My Mum Tracy Beaker Read online

  ‘Thank you, Miss Oliver,’ I said, jumping up.

  She looked as if she still wanted to say something, so I waited.

  ‘I’m sorry I didn’t believe you at first,’ she said quietly. ‘And I shouldn’t have said it was preposterous.’

  It’s not often teachers say they’re sorry. That’s what I like about Miss Oliver. She’s strict but she tries to be fair. She was actually looking quite upset.

  ‘It is a bit preposterous though, isn’t it?’ I said comfortingly. ‘I wouldn’t have believed it either, Miss Oliver.’

  ‘How do you feel about it, Jess?’ she asked.

  ‘Well … it still feels a bit weird. But the best thing ever is that I’ve got a dog now. We got him from Battersea yesterday. He’s called Alfie, and he’s the most lovely dog ever, and I’m going to teach him tricks, and maybe we’ll get really good and end up on Britain’s Got Talent.’

  ‘Maybe you will,’ said Miss Oliver, though I could tell she didn’t believe me again. ‘I’m glad you’ve got a Battersea dog. I’ve often thought I’d love a rescue greyhound. Maybe when I retire. We can keep each other company.’

  We got so engrossed in chatting about dogs that there were only two minutes of playtime left when I finally ran outside.

  Tyrone was waiting for me. ‘Poor you! She’s so mean making you stay in doing boring old sums,’ he said.

  ‘No, she was OK actually. We had a good talk,’ I said. ‘Tyrone, thanks for sticking up for me.’

  ‘Well, that’s what mates do, isn’t it? What’s Sean Godfrey’s house like, eh? Is it a great big mansion? What about his garden? Is it big enough for him to have his own football pitch?’

  ‘It’s quite a big house, and the garden’s big too, but not like a football pitch! There’s an indoor swimming pool though,’ I said.

  ‘Can I come round and see? This afternoon?’ Tyrone asked eagerly.

  ‘I’d better ask first, and we have to take my friends Ava and Alice to their house, but I’m sure Sean Godfrey will let you come some time – he likes you,’ I said.

  ‘Can I come round too?’ asked Piotr, who was hovering.

  ‘Me too. Oh, please, Jess,’ said Aleysha. ‘I’ll be your best friend if you let me come.’

  Everyone wanted to be my new best friend. It was heady stuff. I was in great demand at lunchtime too. I swaggered around the playground telling everyone all about Sean Godfrey’s house. I started to make up stuff. His swimming pool increased in length and had its own wave machine and a spiral slide. This went down so well I considered adding a freshwater pool with a pair of pet dolphins, but thought it might be stretching things too far.

  Instead I installed an ornamental fountain in the main hall, splashing up and down in time to a recording of Handel’s Water Music (Miss Oliver was teaching the school orchestra to play it on their recorders). I told them all about Rosalie, our housekeeper, but gave her lots of company, so in the end Sean Godfrey had enough servants to keep Downton Abbey spick and span.

  We had a couple of specialist chefs – one to make amazing showstopper cakes and the other to concoct extraordinary ice creams in every flavour you could think of. I invented a rainbow knicker-bocker glory – a scoop each of strawberry, tangerine, lemon, gooseberry, blueberry and blackcurrant ice cream in a tall glass, with whipped cream and cherries on top. Everyone stood around licking their lips enviously.

  I was stuck when the boys started asking me about Sean Godfrey’s sporting stuff, wondering which cups and trophies and football kit he had on display, as I’d only had a quick peep into his study, so I told them it was all in a special underground museum that was kept locked.

  ‘But he’ll let me see it,’ said Tyrone confidently. ‘He says I’ve got talent. And he’s going to let me drive his Porsche SUV.’

  ‘Don’t be daft, you’re not old enough. It’s against the law,’ said Piotr, not as loyal as usual.

  ‘Yes, I know that, but it’s in his private grounds – it’s not against the law then. He’s going to let me drive his other cars too, even his white vintage Rolls-Royce,’ said Tyrone.

