Shine (12 page)

this is our home…

M
y mum’s been back on Sark for over a week now and everything’s brilliant. She’s completely taken over the hotel kitchen and is up early most mornings, chopping and mixing and making and baking. We’re all really impressed with her, and Uncle Dan says she’ll get us such a good reputation for fine food, we’ll soon be overflowing with guests all year round. And we’re not just flattering her, her cooking really
is
delicious.

When she’s not in the kitchen, wearing her special chef’s clothes, she just pulls on any old jeans and jumper and hardly even bothers to brush her hair. I’m amazed; she wouldn’t have been seen dead like this in London.

But I’m glad because it means she’s not fussing all the time and she’s not always hassling me to change my clothes and paint my nails and brush my hair. And you wouldn’t believe
her
nails for one moment. On day one of being here, she got the clippers out and chop, chop, chopped them all right off.

“It’s called ‘hygiene’, Tiff,” she said. “I can’t risk letting chips and flakes of old nail varnish fall into the soup, can I?”

Auntie Cass looks like someone has stuck the sunshine inside her and left it permanently switched on. She can’t stop grinning from ear to ear, she’s so happy to have Mum back home. And they’re just like kids when they’re together, they giggle about things and tease Uncle Dan and cosy up together with cups of tea and share secrets. Uncle Dan’s happy and gets along really well with Mum, but he says it’s not fair because he’s being overrun with too many female hormones floating about the place. So he’s working uber hard to finish the barn. Mum’s gone crazy with choosing paint colours for our new walls. There’s no more pure white for us, we’re going for loads of lovely colours because we want to bring the outside inside. So we’re having fresh greens
like the trees and grass and soft blues like the sky and the sea and warm yellows like the sunshine. And I never knew my mum liked nature so much. Whenever she has spare time she’s always off walking in the woods or heading down the cliffs to the beaches below.

Mum
loves
my new school. She says that the bit in my letter about me going back to my old school was what really put her off of going back to London.

“This is where we belong, Tiff,” she says. “This is our home.”

The Max and Isla thing is still weirding me and Holly out, but we’re getting used to it, slowly. Holly says not to worry because it will probably blow over soon. She said it’s hardly like they’re getting married, is it? And anyway, as far as anyone knows, Isla will be leaving come September, won’t she?

Mum still hasn’t bumped into Mandy, and she still won’t tell me any more than Holly did.

“Leave it in the past, Tiff,” she says “where it belongs. I know she’s angry but we’ll bump into each other when the time’s right. She must know I’m back home by now and she hasn’t arrived with her guns blazing, so give it time, Tiff. It’ll all work out; trust me. And don’t worry
about keeping my whole prison escapade a secret. I’m happy for the whole story to come out in the open. No more secrets.”

But I’m not used to trusting my mum’s promises, and it’s a new thing for me. At break time Holly tells me that her mum’s gone into a silent huff since my mum’s arrival, and Holly doesn’t know what to do. I feel sorry for Holly; it’s hard when you feel like you’re the one who has to look after your mum, I remember.

“I still can’t tell her about being friends with you, Tiff, she’d go bananas. It’s stupid, I wish they could just sort it out between themselves and let us get on with our lives.”

I try my mum again after school.

“Holly doesn’t know what to do with Mandy,” I say, “she’s gone into this huff.”

“Oh, well, that’s her problem, Tiff. There’s nothing much I can do about it is there?”

“Yes, but you could go and see her or something.”

“Oh, babe, you won’t give up will you? That’s one trait you inherited from your dad.”

“What?” suddenly forgetting about Mandy and
Holly. At last she’s mentioned my dad. “Tell me Mum. What else did I inherit from him? I want to know.”

“Well,” she smiles, stroking my hair, “you got most of your good looks from my side of the family, of course! But you did get your determination from Billy and your beautiful emerald eyes and your sweet little nose.”

“So what happened? How come everything went wrong?”

“We were young, Tiff, really young. Just teenagers. We all used to hang out together and have great parties round the harbour and on the beach. Then things started to get serious between us all and Mandy fell in love with a boy – Billy.”

“What? My Dad?”

“Yes.” She stops talking and looks down at her lap.

“Go on, Mum,” I say.

She takes a deep breath. “One night, we were all sitting there, a bit tipsy from too much cider and he came over to me and said, ‘Carla Morris I’m madly in love with you. Let’s run away to England.’”

“What? You stole Mandy’s boyfriend?” I say.

She pauses again and I tell her she has to finish.

“I looked into his eyes and I just couldn’t resist him.
I’d always loved him, you see. I was a teenager, Tiff, so I just packed my bag without telling anyone and hopped on a ferry to Guernsey, and another to England and the rest, as they say, is history.”

“But then what happened?”

