My Mum Tracy Beaker Read online

  ‘When I lived at the Dumping Ground, going to McDonald’s was the biggest treat in the world,’ said Mum. ‘I couldn’t believe my luck when Cam took me there!’

  She chatted away determinedly to give me a chance to calm down. I put one fingernail-size piece of steak in my mouth and started chewing. I chewed and chewed and chewed, but it wouldn’t go down. Alfie’s damp nose pressed against my knee. I could feel him trembling with anticipation. He couldn’t understand why I’d suddenly stopped feeding him. He gave a little woof to remind me that he was there and he was hungry. I gave him an apologetic pat. It wasn’t a good move. Alfie thought I had meat in my hand. He didn’t like being teased any more than I did. He barked indignantly.

  ‘You’re not feeding him again, are you?’ Sean Godfrey demanded.

  ‘No, I’m not – though he’s getting upset,’ I said. ‘It’s so unfair, us having our tea while he’s not allowed any.’

  ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake! Look, I’ll take him in the kitchen and give him some dog food in a bowl right this minute. Will that satisfy you?’

  He pulled Alfie out from under the table, got hold of his collar and hauled him towards the kitchen.

  ‘Don’t! He doesn’t like being pulled like that,’ I said.

  ‘He’s a dog, Jess. He’s got to know his place,’ said Sean Godfrey, taking Alfie away.

  I knew my place in this household too. I was under Sean Godfrey’s thumb, and I hated it. Alfie hated it too. He was given a bowl of dog food, but he clearly didn’t think it a fair exchange. He hated being shut in the kitchen, away from me, and started howling, scrabbling at the door with his paws.

  I put my knife and fork together on my plate, unable to eat any more.

  ‘Now you’re just being deliberately awkward, Jess,’ said Sean Godfrey. ‘Eat up!’

  ‘Don’t tell Jess what to do, Sean,’ said Mum. ‘She’s not used to being spoken to like that.’

  ‘Yes, well, it’s obvious you’ve spoiled her rotten,’ he said.

  Mum went white. She put her own knife and fork together. ‘Are you saying I’m not a good mum?’ she said.

  I held my breath. So did Sean Godfrey. Even Alfie stopped howling for a second.

  ‘I’m not saying anything of the kind. You’re a wonderful mum, Trace, you know you are. I didn’t mean to upset you, darling. I just hate to see food wasted, that’s all. I’m a bit hyped up. I shouldn’t have nagged you like that, Jess. I’m sorry.’

  Maybe he was. I think he was just scared that Mum might lose her temper altogether and walk out when we’d only just got here. But his little speech worked. Mum took a deep breath, and then reached out and patted his hand.

  ‘I’m sorry too, Sean,’ she murmured. ‘It must feel a bit odd having us here, Jess and me and the dog, all cluttering up your home. No wonder you’re a bit tense.’

  He took hold of Mum’s hand and held it tightly. ‘You’re a gem,’ he said huskily.

  I was allowed to leave the rest of my meat. I found I couldn’t even eat much of the chocolate mousse. It was an enormous relief when the meal was over.

  Mum and Sean sat over their cups of coffee while I went into the kitchen to comfort Alfie. He leaped up eagerly, so happy to see me. I gave him a big hug and made a huge fuss of him. But I was conscious of a horrible smell. I looked at the floor. There was something terrible on the quarry tiles.

  ‘Oh, Alfie!’ I whispered.

  Perhaps that was why he’d been howling – he was desperately trying to tell me he needed to go out. It wasn’t his fault. But Sean Godfrey would go bananas.

  I didn’t know what to do. If I called Mum, then Sean Godfrey would want to know what was going on. I had to deal with it myself.

  There were kitchen towels, thank goodness. And then I wiped the floor over with a j-cloth, and bundled that into another kitchen towel. I found some disinfectant spray and had a go with that for good measure. Then I washed my hands thoroughly, opened the window wide and took Alfie out for a walk in the garden. I held all the kitchen towels at arm’s length till I could chuck them into Sean Godfrey’s waste bin.

