Page 19 of Knowing You
‘Nothing. I… I’m just not feeling very well.’
It’s as I thought. ‘Do you want me to make a marmite sandwich? Or peanut butter? And a glass of squash?’
She shakes her head. ‘How about I get you a takeaway pizza? And tomorrow, I don’t think I’ll be up to going into work. You can have the day off school if you like.’
My eyes widen. Today really is the best day ever.
I hug my knees the next morning as I sit in bed. No school. No Alice. Just me and Mum. The sun’s shining. And my book is all dried and less smelly now, so I can finishCharlotte’s Web. Mum spends the day making phone calls and fiddling on her computer. Somehow the telly is working for videos now but not the telly channels, so I watch two of my favourites. I eat biscuits. At lunch I help make sandwiches.
I ask if we can go to the park but Mum doesn’t feel up to it. So I go into the garden and play with Tinker. When I come back in, I huddle on my bed with my drawing. The sun is setting when Mum finally comes up.
She sits on the bed and takes my hands.
‘Mum?’
Her eyes fill.
‘What’s wrong?’ I say. ‘Have you got to go to hospital?’
She shakes her head. ‘It’s Uncle Kevin. I’m sorry, Violet. So sorry, but… there’s been an accident. Uncle Kevin… he’s died.’
What? That doesn’t make sense. Just yesterday he was at a party. Mum’s got muddled.
‘What happened?’
‘The big tower where he worked. It fell down.’
‘How?’ Lego towers fall down. Not huge ones made from bricks.
‘An aeroplane flew into it. Lots of brave people like police officers and firemen did everything they could to help, but the damage was too much.’
I try to digest this news but it’s hard to swallow. Just like carrots, my least favourite food.
My mind flicks back to yesterday at school. The woman crying. The words I heard about an aeroplane and New York.
‘But he’s only just started his new job. And he was going to bring me American candy home at Christmas. He said maybe next year we could visit and…’ My brow knots. ‘Who will I talk to about books?’ I pick up the copy ofCharlotte’s Weband hold it to my chest. I think about the tower that caught fire and why that meant we had to leave ours. ‘Towers are dangerous things.’
Mum squeezes my hand. ‘What’s happened to Uncle Kevin’s tower is very, very rare.’
‘Like that limited dishun book he bought?’
Mum nods.
‘But why couldn’t the police help? They are supposed to keep everyone safe.’
‘It was too smoky. Too many steps to climb.’ Mum gets up. ‘Come downstairs. Let’s have dinner. It’s pasta with garlic bread. Your favourite.’
‘Uncle Kevin loves garlic bread. We should have it when he gets back.’
Mum skims her thumb across my cheek. ‘He loved you very, very much, Violet. And he’ll always be with us through the fun memories and good advice he gave.’
But I’m not listening. Uncle Kevin can’t be dead. Mum’s just being silly. She’s not well. He will be home for Christmas.
I’ll be able to tell him all about horrid Alice and hopefully by then I’ll have a new friend to introduce.
‘It’ll be all right. You’ll see, Mum.’
To make her feel better I take out my felt tips and draw her a picture of her, me and Uncle Kevin. We are in the park. Tinker’s there too. The sun is shining.
