Tall Story - Candy Gourlay [35]
How was I to know that Bernardo would try to run a bath? A DINGBAT from the MOON would’ve known to watch the boiling pot and mind the running bath. It’s not like being FOREIGN exempts you from COMMON SENSE.
I mean, he’s sixteen. He’s practically an adult. I’m just thirteen. I’m barely a teenager.
He left Mum’s best soup pot burning on the stove. It was ruined. The carpet in the hall was ruined. The ceiling under the bathroom crumbled to pieces. Ruined.
I was the one who raised the alarm. I was the one who turned off the heat. I turned off the taps. I cleared up the mess. Well. Bernardo spent hours scraping that pot with a scourer, but that was nothing. I mopped up the bathroom and covered the carpet with towels. But nobody’s going to thank me for that, are they?
‘Thank you, Amandolina,’ Bernardo whispered.
OK. Now Bernardo was making me feel guilty. I sneaked a glance at him. He sat on his mattress with his back to my bed and his knees drawn up to his chin and both hands clasped over his knees.
‘What for?’
‘I am the blame.’
YES, YOU ARE THE BLAME! You are the reason I’ve got half a bedroom and now I’ve got half a life as well. You are the blame the blame the BLAME!
‘Nah.’ I flopped down on the mattress, scowling at my socks. ‘It wasn’t your fault. You don’t know anything.’
‘I don’t know anything,’ Bernardo repeated like he needed to memorize it. ‘I don’t know anything.’
Oh shut up. But aloud I said, ‘It wasn’t your fault.’
Bernardo grabbed my hand. I was so surprised I tried to snatch it back.
He smiled at me and gently put something on my palm.
‘What’s this, Bernardo?’ It was a smooth flat black stone, the kind that’s perfect for skipping on the ocean. There was a hole bored into it where a chain could slip through.
‘It have magic,’ he was whispering now. I had to bend my head close to his to hear what he was saying. ‘You make wish. Wish come true.’
What was I supposed to say to that? Should I tell him now that I don’t believe in magic and have never even read Harry Potter? Should I tell him that I do not bother to read the fortune cookies that come with the Chinese takeaway?
This was what I said: ‘Really? Is that so?’
Bernardo swivelled round so that he was leaning on one elbow, looking squarely into my eyes. He was close enough for me to see the pupils blooming to the edges of his amber irises.
He took the stone from my hand and clasped it against his chest like he was about to pledge his loyalty to the Queen. ‘I have sorry about the flooding, Amandolina,’ he said softly. ‘Please. Make a wish. Don’t say loud. Just wish with your head.’
16
Bernardo
From: Mary Ann Hipolito-Jones
mahjones@gmail.com
To: Hipolito, Sofia
Subject: From Bernardo
Dear Auntie and Uncle,
Kumusta? How are you? How have you been up to?
Mama borrowed me her email so that I could make news to you about life here in London. I write you in English because I must practise before I have school on Monday. It’s up for me to be fitted in.
Mama, Uncle William and Amandolina are making their best so I feel like home. Uncle William always says he loves to have me. He is good.
It have very cold in England but inside the house it have very warm because the house makes heating. Now and there I really miss you, especially when the house makes cold.
I have some mistake at the beginning but Mama teach me how to use bathtub now. I just have to take things slow by slow.
Yesterday was Saturday and Mama took me shopping for clothes. We went to internet shop TallMan.com – there have a house where they keep stock of shoes, clothes, everything for Tall Man – like me!
Mama buy me very nice rubber shoes – in London rubber shoes are called trainers. Imagine me now I have rubber shoes! I cannot believe. The trainers so comfort, they have shock-absorbing soles and breathable fabric according to the box. I have happiness so much. So many years I wear rubber slippers or sandals because no shoes fitting me. Timbuktu sandals good but London very too