“Well, we found a cool place to live in London and got some jobs and had some fun and then I got pregnant with you, Tiff. But he said he was too young to be a dad. So one day he just packed his bag and went, just like that, to travel the world. I’ve never heard from him or seen him again. And he doesn’t know what he’s missed by not staying around for you. You see, Tiff, he left Mandy and then he left me.”

i wondered if you were…you know…

I
t’s Saturday morning and my mum has disappeared.

“Don’t worry,” says Auntie Cass, reading my concern. “She’s just popped to the shops. She said she had some secret shopping to do. She’ll be back soon.”

A knife twists in my tummy. Secret shopping sounds like my mum is up to her old tricks again. I hop on my bike and head off to find her. But she’s not at the shops; she’s not anywhere. So I whizz round to Max’s tree house to see if anyone has seen her. But no one’s there, either. Everyone in my life has disappeared.

“Where is everyone?” I ask Stardust when I get back
home. But she’s only interested to know if I have an apple for her to munch on.

Finally, after a hundred years, my mum returns as if nothing’s happened and gets busy in the hotel kitchen making a cake.

“Where have you been, Mum? I was worried about you.”

“I just had to pop out,” she smiles. “I had some shopping to do. No big deal, Tiff, don’t go getting your knickers in a twist. I don’t have to ask your permission these days, do I?”

“No,” I say, feeling silly, “but, you know, I wondered if you were, you know…”

“No, Tiff, I wasn’t, you know…anything. I’ve told you, I’m never doing that again. I’m all straight and above-board these days. No dodgy business, I promise, not ever. You really need to start trusting me.”

“Really? Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Where were you then?”

“Well, if you must know,” she smiles, “I was out buying a birthday present for Mandy. You know, a kind of peace offering. Then I dropped it through her letterbox
and now I’m making her favourite birthday cake in the hope that she might pop in and we can sort this all out once and for all.”

“How do you know it’s her birthday?”

“Well, you tell me when Chelsea’s birthday is?”

“Seventh of May,” I say, “I’ll never forget that.”

“There you go then, Little Miss Nosy, end of story. You never forget your best friend’s birthday, believe me.”

I feel a bit silly now, checking up on my mum, but I’m pleased she’s made the first move in sorting things out with Mandy, and I can’t wait to see Holly and tell her. Auntie Cass comes into the kitchen to help mum prepare lunch. Uncle Dan’s busy cleaning the bar and I’m running around with clean glasses, fresh flowers and cups of tea and coffee. Indigo’s dressed up as a fairy princess and is flying about the place sprinkling good luck dust all over the floor. And I feel full to the brim with good luck. I know that anytime I come home from anywhere I just have to pop my head round the door and someone will be in. And I can even pick up the phone and call my grandparents in Spain if I just fancy a chat. I know that some people’s families get on their nerves, but mine is totally brilliant. Probably because
I’ve waited so long to get one. I’m the luckiest girl alive. I think about Matilda and send her some good luck fairy dust as well and hope she won’t have to wait too much longer for someone to take her home.

The restaurant’s busy today and it really is all hands on deck. Lunch is flying out from the kitchen and I’m running backwards and forwards like a mad thing, clearing the tables and taking pudding orders. I’m so busy I don’t even notice the door open, but suddenly, standing at the bar, are Mandy and Holly. And Mandy’s face is fuming.

“Where is she?” she screams, rummaging in her bag. “Where is that coward of a woman? Come out Carla Morris, wherever you are, and face the music.”

Mum hurries out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a tea towel.

“Keep it down, Mand,” she hushes. “If you hadn’t noticed, there are people here eating lunch. We’ve got a business to run.”

“Do you think I care about that, Carla,” screeches Mandy. “You never cared about anyone in your whole life, so why should I? You’ve spent forever walking over
other people and now it’s my turn. See this?” she says waving a small pink parcel in the air and throwing at Mum’s feet. “Do you think you can butter me up with a birthday present? Well you’re wrong. I don’t want your rotten present, so here, have it back.”

Mum looks like she’s had her face slapped. She picks up the present and puts it on the bar.

“Well, what do you want from me then? How can I make it all up to you, Mand? Don’t you see, it’s a peace offering, I want you back, I miss you. I love you.”

“And you think you can make it up with a present? You really need to get your head looked at if you think you make up for a whole life of treachery by giving people stupid presents. It’s just stuff, Carla. Rubbish. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“Well, it’s a start isn’t it, you ungrateful cow?”

“You see the trouble with you, Carla, is that you could never see beyond the stuff. You just wanted more and more of it, more and more things. But look where it got you.”

All eyes are on Mandy and my mum. Auntie Cass is standing behind the bar with Uncle Dan and Indigo and Holly’s frozen to the spot, looking like a statue with
her mouth hanging open. All of the diners have given up eating and are watching like they’ve suddenly found themselves in the middle of a soap opera. It’s clear that this screaming match isn’t going to end until someone steps in.