  I looked at him with new respect. He was almost as good at making things up as me. A huge crowd gathered round, listening, even the Year Sixes. They weren’t so easily impressed by my stories, even with Tyrone backing me up.

  ‘You’re such a liar, Jess Beaker,’ said Clare Turner. Everyone knew Clare because she had amazing hair and wore make-up to school and looked at least fourteen. ‘As if Sean Godfrey would ever go out with your mum! I happen to know he’s got an actress girlfriend, Sandy Forthright. She’s on the telly.’

  ‘That’s complete rubbish,’ I said. ‘My mum’s Sean Godfrey’s girlfriend. We live with him. Sean Godfrey and my mum are going to get married and I’m going to be their bridesmaid.’

  ‘Dream on, loser. Sean Godfrey might be having a little fling with your mum, but Sandy Forthright is his proper girlfriend. There was a whole article about them in Glossip. Me and my mum read it. There were all these photos of his house and his swimming pool, and he hasn’t got a spiral slide or a fountain in his hall. You’re making it all up,’ she said triumphantly.

  I felt my cheeks flushing red. Was she right about Sandy Forthright? I’d seen her in the magazine I found in the back of Sean Godfrey’s car. Was she really still his girlfriend?

  I took a deep breath. ‘Sandy Forthright’s yesterday’s news,’ I said, as scornfully as I could. ‘My mum’s engaged to Sean Godfrey. And he’s only just installed the slide and the fountain. For us – my mum and me. So stick that up your jumper, Clare Turner.’

  I marched off, with most of the kids following behind. Mum would have been proud of me. I’d managed to convince them.

  At home time I had my moment of triumph when Mum was waiting for me in the red Porsche, parked right outside the school gates. (Which was strictly forbidden, but how else could Mum show the car off to everyone?) All the children ran to get a closer look, and the parents at the gate were agog.

  ‘Hop in, kiddo,’ said Mum.

  ‘Mum, can Tyrone hop in too, just for a minute, so he can say hello to Alfie?’

  Mum sighed. ‘If he’s very, very quick.’

  I beckoned to Tyrone, and he got in the back with me, and Alfie licked us both and leaped from my lap to his and back again.

  ‘He really likes me!’ Tyrone said.

  ‘Of course he does.’

  ‘I wonder if he ever met Staffie.’

  ‘Maybe,’ I said.

  ‘I wish I’d been able to keep him,’ said Tyrone, sniffing.

  ‘Look, like I said before – you can share Alfie, if you like. I mean, he’s mine, and he lives with me at Sean Godfrey’s, but you can take him for walks with me sometimes, and maybe we can go to the park with him, and you can help teach him tricks.’

  ‘You’re a star, Jess!’ Tyrone breathed. He gave Alfie a big hug – and then he gave me a quick hug too and shot out of the car.

  ‘My, my!’ said Mum as we drove off. ‘Is Tyrone your boyfriend now?’

  ‘Don’t tease! I’m too young to have a boyfriend!’

  I felt that Mum was too old to have a boyfriend, but I didn’t dare say so. The copy of Glossip was still tucked in the magazine slot. I edged it out, hoping Mum couldn’t see me in the driving mirror, and leafed through it as quietly as I could. I couldn’t find a big feature about Sean Godfrey and Sandy Forthright – just the little photo at the back, in the party-going section. He didn’t have his arm round her – they were just chatting casually.

  I didn’t know what to do. Should I tell Mum? All the time we were at Ava and Alice’s I kept trying to make up my mind. Marina came home extra early so that she could have a good gossip with Mum.

  ‘I can’t believe it, Tracy! I googled Sean Godfrey, obviously. I didn’t realize he was so famous!’

  ‘Yeah, he is, isn’t he?’ said Mum, enjoying it.

  ‘Well, I hope I get to meet him some time,’ said Marina. ‘So I suppose this means I