Page 156 of Good Sisters

Marco held the sleeping puppy up to the car window. Clara looked at it.

‘Give her a minute,’ I whispered.

She rolled down the window and took a closer look.

‘This is for you. His name is Miracolo, because you are my miracle.’

I petted the puppy’s sweet head. It was like velvet.

Clara tentatively reached over to the puppy. She touched his head with the tip of a finger. She didn’t flinch, which was a good sign. It meant that the feel of his fur didn’t bother her. She petted him again using three fingers. The puppy opened his eyes and looked up at her.

‘Oooh, he’s so cute,’ she said.

She petted him again.

He licked her hand. Oh, no. I waited for her to pull away.

‘His tongue feels just like Luna’s, Mummy. It’s a bit rough and scratchy.’ She wiped it on her trousers.

The puppy began to whine and stretched towards Clara for more petting.

‘He likes you, Claretta,’ Marco said. ‘My arm is getting tired. Can you ’old him for one minute?’

‘Okay.’

Marco gently placed the puppy into her lap. He sat looking up at her with his big brown eyes and I watched as my daughter fell in love with him. She petted him while Marco and I watched in silence.

‘He’s shaking, Mummy.’

‘I think he’s nervous because you and I are strangers to him. Give him a cuddle,’ I suggested.

She held him close and the puppy began to calm down and snuggle into her shoulder.

‘Well done,’ I whispered to Marco.

‘I research and they say Labrador ees the best dog for the autism,’ he whispered back. Then he said aloud to Clara, ‘Miracolo will be ’ere for you any time you want to come and pet him.’

Clara looked up. ‘I don’t think I should leave him. He’s only just stopped trembling. He needs me to stay and comfort him. He’s scared of everything because he’s so small and it’s all new to him.’

‘Do you want to come and give him the food, see the bed I ’ave for his sleeping?’

Clara opened the car door, careful not to disturb Miracolo, and slowly climbed out. She followed Marco back into the house to check her puppy’s bed.

I followed them. I knew Clara would be exhausted and need a long sleep. Meltdowns wore her out. But I was so glad the puppy had worked its magic and got her to go back in and feel more at ease.

Anna took my hand as I walked into the kitchen.

‘Va bene, Louisa,tutto bene.’ She patted my hand.

I hoped she was right and that everything would be okay.We heard laughing and peered into the back porch where Clara and Marco were giggling at the puppy, who was running in circles chasing his tail.

‘He’s just like Luna,’ she said to Marco. ‘He’s like a boy and dog version of her. I love him.’

I smiled at Anna and she rubbed my back. ‘Tutto bene.’

Clara crashed out as soon as we got to the hotel. I knew she’d sleep for at least fourteen or fifteen hours. My phone had been hopping all day. It was time to fill in the family on how things had gone.

I set up a five-way chat with my siblings and Dad. All of their faces came on screen except Dad’s.

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