Awake and Dreaming - Kit Pearson [29]
“We’re only allowed to watch two TV programs a day,” said Lisbeth. “It’s so unfair!”
Theo thought it was peaceful. Everyone sat in the large, cluttered room doing something. Mum and Dad read the paper, John did his math homework, Anna read a book, Ben played with Lego, and Lisbeth lay on her stomach, drawing pictures of guinea pigs wearing clothes. Theo sat down beside Ben and helped him build a castle. But she kept lifting her head and gazing at the family. They still seemed too perfect to be real.
At seven-thirty Dad took Ben upstairs to give him a bath. Theo joined the others around the dining-room table for a game of Monopoly. Then Mum looked at her watch and said, “Bedtime, girls.”
“Not yet,” complained Lisbeth. But she led Theo and Anna up the stairs and they got into their pyjamas and brushed their teeth. Dad came up and sat on Theo’s bed while they settled on each side of him. He was holding a book with a worn leather cover.
“I thought we’d start something new tonight, in honour of Theo,” he said. He opened up the book. “This is a story by a man called Rudyard Kipling. It’s called ‘The Cat That Walked by Himself.’”
His deep voice began: “‘Hear and attend and listen; for this befell and behappened and became and was, O my Best Beloved, when the Tame animals were wild.’”
It was the most wonderful story Theo had ever heard—eery and enchanting and completely satisfying.
“‘… when the moon gets up and night comes, he is the Cat that walks by himself, and all places are alike to him. Then he goes out to the Wet Wild Woods or up the Wet Wild Trees or on the Wet Wild Roofs, waving his wild tail and walking by his wild lone,’” finished Dad.
Beardsley, who had been lying in Lisbeth’s lap, stood up and stalked out of the room with his tail straight up in the air. They all laughed.
“He was listening!” said Lisbeth. “But Bingo’s not a proper dog, Daddy, because he never chases Beardsley.”
“Bingo doesn’t know he’s a dog,” said Dad. “He thinks he’s a person. Time for bed, now.”
He tucked each of them in and kissed them. His beard tickled.
A few minutes later Mum came up and kissed them too. “Anna’s allowed to read for half an hour,” she said. “You can too, Theo.”
“I’m too sleepy to read,” said Theo.
“Good night, then,” said Mum. “I’m so glad you’ve come to us.”
Theo was half-awake when Anna turned out her light. “Are you okay?” she asked. “Do you want a drink of water or anything?”
“I’m okay.”
“Good night, then. See you in the morning.”
“Good night,” whispered Theo.
She wriggled further into her pink flannel nest, hugging Peppermint and Hoot. She had a flash of longing for Sabrina, but she closed her eyes against any thoughts of her real life. The perfect day was over.
9
Theo was afraid to open her eyes the next morning. She was sure she’d be back on the ferry, waking up after the most incredible dream of her life. But she heard someone thump out of the upper bunk. Then Anna was bouncing on Theo’s feet. “Good morning!” She grinned. “I can’t believe you’re really here!”
“Neither can I,” said Theo, grinning just as wide.
Lisbeth threw her pillow at them and they started a wild fight until Dad stuck his head in and told them to get dressed.
“Can’t Theo go to school with us today?” asked Lisbeth at breakfast.
“No, I want to take her shopping for clothes,” said Mum.
“Can I come?” cried Lisbeth and Anna at the same time.
Mum shook her head. “It would be too hard to concentrate with you two along. If she feels like it, she can go to school with you tomorrow. What do you think, Theo?”
“Maybe,” whispered Theo, because the girls looked so eager. But she didn’t want to go to school—this blissful bubble might burst.
Ben had gone with Dad and the other children left too. Then Mum and Theo got into the van and drove to a mall. Mum was a swift, efficient shopper. They whisked in and out of several stores where she bought Theo more clothes than she’d ever owned in her life.
Jeans, T-shirts, leggings with tunic tops, sweaters … purple runners, black party shoes, yellow gum