Read Online Blondetourage by Allison Rushby - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Allison Rushby
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Romy doesn't look convinced.
'Maybe I could help you find it?' I say, without
thinking, and then immediately regret my words.
'Or ... what I mean is ...' I begin to back pedal
fast, sure I'm about to get some kind of 'you little
upstart' lecture as Romy twists around on her stool
to face me fully.
'Would you really?' Romy cuts in on my blathering.
'Would you really do that?'
Her words come out a little too quickly and
she then looks a tad embarrassed at how fast she's
jumped upon my offer. 'It's just that ... well, it's
been interesting hearing what you have to say. Not
knowing anything about the show and all. And
with your mom being in the same situation.'
'Of course!' I say quickly. I mean, of course I
would! As if I'd sit here and watch her be miserable
and not help. Especially when I know all
about what she's going through. If not first-hand,
through everything JJ's told me about what she
went through at Romy's age. I still see JJ struggle
with some things today. I spy the crumpled up
note again and swivel around to give Romy my
full attention.
'Of course I'll help.' But as the words form on
my lips, I feel a pang of guilt, because despite the
fact that I really do want to help Romy, I'm also
helping myself, aren't I? I might really want to help
Romy, but I also really, really don't want her to
leave the show.
'What are you two doing up?' JJ's voice behind
me makes me jump.
'I ... um ...' I stutter.
'Hi, JJ!' Romy answers for both of us. 'I couldn't
sleep and Elli obviously couldn't either, so we both
ended up here. She rustled up some great crepes
for us.'
'Oh, good,' JJ eyes our empty plates with happy
eyes, just like I'd thought – glad to see her efforts
gobbled up. 'Now, you,' she focuses in on me. 'it's
just after five. Even if you can't sleep, go and lie
down and get a bit more rest. I'm sure you've a big
day ahead of you.'
I think about all the lessons Melinda is likely to
cram in. 'Okay.' I get up, dropping Fluffy lightly
onto the floor. 'Sorry, Fluff.'
'And how about you, Romy? Back to bed, or can
I tempt you with a proper hot chocolate? Belgian
chocolate? Organic milk? That might help you get
back to sleep.'
'That sounds lovely. Anyway, there's something
I want to ask you about.'
Budget buys
(under $500!)
I manage an hour or so of squeezing my eyes
shut in bed and pretending to sleep before
I hear the tap, tap, tap of fingers on a keyboard
and decide it's okay to get up again. I follow the
noise across the hall to the study where we did
our lessons last night and I enter to see the soles of
George's black slippers facing me, propped up on
the desk in front of her. Black slippers. That girl
really is making a statement to the world.
'Hey!' I greet her. 'What are you up to?'
George looks up from her MacBook. 'Hiya,
Elli. eBaying.'
'Not Fluffy, I hope.' He's crouched on the floor,
curled up into a cold ball, watching George with a
look that is something close to loathing.
'Hardly. It'd end in bad feedback for sure. Come
and have a look.'
I trot on over obediently, pull out a chair beside
George and settle myself in. On one half of the
screen is a bunch of pictures – dresses, handbags,
accessories, shoes. On the other half, George seems
to be arranging some notes on each of the items
into proper descriptions. I drag my eyes away from
the screen to look at her.
'All the things the girls are given and that they
don't want, I eBay. I made $183,000 last year.'
'What?!' I say a little too loudly, before lowering
my voice. '$183,000? Are you serious?'
George waves a hand. 'Oh, no. Don't get me
wrong. They know about it. Sort of. And I don't
keep the money. I give it to charity. I pick a new
one every year. This year it's all going to a donkey
sanctuary.'
I expel all the air caught in my chest. Phew. For
a moment there I thought ... but now I frown,
hearing what she's just said. 'But wait ... if the
girls don't have any money, why don't they sell the
things themselves?'
George shakes her head.
'Maybe I could help you find it?' I say, without
thinking, and then immediately regret my words.
'Or ... what I mean is ...' I begin to back pedal
fast, sure I'm about to get some kind of 'you little
upstart' lecture as Romy twists around on her stool
to face me fully.
'Would you really?' Romy cuts in on my blathering.
'Would you really do that?'
Her words come out a little too quickly and
she then looks a tad embarrassed at how fast she's
jumped upon my offer. 'It's just that ... well, it's
been interesting hearing what you have to say. Not
knowing anything about the show and all. And
with your mom being in the same situation.'
'Of course!' I say quickly. I mean, of course I
would! As if I'd sit here and watch her be miserable
and not help. Especially when I know all
about what she's going through. If not first-hand,
through everything JJ's told me about what she
went through at Romy's age. I still see JJ struggle
with some things today. I spy the crumpled up
note again and swivel around to give Romy my
full attention.
'Of course I'll help.' But as the words form on
my lips, I feel a pang of guilt, because despite the
fact that I really do want to help Romy, I'm also
helping myself, aren't I? I might really want to help
Romy, but I also really, really don't want her to
leave the show.
'What are you two doing up?' JJ's voice behind
me makes me jump.
'I ... um ...' I stutter.
'Hi, JJ!' Romy answers for both of us. 'I couldn't
sleep and Elli obviously couldn't either, so we both
ended up here. She rustled up some great crepes
for us.'
'Oh, good,' JJ eyes our empty plates with happy
eyes, just like I'd thought – glad to see her efforts
gobbled up. 'Now, you,' she focuses in on me. 'it's
just after five. Even if you can't sleep, go and lie
down and get a bit more rest. I'm sure you've a big
day ahead of you.'
I think about all the lessons Melinda is likely to
cram in. 'Okay.' I get up, dropping Fluffy lightly
onto the floor. 'Sorry, Fluff.'
'And how about you, Romy? Back to bed, or can
I tempt you with a proper hot chocolate? Belgian
chocolate? Organic milk? That might help you get
back to sleep.'
'That sounds lovely. Anyway, there's something
I want to ask you about.'
Budget buys
(under $500!)
I manage an hour or so of squeezing my eyes
shut in bed and pretending to sleep before
I hear the tap, tap, tap of fingers on a keyboard
and decide it's okay to get up again. I follow the
noise across the hall to the study where we did
our lessons last night and I enter to see the soles of
George's black slippers facing me, propped up on
the desk in front of her. Black slippers. That girl
really is making a statement to the world.
'Hey!' I greet her. 'What are you up to?'
George looks up from her MacBook. 'Hiya,
Elli. eBaying.'
'Not Fluffy, I hope.' He's crouched on the floor,
curled up into a cold ball, watching George with a
look that is something close to loathing.
'Hardly. It'd end in bad feedback for sure. Come
and have a look.'
I trot on over obediently, pull out a chair beside
George and settle myself in. On one half of the
screen is a bunch of pictures – dresses, handbags,
accessories, shoes. On the other half, George seems
to be arranging some notes on each of the items
into proper descriptions. I drag my eyes away from
the screen to look at her.
'All the things the girls are given and that they
don't want, I eBay. I made $183,000 last year.'
'What?!' I say a little too loudly, before lowering
my voice. '$183,000? Are you serious?'
George waves a hand. 'Oh, no. Don't get me
wrong. They know about it. Sort of. And I don't
keep the money. I give it to charity. I pick a new
one every year. This year it's all going to a donkey
sanctuary.'
I expel all the air caught in my chest. Phew. For
a moment there I thought ... but now I frown,
hearing what she's just said. 'But wait ... if the
girls don't have any money, why don't they sell the
things themselves?'
George shakes her head.
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