Mumnesia (17 page)

‘And you were right.’

‘About what?’

‘When you suggested we should separate.
That we should just be friends.’

My eyes fly open. SHARON suggested the
divorce?

‘You know, I hadn’t even really
realized what had happened to us, but you were right. We were
more like friends.
Best 
friends, room-mates, but
friends nonetheless.’

Is THAT what happened? It wasn’t anything
to do with Ingrid?

‘But you’re right, life’s about
so much more than that. We deserve to be truly happy.’ He
pulls back and smiles as he hooks his pinky round mine.
‘Friends forever, right?’

Guilt swims in my stomach as I nod.
‘Friends forever.’

But I feel like the worst friend in the
world.

I wake to the smell of coffee and bacon and
my eyes fly open. OMG, Mum’s back! She must be! Shazza
hates
coffee! And Mum
always
cooks me bacon on
special occasions! Dad and Ingrid breaking up must have cured her
amnesia after all – thank goodness it wasn’t all for
nothing!

I jump out of bed and race to the kitchen to find Mum still in
her nightie, sitting at the table. I have never been more
thrilled to see her.

‘Mum!’ I fly at her in a hug.

‘Watch it, Luce!’ She laughs. ‘You nearly
sent my bacon and eggs flying!’

‘Your . . .
bacon
?’ #RedAlert

‘You got a hug for your old dad too?’

I spin round to see him cooking at the hob, and my heart
sinks.

Mum isn’t back.

We broke Dad and Ingrid up for no reason.

‘How many rashers would you like, sweetheart?’

‘Just one, please,’ I mumble, hugging Dad tight,
my appetite gone.

‘
One?
But I’ve got five ready!’ he
protests. ‘I can’t eat four rashers by
myself!’

‘Especially with your heart problem,’ I remind
him.

‘I’ll have some more!’ Shazza jumps up.

Dad glances at the clock. ‘Hadn’t you better get
ready for work?’

Uh-oh. Shazza’s eyes widen in panic.

‘Um . . . yeah . . . I’ll go and do that.’
She hurries into the corridor and beckons me to follow.

‘What am I gonna do?’ she hisses. ‘I
can’t go to work!’

‘Course not,’ I say. ‘You just have to make
it look like you are. Get dressed in work clothes.’

‘OK.’ She nods. ‘What are work
clothes?’

‘OMGA! I look
terrible
!’ I pluck in disgust at the frumpy skirt and blouse
Lucy’s picked out.

‘I’m sorry, but none of your new
trendy stuff would cut it as a librarian,’ Lucy explains,
pulling on her school jumper. ‘You can change back once
Dad’s gone – we just have to keep up the charade
while he’s around.’

I shake my head. ‘This is crazy!’

‘I know,’ Lucy sighs, slumping on to
my bed, ‘but we can’t exactly kick him out –
it’s our fault he and Ingrid broke up!’

‘And all for nothing.’ I nod
guiltily.

‘Knock, knock!’ Danny says, opening
the bedroom door.

‘
Danny!
’ I shriek, bounding
across the room and slamming it shut again. ‘What’s
the point in saying “knock, knock” if you’re
gonna barge straight in? I’m getting dressed!’

‘Sorry!’ he cries. ‘I
won’t look, I swear. I’ve just brought your mobile
– it was ringing.’

‘Oh. Um. Thank you.’ I open the door
slightly and he passes me the phone.

‘It was Sam.’ Danny smiles.
‘How’re things going? Have you told Lucy
yet?’

I glance at Lucy, who shrugs and shakes her
head.

‘Um . . . no.’

‘Look, I know you’re worried
she’ll be upset, especially after how she’s been with
Ingrid, but she’s a big girl, Shaz. She’ll be pleased
you’ve found love.’

My jaw drops.

‘
What?
’ Lucy squeals.

Danny’s eyes widen in horror.
‘Lucy’s
in
there? Oh my gosh, Sharon,
I’m so sorry!’

‘Um – just give us a minute!’ I
slam the door in Danny’s face and turn to Lucy, my mind
majorly blown.

SHARON HAS A SECRET
BOYFRIEND
?

‘OMG!’ I hiss, jumping up.
‘Mum’s
dating
someone? In secret?
Who?
’

‘How should
I
know?’ Shazza protests.
‘Do you know anyone called Sam?’

