Girl Wonder to the Rescue (3 page)

“Morning, Mum,” I said glumly.

“What’s the matter with you? Didn’t the tooth fairy visit?”

“I know you’re the tooth fairy, Mum, so don’t pretend you’re not,” I said.

And then Mum said something that completely threw me.

“Maxine, I give you my word that I haven’t been in your room since yesterday afternoon,” Mum said seriously. “Cross
my heart and hope to die.”

“But you must have.” I frowned. “How did that pound coin get under my pillow, then?”

Mum just shrugged.

I had a long, hard think.

“Well? Have you solved the mystery yet?” Mum laughed.

“I think there are only three ways that money could have got under my pillow . . .” I began.

“Oh yes?”

“I put my tooth under my pillow yesterday afternoon when it came out. So either you guessed that I’d already put my tooth under my pillow and swapped it for the money yesterday afternoon . . .”

“Or?” prompted Mum.

“Or else Anthony and Edward were in on it and they swapped my tooth for the money when I fell asleep last night . . .”

“Or?” asked Mum.

“Or else there really are tooth fairies!” I said.

Mum creased up laughing. “And which theory do you believe?” she asked.

“I’m not sure,” I replied. “But one thing I
am
sure about – the next time one of my teeth falls out, I’m going to stay awake all night. All day and all night if I have to, until I solve the tooth fairy mystery!”

“We’ll see!” laughed Mum. “We’ll see!”

CR-RRUNCH! Edward raced into the kitchen and kicked the dustpan and brush flying.

“Edward! Watch what you’re doing,” said Mum.

“Sorry, Mum. I didn’t see that there,” said Edward. “I just came in for an apple.”

Edward ran over to the fruit bowl and stretched past the carton of milk on the work surface. SPLOSSSH! He knocked the carton of milk on to the floor. The milk sloshed about everywhere. CRAAASH! Edward knocked most of the fruit out
of the bowl. The apples and oranges and plums bounced all over the work surface. Anthony came running in from the garden.

“Edward! What has got into you recently?” Mum asked, her hands on her hips. “All you seem to do these days is have accidents.”

“Sorry, Mum.” Edward scrambled to catch all the fruit before it fell on the floor.

“I’ll help!” said Anthony.

He ran over to help Edward catch the fruit – only Anthony didn’t see the milk on the floor. He went flying up in the air, landing with a SMAAACK!

Edward tried to help Anthony get up but he stepped in the milk and PLONNNK! He slipped over, landing with a thud right next to Anthony.

“Are you two all right?” Mum rushed over to them.

“I am. My bottom isn’t,” pouted Anthony.

I looked at Mum and Mum looked at me and we both burst out laughing.

“When you two have quite finished messing about, you can both put the fruit back in the bowl, get the mop and clean up that milk and change your wet clothes.”

“But it’ll be Christmas by the time we do all that!” Anthony protested.

“At least,” Edward agreed.

“Then the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll finish,” said Mum.

I grinned and grinned. I couldn’t help it. For once the twins were in trouble and I
wasn’t
!

“I’ll put the fruit back in the bowl. You can mop the floor,” said Anthony quickly.

“Oh, all right then,” said Edward reluctantly. “Where’s the mop?”

He looked round and round the kitchen.

“Edward, you know I keep the bucket and mop in the cupboard under the stairs,” said Mum.

“Oh yes, I remember!” said Edward.

And he ran to get them.

“The bucket’s not in here,” Edward called out.

I went over to him. “What’re you talking about? It’s right in front of you.”

“Huh!” Edward peered into the dark
cupboard until his nose was practically touching the bucket. “Oh yeah! I see it now.”

Then Edward bent to pick up the bucket. Only he forgot the mop was in it. Before I could even so much as
squeak
to warn him, the mop fell with a THWACK! Right on Edward’s head.

“Ouch!” Edward exclaimed. He rubbed his sore head and pulled a face.

“Edward, are you OK?” Mum asked.

Edward nodded, then shook his head, then nodded again. I almost didn’t hear Mum’s question because Anthony was so busy laughing.

Edward scowled at him, and me, and Mum!

“I’m going to change my trousers,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll come with you,” said Mum, a deep frown on her face. “Before you
get lost in the wardrobe.”

