Maybe it was because Zoe was refusing to react or even look at her, but her mum was getting more and more furious. Suddenly she leaned forward and pushed at Zoe, hard in the chest, making her stagger backwards. There was a loud gasp from the little audience. That was when my dad stepped in, pushing his way to the front of the small crowd and taking Zoe’s mum by the arm.
‘That’s enough, now,’ he said. ‘Let’s end the show, shall we?’
Zoe’s mum swore at him and tried to shake him off, but she was unsteady on her own feet and he easily steered her away towards a bench, where she sat heavily down. Dad sat with her and started to talk, in his low, calm voice. Mum and I rushed up to Zoe and I put my arms around her.
‘Are you all right, love?’ Mum asked. Zoe nodded, though I could feel her trembling and her face, next to mine, was burning.
‘What happened?’ I stroked Zoe’s hair.
Zoe shrugged. ‘She’s just being my mum. That’s what she’s like. She got a message from school and they said something about poor attendance. She lost her rag.’ She paused and sniffed. ‘It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.’
I glared at anyone passing who dared to look twice at us. After a few minutes, my dad came up to Zoe. ‘I think your mum’s calmed down a bit, but she needs to go home. Can I give you a lift?’
Zoe shook her head. ‘The walk will do her good.’
‘You’re not going home with her?’ I looked from Mum to Dad. ‘She can’t. She pushed Zoe. She might –’
Dad put a hand on my shoulder. ‘We can’t get too involved, Anna. We have to let Zoe and her mum sort this out now.’
‘But –’
‘It’s fine,’ Zoe interrupted. ‘Honestly. I’m used to it.’ She looked over to her mum. ‘I’m going home. Coming?’ And she held out a hand.
‘We should go in,’ Mum said to me. ‘We won’t get to see your teachers if we don’t hurry.’
‘Text me,’ I called after Zoe as she strolled away, her mum stumbling along behind her. ‘I mean it. Let me know you’re all right.’
Zoe raised a hand in a kind of salute, but didn’t look back.
My school reports were better than expected, which put both Mum and Dad in a good mood and I think seeing Zoe’s mum’s behaviour made them want to be extra nice to me. Dad even suggested that he’d get us all fish and chips. Suddenly there were three of us round the table, like there used to be. It felt really weird. Good-weird, though. I relaxed a bit when Zoe texted to say her mum was in bed and she was fine and would see me tomorrow.
Dad said he’d stay for a cup of tea and Mum went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. We were in the middle of a chat about some cruddy TV show we’d both been watching when his mobile went off. He glanced at the message and I could tell it was the dreaded Ellie. Wanting to know where he was, I guessed.
Dad just switched it off and put the phone in his pocket. ‘Tell her you’re where you should be, for a change,’ I said. ‘With your daughter.’
Dad looked down at the table. ‘It’s been good tonight, Anna. Let’s not spoil it, eh?’
Mum came in with mugs of tea. She could tell there’d been a change in the air. She looked at me and then at Dad. ‘Everything all right?’
‘His girlfriend’s checking up on him,’ I said.
Dad shook his head and sighed. I felt all hot inside. That Ellie, spoiling things and coming between us all the time. Couldn’t she give us an evening together? I wanted to go to her stupid flat and slap her stupid face.
Dad took a big slurp of tea and winced because it was too hot. He put the mug down and said, ‘I’d better go, anyway. I’ve probably outstayed my welcome.’
‘Can’t she spend a couple of hours without you?’ I said. ‘I’m the one who’s supposed to be the child, not her.’
Mum put her hand on my shoulder and I shook it off. She and Dad looked at each other for a long moment and then Dad picked up his jacket and made for the door. I heard Mum thanking him for the lift and for the chips.
‘Why are you creeping up to him like that?’ I found myself saying, when she sat down and picked up the TV remote. ‘He runs off with a new girlfriend and he totally breaks your heart. And all he has to do is buy a bag of chips and everything’s fine?’
Mum put her arm out, but I wouldn’t sit next to her. I stared up at the ceiling, blinking hard.
‘No, of course everything’s not OK,’ Mum said. ‘But I’m just sick of fighting.’
I stamped my way up the stairs. I suddenly just wanted to get into bed and hide under the duvet. Thing was, ever since I’d hidden Zoe’s bag, my room was seriously giving me the creeps. My own bedroom. I kept thinking I could still feel soil – graveyard dirt – under my feet, but when I checked, the carpet was completely clean. I imagined dark shadows just in the corner of my eye and when I snapped my head round, nothing was there. I got really deep, cold, body shivers that seemed to start on my skin but fill my whole insides with ice. Worst thing was, I knew it had to be my own mad imagination, running away with me. Just because there was a plastic skull and some black candles hidden in my
