The See-Through Leopard by Sibel Hodge

Author:Sibel Hodge
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, coming of age, inspirational, young adult, teen, conservation, africa, endangered animals, poaching
Publisher: Sibel Hodge

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Later that afternoon I showered and changed into a black sundress. If we were going to have Christmas dinner, I thought I may as well try and get dressed in something other than my usual shorts and T-shirt. As I met Dad in the hall emerging from his bedroom, my breath caught in my throat. It didn’t feel right celebrating. For one thing, Mum wasn’t with us, and for another, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Jenna and Richard wouldn’t really want me there. Not that they’d ever been anything less than warm and friendly to me, but how could they not blame me for that article, despite what Zach said?

But when I saw my sadness reflected on Dad’s face, I realised I had to go for him. He’d been working so hard, and even though he always put on a brave face for me, I knew he was still missing Mum deeply. He should be surrounded by his friends and what was left of his family without having to worry about how I was feeling.

He took hold of my hand and squeezed it. ‘Ready?’

I nodded.

We slipped in the back door of the kitchen and some of the rangers and anti-poaching patrols were already there, enjoying a cold beer. Everyone called out Christmas greetings as Chef prepared steaming pots of vegetables, and the smell of roasting turkey made my stomach rumble.

Jenna enveloped me in a big hug. ‘Lovely to see you, Jazz.’

‘I’m really sorry about that—’ I started, but she cut me off with a wave of her hand.

‘Now, don’t you go worrying about that. We know it wasn’t your fault. And anyway,’ she raised an eyebrow, ‘what goes around, comes around. That Rebecca Swanson will get her comeuppance one day.’ She let me go and kissed Dad on the cheek.

‘Where’s Bobo?’ I asked.

‘She’s having a nap. She’s been pigging out on bananas all day.’ She chuckled.

‘Happy Christmas.’ Richard handed Dad a bottle of beer, which he took and chinked the glass against Richard’s half empty one.

‘Want a beer?’ Richard said to me.

‘I think she’s old enough for a couple.’ Dad winked at me. ‘It is Christmas, after all.’

‘Be right back,’ Richard said.

I wandered away from everyone, over to Chef. ‘It smells lovely. Can I do anything to help?’

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the edges. ‘It’s roast leopard.’ He cackled at the joke he thought was funny.

I poked him on the arm. ‘Hey, that’s not funny.’

‘I thought it was.’ He shrugged with his huge permanent grin plastered all over his face. ‘Can you pass me those bowls? I’m about to serve everything up. Then I have to do it all again later for the guests. I never want to see another sprout in my life!’ He shook his head good-naturedly and drained a pan of sprouts. ‘Maybe the guests will like roast leopard,’ he muttered.

I gave him a fake glare and helped dish up the vegetables and carry them to the long table as Zach appeared, freshly showered and

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