Squishy Taylor and the Bonus Sisters (8 page)
It’s dark outside, which I had forgotten about, but luckily there’s a streetlight just where I need it. I lead them to the bit of footpath near Not-John’s secret grate. Then I stand right in front of it. I’ve got about five minutes before Alice turns up with Not-John’s dad. Hopefully I can swing this before then.
‘Um, while we wait, Jessie and Vee, I have to … um … apologise.’
I truly hope this works because it’s
really, really embarrassing
.
‘I’m sorry I said you were stupid and I didn’t want any of you. Really sorry. It’s not true.’
As I’m speaking, I realise I’m not just doing this to trick Not-John. I’m apologising because I’ve wanted to ever since the mean words burst out of me.
‘I still wish you weren’t such a
know-it-all
about everything,’ I say to Jessie. But I say it in a light, teasy way.
‘Can’t help being smart,’ she replies.
We look at each other and kind of smile.
I turn to Vee. ‘And I’m still mad at you for laughing while I did the dog poo, and then telling on me like that.’ Then I grin. ‘But, turns out it was a
crappy
idea.’
Vee cracks a smile. ‘Well, telling on people kind of
stinks
,’ she says, and now we’re all laughing except Dad, who’s just standing there, holding Baby and looking a bit confused about why we’re out on the street.
‘And you know what?’ I say to my stepsisters. ‘You
are
a bonus. You’re a
crazy-awesome bonus
.’ I’m thinking about laughing in the lift and whispering late at night until we have to snort into our pillows. I’m thinking about Vee teaching me
bunk-bed tricks
and Jessie making us all do hands-on to join the HRC.
I take a deep breath. ‘So I’m not going to call you stepsisters anymore. From now on, you are my bonus sisters.’
It’s just as cheesy as I thought, but no-one is looking at me like I’m an idiot. Jessie hugs me and Vee wraps her arms around from the other side and I’m squished in between them and it’s
perfect
.
‘
What is going on?
’ Alice asks.
We pull apart. Alice walks up to us with the tall, scowly man in the neat blue coat. Except he’s not wearing a coat today, he’s wearing a brown knitted jumper.
I realise straight away why I always thought he looked familiar. He looks like Not-John. And he’s got the same sad-angry face that Not-John has so much of the time. This guy is really not Mr Hinkenbushel. I feel desperately awful about keeping our secret from this poor man.
‘Squishy?’ Alice asks.
I look at Not-John’s dad. ‘It’s about your kid,’ I say. ‘Um …’ I cross my fingers, hoping this will work. ‘How do you feel about him being gone?’
I step sideways so that when the man turns towards me, Not-John will be able to see his face from the grate.
Not-John’s dad looks at me like I’m a crazy lady surrounded by a zoo. But he answers my question. ‘I’m … I … he … I’m so afraid for him, I can’t actually think.’ His face is pale and serious with wide eyes. I was right. He looks more than just worried. He looks scared and alone.
There’s a silence and I think maybe I’ve failed. I’m going to have to
be tray
Not-John after all.
But then the grate behind me rattles and pushes out. There is Not-John’s face at footpath level. He struggles onto his belly, then up and into his dad’s arms.
I watch Not-John’s feet kicking the air as his dad turns him slowly around on the spot, their faces hidden in each other’s shoulders.
I feel a big, soft feeling of relief that they are together again.
We did it. Me and my
bonus sisters
.
We say goodbye to Not-John and his dad in the lift. Not-John tells us his real name but we don’t care.
‘You’ll always be Not-John-Smith to us,’ Vee says.
When the lift opens on our floor, Mr Hinkenbushel is standing in the corridor looking furious.
He growls, ‘What is this awful smell?
‘I don’t know,’ says Jessie. ‘It kinda smells
sweet
to me.’
Dad gives her a sideways look, but I can tell he’s more laughing than angry.
When the door closes, I ask, ‘Can we watch a movie now because it’s Saturday night?’
‘No,’ Dad says.
‘But you said –’ Jessie starts.
‘It’s ten o’clock at night,’ Dad says.
‘But –’ Vee says.
‘Bed!’ shouts Alice, and we scamper.
I do a quick
Running-Cross-Spin-Leap
into my bunk and nearly take out the telescope.
‘You know,’ I say, once the lights are off, ‘I reckon Mr Hinkenbushel does keep prisoners
chained
in his cupboard. We just haven’t discovered them yet.’
About the author and illustrator
Ailsa Wild
is an acrobat, whip cracker and teaching artist who ran away from the circus to become a writer. She taught Squishy all her best bunk-bed tricks.
Ben Wood
started drawing when he was Baby’s age, and happily drew all over his mum and dad’s walls! Since then, he has never stopped drawing. He has an identical twin and they used to play all kinds of pranks on their younger brother.
Christy and Luke, for writing residencies, bunkbed acrobatics and the day you turned the truck around.
Antoni, Penni, Moreno and the masterclass crew – for showing me what the journey could be. Here’s to epiphanies.
Indira and Devika because she couldn’t be real without you.
Hilary, Marisa, Penny, Sarah and the HGE team for making it happen. What an amazing net to have landed in.
Ben, for bringing them all to life.
Jono, for independence and supporting each other’s dreams.
–
Ailsa
Hilary, Marisa, Sarah, and the HGE team for your enthusiasm and spark.
Penny, for being the best! Thanks for inviting me along on this Squish-tastic ride! (And for putting up with all my emails!)
Ailsa, for creating such a fun place for me to play in.
John, for listening to me ramble on and on about Squishy Taylor everyday.
–
Ben
Squishy Taylor and the Bonus-Sisters
published in 2016 by
Hardie Grant Egmont
Ground Floor, Building 1, 658 Church Street
Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia
www.hardiegrantegmont.com.au
This ebook is also available as a print edition in all good bookstores.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers and copyright holders.
A CiP record for this title is available from the National Library of Australia.
eISBN 9781743583968
Text copyright © 2016 Ailsa Wild
Illustrations copyright © 2016 Ben Wood
Series design copyright © 2016 Hardie Grant Egmont
Series design by Stephanie Spartels
Illustrations by Ben Wood
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