‘Um . . . there’s the guy at the corner shop. I
think he might be called Sam – or is it Simon?’

‘
Think!
’

‘I’m trying!’ I insist, pacing the room.
‘But I don’t know any of Mum’s work colleagues.
I’ve probably never even met the guy!’

‘Well, let’s just ask Danny – he obviously
knows him.’

‘Er,
no
! ’ I cry, grabbing Shazza’s
arm as she heads for the door. ‘That’d be well sus!
– “Excuse me, ex-husband, but who exactly am I
dating?”’

‘True!’ Shazza moans, drooping on to the bed.

‘And Dad definitely won’t tell
me
who Sam
is if Mum hasn’t,’ I add. ‘Especially after he
just put his foot in it.’

‘Argh!’ Shazza flops backwards and scowls at the
ceiling. ‘But we have to find out who Sam is! He could be,
like, the key to getting my memories back!’

I frown. ‘You think Mum’s secret relationship
could be the real cause of her amnesia?’

‘I don’t know.’ Shazza shrugs. ‘Can
you think of anything else it could be?’

I rack my brains but can’t come up with anything.

‘But why would Mum keep Sam a secret from me
anyway?’ I fold my arms. ‘What did she think
I’d do?’

Shazza looks up. ‘How did you react when Danny told you
about Ingrid?’

‘I . . . threw a tantrum.’ I wince. ‘And ran
away to Kimmy’s house.’ #Cringe. ‘It’s
just – it’s weird seeing your parents dating other
people!’ I sink down beside her. ‘It’s like . .
. where does that leave me?’

Shazza props herself up on one elbow, frowning. ‘What do
you mean?’

‘It’s stupid, but when Mum and Dad were together,
I felt I belonged, you know? But whenever I stayed with Dad and
Ingrid . . . I always felt a bit like a spare part. A reminder of
a failed marriage – the piece they can’t get rid
of.’

‘Lucy!’ Shazza sits up. ‘No one wants to get
rid of you!’

‘But maybe they want to forget,’ I whisper,
hugging my knees. ‘For a while anyway. Maybe
that’s
why Mum kept her boyfriend secret. Maybe she
kept me secret from him too? It’s easier to start afresh
without any baggage, right?’

Shazza stares at me. ‘
Baggage?
’

‘That’s what Megan says.’ I shrug, my throat
tight. ‘She thinks her mum’s too embarrassed to
introduce her to her new boyfriend – what if Mum’s
the same?’

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ Shazza cries.
‘Besides, Megan’s mum isn’t
embarrassed
about her! She was just worried about upsetting her.
Megan’s her top priority. And you’re ours. Look at
Danny – he’s staying in England because you’re
the most important thing in his life.’

‘And now his relationship has broken up because of me!
You’re
here
because of me! This is all my
fault!’ I sob, burying my head in my arms.

‘No, it’s not!’ Shazza hugs me tight.
‘None of it is.’

‘You don’t know that!’ I protest. ‘You
don’t know what our relationship was like before. Mum and I
hardly spoke – not about important stuff. I couldn’t
tell her half the things I’ve told you, and – and she
obviously couldn’t talk to me either! If she had, maybe she
wouldn’t have lost her memory!’

‘Oh, Lucy.’ Shazza strokes my hair.

‘I wish she’d told me,’ I say with a sniff.
‘Yes, I might’ve freaked out, yes, it would’ve
been totally weird, but I’d have got used to it. If this
guy –
Sam
, whoever he is – makes her happy,
then . . . I’d be happy for her.’

‘Then that’s  how  we  fix 
this!’  Shazza  cries,  sitting up
excitedly. ‘You have to find Sam and give him your
blessing! We just need to work out who he
is
–
preferably before he calls again!’

#LightBulb

‘Let’s call
him
instead!’ I cry,
grabbing Mum’s mobile. ‘You’ve got his number
right here – maybe I’ll recognize his
voice.’

‘No way! I can’t
talk
to him!’ Shazza
squeaks, leaping off the bed. ‘He thinks I’m his
girlfriend
! I’d probably say something
majorly
wrong, ruin
everything
and then I’ll
never
get my memory back – and it’s not like I
can introduce you to him over the phone
anyway
,
so—’

‘Shazza, calm down! You don’t have to talk to him
– I just need to hear his voice,’ I explain.
‘Hopefully we’ll get his voicemail – if not,
we’ll just keep quiet and he’ll think it’s a
pocket dial.’

