Do Secrets Count as Sabotage? by Helen Salter

Author:Helen Salter [Salter, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781848123274
Publisher: Piccadilly Press

‘She’s being a bitch,’ said Ivy. It was Sunday and she was on the phone from uni, where she was preparing for a witches-and-wizards-themed party. I couldn’t believe that the one time I needed Ivy at home, to discuss my illicit parentage, she wasn’t around. What with everything going on, I had forgotten it was Halloween this weekend. Halloween had been somewhat eclipsed by Fireworks Night, since it didn’t present any obvious romantic opportunities (although, covering myself with a ghost- style sheet would have been a great way to conceal braces/tangly hair). I wish someone had told Jamie, Asif and Imran that when asked ‘Trick or Treat?’ that it was not acceptable to say, ‘Treat please.’ A gang of five-year-olds put silly string ALL OVER the front of our house.

‘Look, Holly,’ Ivy continued, ‘Claudia’s mum might have had affairs, but it doesn’t mean ours did. Claudia watches too many soap operas.’

‘Her mum’s in a soap opera.’

‘Well, there you go. Born drama queen.’

‘But what if she’s right? And I was looking at Dad last night in the car. There are some things that are really quite different, you know.’

‘Please tell me this is not what you said earlier.’

‘Well, it’s true.’

‘Holly, Dad being taller and having grey hair is not cause for concern. It is quite normal, you know. But if you’re really worried about it, just ask Mum.’

When Mum got back from the supermarket, I went and helped her with the bags.

‘Can you put that bag in the fridge?’ she said, bending over to extract things from the car boot. She looked back to see me hesitating, and said, ‘It’s got yoghurts in.’

‘Is my dad really my dad?’ I said.

I thought everything would go sort of slow motion and meaningful like in a film, i.e. Mum’s shoulders would tense significantly, then she would act in some evasive manner that would immediately indicate I had guessed the long-buried truth. Instead she gave me a funny look and went, ‘Of course he is, Holly, don’t be ridiculous. Can you take those eggs too? But be careful.’

Confused, I picked up both bags and went into the house to put everything in the fridge, then went back outside.

‘So, if you didn’t have an affair, how come I’m not sporty and you all are?’

Mum laughed at my face and said, ‘Holly, honestly. I think you read too much.’

Oh yes, that was the problem. Me reading.

‘It’s all that stuff from the library with the bright covers. If you got out more in the fresh air, you would never have such melodramatic ideas. And you would enjoy exercise, if only you would try.’

I made a face, but I guessed that was good, then. There was no sinister reason behind me not fitting in. The only reason was, well, myself.

‘Any more bizarre questions?’ Mum said. ‘Or can I unpack the potatoes?’

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