Читать книгу Sarah Lean - 3 Book Collection - Sarah Lean, Sarah Lean - Страница 22

I DIDN’T GO STRAIGHT HOME AFTER SCHOOL ON Friday. I went to the park.

She was still wearing her red raincoat and rainhat when I saw her across the other side of the duck pond. Homeless was with her. He came bounding round the edge of the pond, straight to me. I saw how happy it made Mum.

If only dogs could talk. He could tell everyone that he’d seen her. Then they’d believe me. But then it was nice that he didn’t talk, nice that he didn’t say, “Why haven’t you done your maths homework? Where are your full stops and commas? Where’s your PE kit?”

We sat on the edge of the pond. His eyes traced the snow-white breadcrumbs Mum showered on the water; his ears jumped up when she smiled at us.

I imagined I said, “Crumbs to find your way home,” and she laughed and said, Just like Hansel and Gretel.

“Mum,” I said inside, “will you find me again when we move house? Will you bring Homeless with you?”

I leaned on Homeless and closed my eyes. Imagined it was her sitting there next to me, a kiss on my forehead, a strong, warm, breathing body next to mine. Homeless smelled like a toy rabbit I had when I was little. I laid my head on him, forgot about the time.

Then Luke was there, crouched beside me, saying they’d been looking for me everywhere. He patted Homeless, said, “Hello, boy, where did you come from?”

Mum wasn’t there any more. Homeless stood up, towered over us; his tail swayed as he licked Luke’s hand.

“Dad’s waiting round the corner in the removal van,” Luke said. “We’d better get going before he sees the dog. He’ll only freak out. Where did you find him anyway?”

Luke put his arm round me, made me leave Homeless behind. He held out a packet of bubblegum.

“You can make huge bubbles with these, big as a football,” he said. “But you can’t chew properly if you’re crying. Come on, just try.”

Dad pulled up in a big van by the park gates. He opened the window and called out, “Get in! I can’t stop on double yellows.”

We got in the van.

“Where’s your school cardigan?” said Dad.

Luke shook his head and said, “Dad, I think there’s something wrong with Cally.”