My Sister Jodie Read online

  ‘I’m only the best,’ said Jodie.

  ‘Don’t boast, Jodie!’ said Mum.

  ‘Well, you can throw for Shep. See if you can wear him out for me,’ said Miss French. ‘Come on.’

  She fished out a chewed-up old ball from the pocket of her quilted waistcoat and tossed it to Jodie. She caught it one-handed and threw it way into the distance. Shep reared up excitedly and hurtled after it.

  ‘You behave yourself, Jodie,’ Mum called as Jodie set off after Shep. ‘Don’t you go bothering Miss French if she’s busy.’

  Jodie waved in acknowledgement but didn’t turn round. Miss French didn’t even bother to do that.

  ‘Well,’ said Mum. She shook her head.

  ‘Our Jodie’s obviously made a big impression,’

  said Dad.

  ‘Yes, I suppose so,’ said Mum. ‘She’s a strange woman, that Miss French.’

  ‘I think she’s OK,’ said Dad. ‘Seems quite friendly.’

  ‘Mmm,’ said Mum. ‘She’s a bit full of herself.

  Bossing us about when she’s only the secretary, after all.’

  ‘Still, she’s that type, isn’t she?’ said Dad, getting into the car and switching the engine back on. ‘I feel a total idiot, not sussing out how to open the 55

  My_Sister_Jodie_ins_pp400.qxd 18/12/07 10:22 Page 56

  gate. What will she think of me, when I’m supposed to be the general handyman?’

  ‘We weren’t to know,’ said Mum. ‘I don’t appreciate her dragging Jodie off like that. When is she going to deliver her back?’

  ‘Maybe she’s some weird alien in disguise and Shep is an alien pet robot programmed to capture Jodie, and the moment they’re out of sight they’ll transform her and she’ll be an alien too,’ I said.

  Dad chuckled as he started driving, but Mum glared at me.

  ‘Don’t you start on those silly horror stories, Pearl. We hear enough of that nonsense from Jodie.’

  ‘She’s only making up a story, Shaz – Sharon. Go on, Pearl, tell us more.’

  ‘No, don’t encourage her. You make up something nice, Pearl, if you really have to start telling stories.’

  I hunched up in the back and made up my own story inside my head about a girl called Pearl who used to get scared of stuff all the time, but then she found a special pearl ring, and the moment she slipped it on it gave her super powers and she was never scared of anything again, especially not animals. Lions fawned at her feet, tigers rubbed round her legs, elephants nuzzled her neck with their trunks – and howling werewolves whimpered plaintively for her attention.

  I got distracted as we got closer and closer to Melchester College. The gravel crunched and crackled as Dad drove the car slowly past the front while Mum and I craned out necks sideways, staring up at the great grey gothic building, 56

  My_Sister_Jodie_ins_pp400.qxd 18/12/07 10:22 Page 57

  awestruck. Then we turned round the corner, and immediately the house lost some of its splendour and dignity. There was scaffolding and piles of bricks and several boarded-up windows.

  Portakabins stood in a row and there were little sheds and huts in odd corners. Several cars were parked in a little bay, and there was our furniture van, doors open, with Big Alf and Young Bernie balancing down the ramp, holding Mum’s dressing table.

  ‘Mind those gilt handles!’ said Mum, rushing out of the car.

  Dad and I followed her, staring round, bewil-dered. In such strange surroundings Big Alf and Young Bernie seemed like old friends.

  ‘You took your time, mate,’ Big Alf yelled jovially to Dad. ‘Did you go by the scenic route? Like, via Scotland?’

  ‘Ha ha, very droll,’ said Dad. ‘No, we thought we’d let you chaps have a clear run without us getting in your way.’

  Mum was getting very much in their way now.

  She followed them down the narrow steps to the basement.

  ‘You’re not putting that in the living room, are you? It goes in the bedroom, it’s part of my bedroom suite. Dear, dear, you’ve put the good living-room cabinet in the kitchenette!’

  ‘We thought it was your kitchen dresser, love,’

  said Young Bernie. ‘Looks good in there.’

  None of our furniture looked good anywhere, even in the right rooms. Our flat wasn’t a proper flat at all. It was a series of small rooms down a long dark corridor. There were windows in the 57

  My_Sister_Jodie_ins_pp400.qxd 18/12/07 10:22 Page 58

  rooms, but they didn’t let in much light. When Big Alf and Young Bernie struggled past, we could only see their shoes. There was old grey-green mottled lino on the floor, and the walls were painted cream, just like a hospital. The biggest room was still on the small side. Our sofa and chairs were squashed in around the television. The table was piled high with boxes containing our books and DVDs and pictures and ornaments. There was an alcove at the back with a cooker and a little sink.

  ‘How can Mum cook for everyone here?’ I said.

  ‘Don’t be silly, Pearl. I’ll have a proper big profes-sional kitchen. This is just for us,’ said Mum.

  It looked too poky, even for the four of us.

  ‘It’ll look much bigger without the cabinet crammed in like that,’ said Mum. ‘Alf, Bernie, can you possibly move the cabinet over to the other side of the living room?’

  ‘We could – possibly,’ said Young Bernie.

  ‘It’s a bit of a liberty,’ said Alf. ‘You didn’t let us know that your gaff was down all them stairs in the basement. It’s a bit much expecting us to play musical chairs with your furniture. It’s our job to deliver it all in one piece. We’ve just about done that. It’s your job to rearrange it if you don’t like the way we’ve set it out.’

  ‘Now be a sport, lads. I’ve got a bad back,’ Dad wheedled. ‘Just the cabinet? You can see it’s fretting her. You know what women are like – she’ll try to move it herself and do herself a mischief.’

  Mum glared at him furiously, even though Alf and Bernie started moving the cabinet for her, sighing heavily. She didn’t thank them, she simply stuck her head in the air and dragged me off by the 58

  My_Sister_Jodie_ins_pp400.qxd 18/12/07 10:22 Page 59

  scruff of my T-shirt to investigate the bedrooms with her. They were very close together. Jodie and I would have to whisper right in each other’s ears if we wanted to share secrets.

  Both bedrooms had yellowy-cream wallpaper and ugly green and yellow curtains. They reminded me of a silly song they sang at school: Green and yellow, Green and yellow, Oh Mum be quick, I’m going to be sick. The carpet was green too, but a different dark olive shade. Mum rubbed at it with her foot as if she could change its colour with a little determination.

  ‘We’ll get new curtains and stuff,’ she said, fingering them. ‘They’ll be easy enough to run up on a sewing machine. I’m sure the school will have one.’

  I stared around the little room. It didn’t look as if it could ever be even half as nice as our bedroom at home. I was so disappointed. I’d been crazy enough to imagine us living in splendour, in great airy rooms with flock wallpaper and big casement windows with velvet curtains. I’d even wondered if we might have chandeliers.

  ‘We’ll brighten it all up for you,’ said Mum. She tried to keep her voice bright too, but she was looking around as if it was all too much for her. She rubbed her lower lip anxiously, suddenly looking like a little girl.

  ‘Yes, it’ll be fine, Mum,’ I said quickly. ‘Shall I start unpacking our stuff then?’

  ‘That’s my good girl,’ said Mum. She turned round again, doing her best to smile – but her nose was twitching. ‘Does it smell a bit funny in here?’

  ‘What sort of funny?’

  59

  My_Sister_Jodie_ins_pp400.qxd 18/12/07 10:22 Page 60

  ‘Dusty? Damp? I think we’ll give everywhere a good scrubbing first.’ Mum went to the window.

  ‘Look, all smeary!’ She put her head to the curtains and sniffed. ‘These are going straig