‘A what?’

‘You know, that you’ve called him by accident
– you’ve sat on your phone.’

‘OK . . .’ She sits back down nervously and I dial
Sam’s number, put the phone on loudspeaker and place it
between us on the bed. Shazza twirls her hair nervously and my
heart beats loudly as the phone rings. And rings.

Then suddenly it stops.

‘Hello?’ a woman’s voice says.

Shazza and I stare at each other in shock, then we both lunge
for the mobile to turn it off – and it tumbles to the
floor. Behind the bed!

‘Oh fudge!’ Shazza cries. Out loud.

#Facepalm

‘Hello?’ the woman says again. ‘Are you all
right?’

I try reaching down the gap it fell down, but my arm’s
too big. I drop to the floor instead, and spot the phone –
but it’s too far under. I search desperately for something
to retrieve it with . . .

‘Hello?’ the woman says again. ‘Can you hear
me? Hello?’

Shazza tosses me a clothes hanger and I try again. Nearly . .
. almost . . . Got it!

‘
Hello?
’

I drag the mobile out from under the bed and quickly end the
call.

‘Phew!’

‘Holy guacamole!’ Shazza gasps, sinking to the
floor beside me. ‘
Who
was
that
? Sam’s
girlfriend
? Or . . .
wife
?’ Her eyes widen
with horror. ‘Of course!
That’s
why Sharon was
keeping their relationship secret! No wonder she was majorly
stressed out!’

‘No way!’ My head spins. ‘I can’t
believe Mum would have an
affair
!’

‘But . . . what other explanation is there?’
Shazza frowns. ‘Who else would be answering Sam’s
mobile this early in the morning? And why else would Sharon keep
her relationship a secret from you?’

I bite my lip. I have no idea.

Suddenly her phone starts ringing and we both stare at the
screen.

‘Sam’.

‘What should I do? What if it’s
Sam’s wife calling back? What if it’s
Sam
himself
?’ I recoil in horror as the phone buzzes
angrily on the floor. ‘I can’t answer it!’

‘No way!’ Lucy agrees. She jabs at it
and the ringing stops.

Phew!

Then the landline starts ringing. Lucy and I
stare at each other.

‘Oh fudge!’ I squeak.

‘It’s OK,’ Lucy soothes.
‘No one knows you’re home. We just won’t answer
it.’

We listen as it rings a few more times, then
finally stops. I breathe a sigh of relief.

A knock on the bedroom door makes us both jump.
We stare at each other fearfully. It can’t be . . .
Can
it?

‘Hello? Are you girls all right in
there?’

Danny! I’d forgotten all about him!

‘Um, yes, fine, thanks, Dad!’ Lucy
replies, shooting me a relieved smile.

‘Only there’s, um, a phone call for
your mum. It’s Sam.’

‘Oh fudge!’ I hiss. ‘Danny
answered it! What are we going to do?’

‘Um . . . Mum can’t come to the phone
right now,’ Lucy shouts.

‘Why? What’s wrong?’ Danny
sounds concerned. ‘Is everything OK?’

‘Everything’s  
fine,’   Lucy   lies.   
‘Mum’s    just    a bit
. . . emotional. Can you say she’s in the shower or
something?’

‘OK . . . Listen, I need to go to work now.
But would it possibly be OK if I stay tonight too?’ Danny
calls.

‘Of c-course,’ I stutter, trying my
best to sound ‘emotional’.

Lucy rolls her eyes.

‘Thanks, Shaz, I really appreciate it.
Sorry for . . . everything.’ He sighs. ‘See you
later.’ His footsteps disappear down the hall.

Lucy shakes her head. ‘Dad can’t keep
staying here, Shazza. It’s too risky!’

‘I know – but like you said, we can
hardly kick him out,’ I shrug helplessly.

‘No.’ Lucy takes a deep breath.
‘We need to get Dad and Ingrid back together. We have to
launch Operation Make-Up.’

I smile, suddenly feeling a huge rush of love for
her.

‘I hardly slept all night,’ she
moans, wringing her hands miserably. ‘What we did was
uber-wrong – especially as it hasn’t brought your
memory back anyway. Whether Dad goes to Australia or not should
be his choice, just like he gave me the choice.’