Bursting Bubbles by Dyan Sheldon

Author:Dyan Sheldon [Sheldon, Dyan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781406355260
Publisher: Walker Books
Published: 2014-06-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Waiting for Mrs Hawkle

There have been consequences for giving her old picture books away. Which, of course, Marigold knew there would be. This is why Marigold has tiptoed around her mother for seventeen years. It’s bad enough when you don’t go against her, let alone when you do.

As soon as Marigold stepped through the front door that night, Eveline started screaming – as if she’d been standing there, ready and waiting, all day long. Marigold’s an ingrate. Marigold’s selfish and self-centred. Marigold would just as soon stomp on her mother’s heart in stilettos as do her mother the slightest kindness. Someday God will judge Marigold for her ingratitude and callousness. “Honour thy father and thy mother!” howled Mrs Liotta while Marigold stood stone-like in the hallway, still wearing her jacket and holding her book bag, barely daring to breathe. When her mother started sobbing, Marigold started apologizing. Her mother thundered up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door behind her. Marigold made herself a sandwich and watched a comedy on HBO.

For several days after that the temperature in the house would have made an ice floe seem warm. Her mother spoke to her, but flatly and stiffly, like a robot with a limited vocabulary. There were a lot of frowns and disapproving looks. Can’t you put things back where you got them? I thought you were going to bring in the mail. Was it you who finished the cake? You didn’t say you’d be so late.

Marigold’s budget doesn’t stretch to diamonds, but, when she saw no thaw in sight, she bought her mother flowers and her favourite chocolates, and was finally forgiven. On condition. “Just promise me you won’t do anything like that again,” ordered Eveline. Marigold promised.

Despite all that, Marigold wasn’t sorry that she’d taken the books. The books have definitely helped with Sadie. There has been a real breakthrough. It may not be as momentous as the “one giant leap for mankind” of the moon landing, but Marigold has finally made real contact with the distant, mysterious planet that is Sadie Hawkle. There is talking. There is eye contact. For the first time, Marigold feels that she and Sadie are both on the same side. And it is the books that brought about this change. Sadie is not a dancing-in-the-streets, ringing-bells, shouting-from-rooftops kind of girl. If enthusiasm were hair, Sadie Hawkle would be bald. But she likes the books Marigold gave her. She actually said so. “They’re good,” said Sadie. “And they’re easy to read.” She gets through one a night before she goes to sleep. “They’re not even a little boring,” judged Sadie. High praise indeed.

Now that she and Sadie are getting along so well – or, at least, so much better – Marigold doesn’t rush off the second the session is over. And today has been especially friendly and relaxed. They’ve laughed. They’ve talked. Sadie read without prompting or pleading, and read very well. “I thought I was doing better,” she said when Marigold praised her.

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