Diary of a Lottery Winner's Daughter (5 page)

‘Just think,’ said Lauren,’ you’ll be able to have one of those big trampolines . . . and a new bike. You could get some roller blades - though they’re not much fun by yourself so you’ll have to get me some as well.’

‘I don’t know what Mum and Dad are thinking of doing with the money but I don’t think they’re planning on spending it all on me,’ I laughed. Lauren looked disappointed. ‘But I’m sure I’ll get some new things,’ I said to cheer her up.

‘Ifit was my mum I’d make her get me everything,’ said Lauren.’A new trampoline and a bike, anew phone, a laptop, awhole new wardrobe, an iPod, some real diamond earrings . . .’It was at that point that I wrestled her to the ground, sat on her and stuffed a burger bun in her mouth.

Later on, when the adults were a little bit drunk, Dad started to do his dancing. Grumps got up and joined him and said he’d show him a move or two. Lauren and I were giggling helplessly, imagining that Grumps was going to teach Dad to waltz or something. But after a quick whispered conversation with Chelsea, who was in charge of the music, she put on some hip hop and Grumps showed us his moves. At first everyone was speechless, then Mum started clapping and cheering and before long there was a dance off going on in the back garden. We all joined in - even Chelsea who normally wouldn’t dance in front of all the grown ups. Lauren and I had to stop because we were laughing so much at our mums, who both looked like someone had put itching powder down their backs.

Grumps was definitely the winner, but then he got a bit ambitious and tried a head roll and Dad had to get him up. Gary wanted to know where he’d learnt to body pop and Grumps said there’d been a class on down at the community hall. It was meant to get the lads from the estate to mix with the older generation so they could learn to respect each other.

Grumps said it was really good, because when you did hip hop you had to let everything ‘hang loose’ and you could do a lot of it just standing on the spot, so it turned out to be a great way for the oldies to stay fit, if they could stand the music. Grumps loved it and went along every week.

Eventually Dad took Grumps home because he’d fallen asleep in the chair and Lauren and her mum and dad left. We all did some half-hearted clearing up. No one wanted to go to bed. We were all too wound up to go to sleep and it seemed like too much of an ordinary thing to do. I fell asleep on the sofa at about one o’clock and Mum woke me up at three o’clock when everyone else went to bed. I’m still awake, though - I can’t stop thinking about how great everything is going to be.

Sunday 29th August

This morning I woke up really early. It was sort of light outside, but only just. Chelsea, despite her claim that she wasn’t going to sleep last night, was snoring loudly above me. I decided to go downstairs and see what the television had to offer at the crack of dawn.

Mum was sitting at the kitchen table with her hands round a cup of coffee.

‘Couldn’t you sleep, either?’ she said, pulling the chair out next to her.’I had to wear my bra to bed to keep the ticket safe. It was really uncomfortable.’

‘Chelsea’s snoring,’ I explained, sitting down.

Mum gave me a hug with one arm. ‘At least I’ve stopped shaking now.’ She held out her hand to prove it to me. It started wobbling. We laughed. ‘It’s the shock,’ she said.

‘People will think you’ve been drinking,’ I told her.

‘They can think what they like. I don’t care; I’m a millionairess.’

We giggled like Lauren and I do sometimes, sitting at the back in French. It was nice. Not that Mum isn’t usually happy, because she is, but this was exciting, and it was fun being up so early when everyone else was asleep.

‘What’s going to happen?’ I said. ‘I mean, what happens now?’

‘Well, Dad and I are going to London on Wednesday to collect the prize money. I think we’ll come straight back afterwards. We did think about spending the night there in a posh hotel and seeing a show, but you know what your Dad’s like with hotels.’I didn’t, but I kept quiet because I didn’t want to interrupt. Besides, I could imagine that he’d be really uncomfortable with people running round, carrying his luggage for him and he’d be worrying about how much he’d have to tip them.

‘Besides, you’ve all got your first day back at school so it won’t seem right not to be here and I don’t want to have to ask Grumps to come and stay over;you know what he’s like.’

