Viva Alice! by Judi Curtin

Author:Judi Curtin [Judi Curtin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781847177094
Publisher: The O'Brien Press
Published: 2014-10-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Before long, it started to get cold. We folded up the towels, and straightened up the sunloungers and went inside to have our showers.

Grace and Alice had gone downstairs and I was sitting on my bed brushing my hair when Mum rang my mobile.

She did her usual routine of checking to see if I’d broken any of her rules about healthy eating and being careful in the sun and staying away from all kinds of imaginary dangers that only she could dream up. I couldn’t concentrate properly on my answers though.

My mum has this secret radar that goes into overdrive when there’s a problem.

What would she say if she knew what was really going on?

What would she say if she discovered that Alice, Grace and I were home alone?

Her last question was the worst one of all.

‘It’s been lovely talking to you, darling,’ she said. ‘Now, will you put me on to Grace’s mum for a minute?’

‘What do you want to talk to her for?’ I asked.

‘Oh, I just wanted to thank her for giving you such a wonderful time,’ said Mum.

‘Mum!’ I said, trying to sound grown up. ‘You’ll only embarrass her. You’ve thanked her twenty times already, and I think that’s probably enough. If you talk to her again she’ll think you’re stalking her and she’ll want to call the police.’

And amazingly, Mum listened to me. ‘Oh, very well,’ she said. ‘You’re probably right. You just make sure she knows how grateful we are, OK?’

‘Sure I will,’ I said. ‘Leave it to me. I’ll thank her a hundred times before I go to bed. Now I’d better go, I think someone is calling me for dinner. Love you, Mum, bye.’

‘I love you too,’ she said. ‘And so do Dad and Rosie and Domino. We’re all looking forward to seeing you the day after tomorrow.’ And then she hung up.

I listened to the beeping of the phone, and felt tears come to my eyes. Grace and Alice were downstairs planning all kinds of treats, but I couldn’t help feeling nervous and afraid.

Then I shook my head, and sat up straight.

Megan Sheehan I said to myself. You’re not a baby any more. You’re thirteen years old. It’s time to grow up and stop being such a scaredy cat. It’s time to have fun.

Then I stood up and marched downstairs, trying very hard to look confident and happy.

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