Page 9 of The One Plus One
She moved right under the window and stood really still. She could hear Dad’s voice.
‘Everything all right?’ Dad sounded tense. She wondered if he thought that something bad had happened.Perhaps if he thought Tanzie had leukaemia he might come back. She had watched a TV film once where the girl’s parents divorced and then got back together because she got leukaemia. She didn’t actually want leukaemia though because needles made her pass out and she had quite nice hair.
‘Everything’s fine,’ Mum said. She didn’t tell him about Nicky getting battered.
‘What’s going on?’
A pause.
‘Has your mum decorated?’ Mum asked.
‘What?’
‘New wallpaper.’
‘Oh. That.’
Grandma’s house had new wallpaper? Tanzie felt weird. Dad and Grandma were living in a house that she might not recognize any more. It had been 348 days since she last saw Dad. It was 433 days since she’d seen Grandma.
‘I need to talk to you about Tanzie’s schooling.’
‘Why – is she playing up?’
‘Nothing like that, Marty. She’s been offered a scholarship to St Anne’s.’
‘St Anne’s?’
‘They think her maths is off the scale.’
‘StAnne’s.’ He said it like he couldn’t believe it. ‘I mean I knew she was bright, but…’
He sounded really pleased. She pressed her back against the wall and went up on tippy-toes to hear better. Perhaps he’d come back if she was going to St Anne’s.
‘Our little girl at the posh school, eh?’ His voice had puffed up with pride. Tanzie could imagine him already working out what to tell his mates at the pub. Except he couldn’t go to the pub. Because he always told Mum he had no money to enjoy himself. ‘So what’s the problem?’
‘Well…it’s a big scholarship. But it doesn’t cover everything.’
‘Meaning what?’
‘Meaning we’d still have to find five hundred pounds a term. And the uniform. And the registration fee of five hundred pounds.’
The silence went on for so long Tanzie wondered if the computer had crashed.
‘They said once we’ve been there a year we can apply for a hardship fee. Some bursary or something where, if you’re a deserving case, they can give you extra. But basically we need to find the best part of two grand to get her through the first year.’
And then Dad laughed. He actually laughed. ‘You’re having me on, right?’
‘No, I am not having you on.’
‘How am I meant to find two grand, Jess?’
‘I just thought I’d –’
‘I’ve not even got a proper job yet. There’s nothing going on round here. I’m…I’m only just getting back on my feet. I’m sorry, babe, but there’s no way.’
‘Can’t your mum help? She might have some savings. Can I talk to her?’
‘No. She’s…out. And I don’t want you tapping herfor money. She’s got worries enough as it is.’