  It was an enormous relief to get rid of them. I took a proper breath for the first time in five minutes, and then started running. Alfie bobbed along ahead of me, constantly looking round to check that I was still there.

  ‘We hate Sean Godfrey, don’t we?’ I said to him.

  Alfie agreed.

  But Mum liked him. When she came to kiss me goodnight in the new room that was my bedroom, she cuddled me close and said, ‘It’s all working out OK, isn’t it, Jess?’

  ‘I suppose so,’ I said. ‘But I hate not having half my things. And where are all our ornaments – our china dogs and the Toby jugs and the birds and the little teddies?’

  ‘Sean doesn’t really like clutter, Jess.’

  ‘But we like it!’

  ‘Well, we’ll sneak a few more bits in here and there. Perhaps he won’t notice,’ said Mum. ‘Don’t let’s stress about it now. We’re going to be so happy here, you and me.’

  ‘And Alfie,’ I said.

  He was curled up in the brand-new dog bed that Sean Godfrey had bought him from Battersea Dogs Home – but as soon as Mum had gone he started whimpering.

  I felt a bit like whimpering too.

  ‘Come up here, Alfie,’ I said, patting the bed.

  He didn’t need to be asked twice. He came bounding over and leaped up beside me on the white duvet. I held him close, breathing in his lovely warm doggy smell. When he heard Sean Godfrey laughing downstairs he started growling.

  ‘I wish he’d shut up, don’t you, Alfie? We don’t like him. We don’t like this house. It’s all strange and different. Even Mum’s different. Do you think she’s right? Will we really be happy here?’ I asked him.

  Alfie didn’t seem sure. And neither was I.

  IT WAS A terrible rush to get ready in the morning. I pulled on my jeans and a sweater to take Alfie for a quick wee in the garden, but when I went up to change for school, it took me ages to find my skirt and blouse, and my PE kit was nowhere to be found. Mum must have forgotten to pack it yesterday. I was going to be in trouble. Miss Oliver was always very fierce if anyone forgot their PE kit.

  I hurried downstairs for breakfast, Alfie beside me, and then stopped short at the kitchen door. There was a complete stranger standing by the stove, scrambling eggs and grilling bacon – a small lady with long dark hair, wearing jeans. She was young and she was pretty. She couldn’t be another girlfriend, could she?

  ‘Hello!’ she said, smiling. ‘I’m Rosalie. Do you like eggs? And bacon? Mr Sean always likes a proper breakfast when he gets back from the gym. There’s plenty here.’

  I hesitated. The eggs and bacon did smell good. I hadn’t had much to eat last night. But I always had cornflakes for breakfast.

  ‘Perhaps your dog would like bacon too?’ Rosalie asked.

  ‘Yes please!’ I said, won over.

  ‘What is his name?’ she asked, patting him.

  ‘He’s Alfie. And I’m Jess.’

  ‘So you’re Mr Sean’s lady’s little girl?’

  ‘Yes. Well. My mum’s Tracy Beaker. She’s going to marry Sean Godfrey,’ I said.

  ‘Ah, I love a wedding,’ said Rosalie. ‘Has your mum chosen her wedding dress?’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ I said, hating the idea of Mum in a long white gown.

  ‘I am very good at baking. I will make your mum a marvellous wedding cake – three tiers, royal icing, little marzipan figures of her and Mr Sean. If she’d like it …’

  Mum herself came dashing into the room, her hair wilder than ever, her T-shirt on inside out. She looked at the kitchen clock and gasped. ‘We’re soooo late, Jess,’ she said, and then she stopped short, staring at Rosalie.

  ‘Don’t worry, Miss Tracy, I’m just about to serve your bacon and eggs,’ said Rosalie.

  ‘And who are you?’ Mum asked, astonished.

  ‘I’m Rosalie, Mr Sean’s housekeeper.’ She pr