Love, Rosie (85 page)

and
gold
face
paints
were
running
all
over
our
faces.
They
looked
like
rain-

bow
tears.
Loads
of
Toby’s
got
in
his
hair
and
I
rubbed
my
eyes
by
mistake

and
all
the
green
got
in.
They
were
stinging
so
much
I
couldn’t
keep
my
eyes

open
and
I
couldn’t
see
so
Mum
and
Toby
held
my
hands
and
brought
me

home.
We
had
to
leave
before
the
parade
even
started.

We
were
soaking
when
we
got
home
and
Mum’s
new
outfit
was
covered

by
the
green
stuff.
The
lady
that
put
it
on
our
faces
said
that
it
washes
off

clothes.
It
doesn’t.
Toby
has
had
green
hair
for
the
whole
week
in
school
and

Ms.
Big
Nose
Smelly
Breath
Casey
isn’t
happy.
Can
you
believe
she
is
the

principal
now?
Mum
says
the
school
must
really
be
desperate.
Anyway,

when
we
got
back
from
town
we
just
watched
the
parade
on
telly
but
we

only
got
to
see
the
end
because
it
took
us
so
long
to
get
home
because
of
all

the
bloody
tourists.
That’s
what
Mum
said.

So
will
you
come
to
the
party?
You
can
bring
Josh
too,
we
need
more

people
anyway.
Aunt
Stephanie
can’t
come
because
she
is
due
next
month

and
I
don’t
think
the
pilot
will
let
her
fly
because
she’s
too
heavy
or
some-

thing.
Grandma
and
Granddad
are
going
over
to
visit
her,
Pierre,
and
the

new
baby
if
it
comes,
Uncle
Kevin
can’t
come
because
he’s
starting
his
new

job
as
a
chef
in
a
new
hotel
down
the
country.
So
it’s
just
Ruby
and
Teddy

and
Ruby
says
that
she
can’t
promise
Teddy
will
be
there,
because
she

doesn’t
like
to
plan
dates
with
him
that
far
in
advance.
It’s
only
two
weeks

though.

I
wanted
it
to
be
kinda
special
for
Mum,
because
she’s
been
really
sad

again
this
week.
Things
have
been
kinda
weird
these
days.
I
think
it’s

because
the
telephone
is
broken.
Every
time
the
phone
rings
and
Mum

answers
it,
no
one
is
there.
It
happens
when
I
answer
it
too.
It
doesn’t
hap-

pen
when
Greg
answers
it.

Greg
said
he
would
get
someone
to
fix
the
phone
and
Mum
just
spilled

her
drink
on
him.
I
don’t
really
think
it’s
broken.
I
think
that
whoever
is

ringing
just
wants
to
speak
to
Greg
and
not
me
and
Mum.

It
would
be
good
if
you
came
over,
you’re
loads
of
fun.
You
can
even

love,
rosie

135

sleep
here
but
you
can’t
sleep
in
the
spare
room
because
that’s
Greg’s
room