “air our grievances” and ask if anyone has got any problems they want to discuss. We tell all the good things that have happened, and the bad things, too. I know more about Mum and Dad, and about Pip and Petal, than I ever did before!

Pip still works really hard, but I think, now, it’s because he likes to rather than because he’s under pressure. Petal still obsesses over boys; I can’t see that ever changing! But just recently she seems to have settled down a bit. She’s been going with the same one for almost three months, which is practically a record! I expect sooner or later they will break up, and then we shall have tears, and marathon wailing sessions on her moby, but at least she will be able to tell us about it and we can all sympathise.

As for me… it has not been easy, learning to eat properly. But everyone has helped, and I think that I can
almost
trust myself. I fear that I shall never be thin as a pin; I just don’t seem to be made that way. I am doing my best to be happy with my body, because after all it is the only one I am ever likely to have. Not that it stops me yearning! I would still rather be slim, slender and sticklike than pudgy, podgy and plump. I would think almost anyone would. I don’t care what people say! But you can’t always be how you would like to be, and I have come to the conclusion that there is simply no point in making yourself miserable over it.

I once read that inside every fat person there is a thin person waiting to get out. But the way I see it, inside every short person there is probably a tall person. And everyone with thin hair would probably die to have thick hair. And those with long droopy faces would just love to have round cheeky faces. And those that are plain would give anything to be beautiful. But that is the way it goes.

As I said at the beginning, dream on!

Actually, I don’t think I did say it, but I could have done. I could have said a lot of things, only it is a bit late now. I have told my story and it is time to finish.

Oh, I made up with Saffy, by the way. I couldn’t stand not being friends with her! She said that she couldn’t stand not being friends with me. I apologised for being so mean and cranky, Saffy apologised for not being more understanding. Now we are closer than ever!

We still go to drama classes because we really do enjoy them. We are working on a musical this term. I have discovered that I can sing! We are still in search of those hunky, sensitive boys… we still live in hope, though Mark has left to go to a full-time drama school in London and gorgeous Gareth has moved away. Boo hoo! Little Miss Twinkle and Zoë are still with us.
Unfortunately.
But they don’t bug me any more, even though Zoë has taken to calling me Heffelump. I have learnt to ignore her. I just rise above it! A couple of new boys have started taking classes, and we think, me and Saffy, that they may turn out to be quite promising… but actually, at the moment, I am sort of going out with Ben. He may look like a turnip, but he makes me laugh! We have lots of fun together.

I have decided, however, that I don’t want a career in the movies after all. I don’t think I am really cut out for it; I am not show-offy enough. What I am considering at the moment is entering one of the
caring
professions. Helping people. Saving the rainforests. That sort of thing. I think it is ignoble to just aim for fame or money. Of course, I may change my mind about this. I have changed it several times in the past! But those are my feelings at this moment in time.

Oh, and hey! Guess what? They have done another
Ellen
book and I am on the cover again! I’m dead proud of it. As soon as it hits the shops I’m going to be out there, making sure it can be seen. If that author doesn’t end up rich as rich can be, it certainly won’t be my fault!

Lemonade Sky
Love and Kisses
Fortune Cookie
Star Crazy Me!
Over the Moon
Boys Beware
Sugar and Spice
Is Anybody There?
Secret Meeting
Passion Flower
Shrinking Violet
Boys on the Brain
Skinny Melon and Me
Becky Bananas, This is Your Life!
Fruit and Nutcase
The Secret Life of Sally Tomato
Family Fan Club
Ice Lolly

Special three-in-one editions

The Tutti-Frutti Collection
The Flower Power Collection
The Friends Forever Collection

And for younger readers

Dazzling Danny
Daisy May
Monster in the Mirror

HarperCollins
Children’s Books
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Publishers
Ltd
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First published in Great Britain by HarperCollins
Children’s Books
2002

Text copyright © Jean Ure 2002
Illustrations by Karen Donnelly 2002
Cover design © HarperCollins
Publishers
2011

The author and illustrator assert the moral right to be identified as the author and illustrator of the work.

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Source ISBN: 9780007143924
EBook Edition © JUNE 2013 ISBN: 9780007402366

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