Tall Story - Candy Gourlay [12]
At the time of course I knew nothing about it, just like I knew nothing about Gabriela.
So when she smiled at me, I thought it would be rude not to smile back.
‘Idiot!’ Jabby said again, between his teeth. He turned and walked away.
Gabriela stroked the stone on her chest. ‘Do you know what this is?’
‘No.’ I looked up at her. Her lips were soft petals. Jabby paused, listening.
‘It’s a wishing stone. You need only think about something you really, really want and there it is!’
‘Really?’ I wished I didn’t sound quite so eager.
‘Really. Would you like to make a wish, little boy?’
‘He’s not a little boy,’ Jabby said. I wondered at the anger in his voice. ‘He’s the same age as me.’
‘Oh?’ Gabriela’s lashes swept briefly over her eyes, like she was considering the information carefully. Then she bent low and gazed into mine. ‘But you are so sweet and tiny.’
‘Come on, Nardo.’ Jabby grabbed my arm and tugged. ‘Let’s go.’
‘Nardo?’ Gabriela smiled. ‘As in Bernardo?
I nodded.
‘Like the giant?’
‘No. I mean, yes.’
Gabriela clapped her hands. ‘How funny!’
‘Come,’ Jabby grunted. But my feet seemed to have taken root. My eyes were locked with Gabriela’s. Even if I had wanted to, I couldn’t move.
‘Listen, Nardo, do you want to wish upon my stone?’ She was still talking as if I was one of the kids in Grade Two but I didn’t mind.
I shook my head.
She pouted, but I could tell that she was only pretending to be disappointed. ‘Go on. Why don’t you wish yourself taller. Like your namesake!’
She unhooked the chain from around her neck and the stone slid silkily onto her hand. It seemed to gleam in her palm. I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
‘Go on,’ she was whispering now.
I reached out.
‘Nardo!’
Jabby forced me away by the shoulders. ‘Sorry, Gabriela, we’re late for algebra.’
And Gabriela laughed as Jabby frog-marched me away.
‘Well,’ she said. ‘Maybe next time.’
10
Andi
When Auntie Sofia rang, Mum screamed.
If my ears hadn’t been cabled to an mp3 player, she would probably have shattered my eardrums.
She screamed some more, little needle shrieks, clutching the phone to her head. There were tears streaming down her cheeks. She wiped at the tears with the back of her other hand, smearing her mascara.
Was she screaming because she was happy or was she screaming because she was sad? It was always hard to tell with Mum.
She looked at me, her nose dripping ever so slightly. She covered the mouthpiece with a trembling hand. ‘It’s Bernardo, Andi … Bernardo!’
Bernardo! My stomach clenched. Poor Bernardo. What could have happened?
‘What about him, Mum? Is he all right?’
Mum was speaking into the mouthpiece again.
‘How soon can he come? Yes, yes, Sofia, I’ve always said if the papers came through, he should come over as soon as possible.’
As soon as possible? It wasn’t bad news, it was good news! My stomach unclenched and I rushed to Mum’s side.
Mum’s eyes were closed, mouth moving in a quick prayer of thanks. She covered the mouthpiece but when she spoke she could hardly get the words out. ‘Andi, Bernardo’s got his papers. He’s coming to England! He’ll be here next week!’
I gaped. Bernardo. Here. Next week.
It was a miracle.
I pulled the earphones out of my ears so fast they made little popping noises. I threw my arms around Mum and she buried her face in my shoulder, soaking my T-shirt. The phone, which was still pressed to her ear, made a hard knob against my neck.
I fished my mobile phone out of my pocket. I should text Dad the good news! I began to thumb a message.
Mum was laughing and crying at the same time now. ‘Yes, yes, of course. Go ahead, Sofia, I’m so happy, you can say anything to me right now. Tell me the roof has fallen down, or the pig has escaped, or the …’
Then Mum straightened up so suddenly, her head almost banged me in the jaw. She grabbed my wrist as if her life depended on it and her tan drained away to a mottled