This time I did know what she meant. Grumps isn’t the best childminder in the world. Last time he looked after us Mum told him to give us fishfingers and chips for tea because it was easy. Grumps tried to make the chips in an old deep fat fryer he found at the back of a cupboard and it caught alight and nearly burnt the house down. Spencer had to explain to him about oven chips and in the end we cooked it ourselves, once the smoke had cleared out of the kitchen.

‘I think the best thing is to try and keep everything as normal as possible until we’ve had time to think.’

‘Can’t we come to London with you?’

‘Do you want to? It’ll probably be really boring and you’d miss the first day back at school. Besides, I don’t think we can afford train fares for all of us . . .’Then she realised what she’d said and we were off laughing again.

‘What’s so funny?’ Chelsea appeared in the doorway, looking sleepy and crumpled but perfectly happy. ‘What time is it?’

‘It’s half past five,’ said Mum. ‘I haven’t seen you up so early since Christmas morning when you were four.’

Chelsea groaned. ‘Why does it have to be Sunday today. The shops don’t open until ten o’clock! We are going to have the most amazing shopping trip ever.’

Mum looked uncertain. ‘It might have to wait until we’ve actually got the money. I wouldn’t be comfortable spending money until it’s in my bank account . . .’

Chelsea sat down opposite Mum. ‘Okay, fine,’ she said, taking a biscuit out of the tin and nibbling on it. This new Chelsea was making me nervous. No way was it fine with her. Why did she look so relaxed? I should have known better.

‘So, Mum. What are you going to wear when you go up to London? You’ll need to look smart . . . you’ll have to knock them out with your outfit.’

Chelsea continued to nibble, eyeing Mum over her biscuit.’Have you still got that flowery dress you wore to

Uncle Ron’s wedding? It was only ten years ago; it should still fit you. There’s always the old reliable black skirt and white blouse but then you might be mistaken for one of the waitresses handing out champagne. I’ve heard they put on quite a party at Camelot . . . ‘

She’d said enough. Mum looked totally panicked. I have to admire Chelsea at moments like this. She certainly knows exactly the right buttons to push.

‘Maybe it can’t do any harm to go and have a look in Marks and Spencer’s,’ Mum said.

I went back to bed. If we were going shopping I’d need all the strength I could get. I finally drifted off to sleep to the sound of Chelsea singing as she took a long soak in the bath.

We all set off together for the shopping trip. There was a bit of a panic before we left the house because Mum didn’t want to take the ticket with her. She said she’d be too worried about losing it and besides she might be trying clothes on. Everyone started suggesting the best place to put it. Spencer tried to stick it onto the fridge with a fridge magnet but Chelsea told him not to be so stupid. Word about our win was bound to be all over the estate and someone might break in and nick it.

Mum started to panic even though Spencer tried to persuade her that this wasn’t going to happen and, even if it did, they’d never be able to claim the money because the cashier in Tesco was witness to the fact that it was her ticket. In the end she hid it in the teabag tin, underneath the teabags.

After we’d parked the car, Dad and Spencer sloped off, saying they had to go and check something out in the computer shop.

I soon wished I’d stayed at home. Clothes shopping isn’t exactly my favourite thing. Every morning (except the weekends, obviously) I’m actually thankful for my school uniform; weird, I know, but at least it means I don’t have to think about what I’m going to wear.

Eventually we stopped for lunch. Chelsea tried to drag Mum into a hyper-trendy restaurant by the river, but Mum put her foot down when she saw the menu by the door.

‘Twenty-two pounds for a plate of fish and chips!’ Mum was seriously outraged.

‘But Mum, it doesn’t matter any more,’ explained Chelsea patiently.’You can afford it now - you’re a millionaire, remember?’

‘I don’t care,’ said Mum. ‘I wouldn’t pay that much even if I was a
billionaire.
It’s not right.’

I could see Chelsea was seriously disappointed, but she knew when she was beaten. We still had a nice lunch at our usual café, only this time we could have what we wanted and didn’t have to go for the special offers, though I noticed Mum did anyway.

Dad and Spencer joined us for lunch but then disappeared again - Spencer mumbling something about the Games Workshop.

It wasn’t until Mum and Chelsea were collecting all their bags together that they even noticed me and my lack of shopping.