As Edward and Mum went upstairs, I turned to Anthony.

“What’s the matter with Edward these days?” I asked.

Anthony shrugged. “He’s just having a lot of accidents, that’s all.”

I shook my head. “It’s more than that.”

“You think so?” Anthony looked worried.

“I know so,” I said.

“So what’re we going to do about it?” Anthony asked.

“I don’t know,” I said. “But this is a job for Girl Wonder . . .”

“And the best-looking Terrific Twin!” said my brother, modestly.

And just for a change, Anthony and I did somersaults up and down the carpet instead of spinning around.

“So how are we going to find out what’s wrong with Edward?” I asked.

“Hmm! Maybe we could follow him around?” Anthony suggested.

I thought for a moment. “D’you know, that’s a good idea!” I said, surprised.

“I do have them sometimes.” Anthony sniffed.

“OK, Terrific Twin,” I said. “We’ll watch him for the rest of the day and see if there’s a reason why Edward is suddenly bumping into things and having accidents.”

“Right!” said Anthony.

“But we’ve got to make sure that Edward doesn’t see that we’re watching him,” I said.

“Right!” said Anthony.

“So we’ll have to be careful,” I said.

“Right!” said Anthony.

“And stop saying ‘right’!” I said.

“Left!” said Anthony.

Honestly!

When Edward came downstairs again, Anthony and I helped him to clean up the kitchen. And all the time we kept a very careful eye on him. We studied everything he did, looking for possible clues. I soon noticed we weren’t the only ones who were watching him. I caught Mum looking at him as well.

And there was definitely something
wrong with Edward. It was as if his arms had shrunk! He kept reaching out for things in the wrong place. His hands wouldn’t reach far enough and then he’d stretch out some more. That’s why he kept knocking things over. I thought we were being carefully cautious as we watched Edward, but I don’t think we were quite carefully cautious enough.

“STOP IT!” Edward suddenly shouted. “You’re all watching me. Stop it!”

Edward sniffed and looked very close to tears.

“It’s OK, Edward,” I said, putting my arm around him. “I’ve solved the mystery. Your arms have shrunk and you haven’t realized it. That’s why you’re always having accidents.”

“My arms haven’t shrunk,” Edward protested.

“No, that’s not right, Maxine,” said Anthony. “The reason Edward’s knocking things over is because the light in the kitchen isn’t bright enough and he can’t see what he’s doing.”

“It’s bright enough for the rest of us,” I pointed out.

“Edward, go and put on your jacket. We’re going out,” said Mum quietly. “Maxine, Anthony, you can stay with Miss Ree next door until we get back.”

“But where are you going?” I asked.

“And why can’t we come with you?” asked Anthony.

“Never mind that now,” said Mum impatiently. “Get your things together.”

And no matter how hard we tried, Mum just wouldn’t tell us where she was taking Edward.

We stayed in Miss Ree’s house and played cards and Scrabble. Then we helped Miss Ree weed her garden. Anthony was just about to dig up Miss Ree’s forget-me-nots when Miss Ree turned round and told him firmly that forget-me-nots were flowers and
not
weeds.

“Where d’you think Mum and Edward have gone?” Anthony asked.

“Don’t know. Don’t care,” I shrugged.

But it was a lie. I was itching to know.

Time crawled by. One hour turned into two and two hours turned into three. At last Miss Ree’s doorbell rang. We rushed to the door. It was Mum. Edward was standing hidden just behind her.

“Where were you?”

“What did you do?”

“Where did you go?”

“Why couldn’t we go with you?”

“Did you go somewhere nice?”

Anthony and I were full to bursting with questions.

Mum raised a hand. “Edward and I went to get him something he needs. Come on, Edward. Show them what we went out for.”

Edward stepped out from behind Mum.

My mouth fell open. Anthony’s eyes were as huge as dinner plates. Edward was wearing glasses!

“Edward, you look brilliant,” Anthony said. “Mum, can I have some glasses too?”

“No! You don’t need them, Edward does,” said Mum. “That’s why he kept bumping into everything.”

“Edward, they really suit you,” said Miss Ree, impressed.

“I know!” Edward grinned.

Already his head was so big, it was only a matter of time before his new glasses
snapped in two!