“Enough!” I say and my voice is really loud and clear. “Let’s sort this whole thing out, shall we?” I look at my mum who’s standing there, covered in cake icing, looking totally baffled, and at Mandy who’s fumbling with the buckle on her bag, looking lost and alone.

“It’s simple,” I say to Mum. “If you want Mandy to trust you again, if you want
everyone
else to trust you again, you might need to
explain
yourself, Mum. And you might want to think about saying sorry?”

She whimpers, looking at me with pleading eyes.

Mandy stares at Mum. Waiting.

“OK,” Mum sighs, moving closer to Mandy. “Here goes. I’m sorry Mandy for stealing the silver spoon from your tea set when I was four, and for taking your Bridal Barbie when I was eight, and your best pen when I was ten. I’m sorry for stealing your pink elephant from your elephant collection when I was twelve and your new black mascara when I was fifteen. And I’m really sorry
for stealing your favourite shirt when I was sixteen.” She stops and runs her hand through her messed-up hair.

“And most of all I’m so sorry for stealing your boyfriend and hurting you when I was seventeen. And for running away and leaving you alone. It was a terrible, horrible thing to do. And I’ve missed you every day for thirteen years.” Tears start streaming down her cheeks and she doesn’t bother to wipe them away. “And I’m sorry, Tiff,” she turns to me, “for stealing things and money from other people because I thought they would make us happy. And I’m sorry, Cass,” she turns to Auntie Cass, “for leaving you and hurting you and not letting you know where I was and not even telling you that Tiff was born. And I’m sorry,” she says, slumping in a heap on the floor, “for being so stupid and getting hauled off to prison.”

All the diners draw in a shocked breath and hold it, not daring to let it go.

“There,” she spits into the dining room. “The truth is out. I haven’t been away working at all, you see. I’ve been slammed up in prison for the past three months for doing stupid, stupid things. But do you know?” she smiles. “I’m glad for that. I’m glad I went to prison
because going to prison has meant that I’m back home now, with my family, where I belong.”

I gasp, because finally our secret is out, and although I’m worried what everyone will say, I know that the truth is best. Secrets and lies cause too much sadness and too much pain. Right then, Mandy slumps down next to Mum. Then she opens her arms wide and folds her friend into a massive hug. They sit there for ages, gently holding each other.

“I’ve never stopped loving you either,” Mandy sniffs. “I’ve missed you and your crazy ways a million times a day. And I accept your apology. Let’s start afresh shall we?”

Mum nods, snuggling herself deeper into Mandy’s hug.

“And thanks for remembering my birthday.” She wipes Mum’s tears away and kisses her cheek.

i think i have some good news too…

I
shove Holly into the kitchen and we get busy lighting the candles on Mandy’s cake. It’s an enormous chocolate one full of cream and raspberries.

“That’s my mum’s most favourite cake in the whole wide world,” smiles Holly, her green eyes lighting up.

“I know,” I smile. “My mum remembered.”

When we walk back into the bar the whole room bursts into ‘Happy Birthday’ singing. Mandy’s bitter face looks like someone’s put a beautiful light behind it and switched her on. I’ve never seen her look so happy. And Mum too. Me and Holly perch on high bar stools and help ourselves
to some of the amazing cake. Mandy and Mum and are still snuggled up close, talking quietly and unwrapping the present, when Max and Isla rush in.

“Where have you been today?” I ask, cutting them each a slice of cake.

“Well,” says Isla, “we both have some amazing news.”

Holly and I look at each other and smother a giggle. “You’re not getting married are you?” asks Holly.

“No, dummy,” says Max, raising his eyebrows. “We’re not getting married, no, but I did go and get that dyslexic test thingy done, Tiff, and you’re right, I’m not stupid. In fact I have a really high IQ. So I’ll be able to be a zoologist after all.”

“That’s brilliant news, Dr Max,” I smile.

“And you, Isla,” says Holly, “what’s your news?”

“I did it,” she squeals. “I finally told my parents about not wanting to go away to school. And that I want to stop playing the violin and take up the flute instead and that I hate pink and everything. It just all came spilling out.”

“And?” I say.

“And I don’t have to go away to school. I’m staying here. Forever!”

“Brilliant!” Holly and me say at exactly the same time.

“Jinx!” says Holly.

“Jinx to you,” I say, and as I look into her emerald eyes, something hits me like a massive, big, lightning flash.

I can’t believe I haven’t worked it out before. I can’t believe no one else has worked it out before. Everything suddenly makes sense. I push my bar stool away and stand in the middle of the room. All eyes are on me. Watching.

“Well,” I say, my voice wobbling with nerves, “I think I have some news too.” I turn to look at Holly and she looks back at me.

“I can’t believe we haven’t worked this out before, Holly, but if I’m right, your dad left your mum to be with my mum. Which left both of our mums with a baby, namely you and me…and I think that means—”

“That you and me are sisters,” whispers Holly.