‘Charlotte! Haven’t you got anything?’ said Mum, looking concerned. ‘Didn’t you see any nice clothes you wanted?’

The truth is that I hadn’t. I had looked while Mum and Chelsea were busy but I couldn’t find anything. I was about to say,’ I don’t know
what
to get,’ but I could see from the glint in Chelsea’s eye that she was planning a massive makeover for me.

‘Ooh, there is something I really want,’ I said quickly before she could drag me into Top Shop. ‘I really need a new notebook and some pens and stuff, for school on Wednesday. And maybe a new school bag,’ I added, improvising madly,’ and I wouldn’t mind going to the bookshop.’

Chelsea heaved a huge sigh. ‘Can’t you just give her some money, Mum, and then she can go and get all her boring stuff while we finish our proper shopping?’

In the end, Mum agreed and we went to the cash machine. I could tell Mum was nervous getting so much money out. She gave me a hundred pounds! Then she changed her mind and took thirty away. I didn’t complain because I would have been a bit frightened walking around on my own with that much money.

I soon wished I hadn’t been so pathetic though, because once I started spending, I couldn’t stop, and the money was soon all gone.

I spent about an hour in Paperchase drooling over all the lovely notebooks (not literally, obviously, or they would have thrown me out for ruining their stock). In the end, I chose a lovely one covered in birds and leaves. I bought a pen with
Charlotte
printed on it and a pencil case. I found a new bag for school then spent the rest of the time (and the money) in the bookshop. I ended up with seven books and I was glad I’d bought a new bag because I knew what Chelsea would say if she saw I’d spent most of my money on books. This way I could hide them in my bag and hope she didn’t ask me what I’d bought.

Not that I needed to worry on that score. When I got back to the car the others were already there, trying to fit all the bags into the boot. Mum had obviously overcome her worry about spending the money before she’d picked up the cheque. I’d never seen so many bags! Chelsea was on a shopping high and was going on about all the stuff her and Mum had bought even though nobody was listening.

On the way home I wondered where I was going to put all my new books. We only had a tiny bookcase in our bedroom and it was already full. I really wish I could have a big bookcase full of lovely books. And a quiet corner to read them in. We were driving down a street with big old houses and I saw a ‘for sale’ sign.

‘Mum? Are we going to buy a new house?’ I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought about this before now, but I couldn’t remember anyone saying anything about it. They must have talked about it last night after I’d fallen asleep, because Chelsea said,

‘Well, duh. Of course we are. Why would we stay in our poxy house when we could be living in luxury? I wonder about you sometimes, I really do. Mum, are you sure you didn’t adopt Charlotte? Or bring the wrong baby home from the hospital?’

‘It was you that got mixed up at the hospital, not me,’ I retorted.

‘Enough,’ said Mum. I shut up, because I wanted to know the answer to my question.

‘We’ll have to move, because it wouldn’t be fair to stay in a council house when there are people out there who really need them.’

‘We could buy someone else a house and stay in ours if it makes you feel better,’ said Spencer.

Chelsea hit him and I said,’ It’s all right for you, you’ve got your own bedroom. If it was you sharing with Chelsea, you’d be down the estate agent’s first thing tomorrow, trust me.’

‘The important thing is not to do anything too hasty,’ said Mum. ‘Let’s just wait and see, shall we?’

Now we’re back I’m sitting on my bunk, keeping out of the way while Chelsea examines all her new clothes. Sixth Formers are allowed to wear their own clothes to school. Chelsea was just holding up a new top and admiring herself in the mirror.

She opened a drawer and started pulling things out to make way for her new stuff. First to go was her old school uniform and she threw it at me, saying,’ There you go. It’s all yours. You might grow into it one day, you never know.’

‘What, you mean like one day - when I’m
pregnant,
I said. Chelsea’s not really fat but every time she teases me about my height, I tease her about her weight.

I can’t wait until I’ve got my own room and won’t have to climb over piles of clothes any more or listen to Chelsea scream and shout when she can’t find a clean pair of knickers. I shall be blissfully unaware, in my own wing with any luck.