Read Online Blue Skies by Helen Hodgman - Free Book Online Page A

minced brains with carrot and one of banana custard. I was just heating up the brains when they came in.
    â€˜Would you like to have some lunch with us?’ I asked politely. ‘I’ll just feed Angelica, then make us some sandwiches or something. I should have some food somewhere. We’re a bit low at the moment. The end of the week and all that. James was hoping to borrow the car this evening so we could go up to the supermarket.’
    â€˜No thank you, my dear. I’m not hungry. I don’t eat much you know; it’s not good for you in this heat. I only came round to see if I could borrow Angelica for the afternoon. I’ve got an old friend coming down and she’s just dying to see my only grand-daughter. It’s just as well I came when I did. The poor little thing was in such a state.’
    â€˜Yes. Well, Jonathan Pickup was on the phone and I couldn’t stop him talking. I couldn’t just hang up on him. I mean, I really couldn’t think what to do.’
    â€˜Well, that’s up to you of course, my dear.’ She rolled her eyes at the paper open at page three. ‘If I were you of course…’ She didn’t finish, but stared up at the ceiling as if seeing visions and said: ‘Such a sordid little man. One always knew of course that there was something not quite right about him.’
    I served Angelica’s steaming brains into her bunny-rabbit bowl. Taking her from her grandmother, I sat on a stool with her wedged more or less upright on my lap and started to spoon the colourless goo into her mouth. Too late I realised I had forgotten a bib. I fielded the thin rivulets of rejected food that ran from the corners of Angelica’s mouth as best I could. This took so much concentration that I barely heard James’s mother wondering aloud on the comparative merits of convenience foods and foods pureed lovingly all morning by caring mothers. Angelica didn’t want it anyway. I didn’t attempt the banana custard. It was a relief for both of us when the time came to finish off with her bottle. I put a little more formula in to make up for her not having eaten much. Angelica’s whole body quivered in anticipation as the rubber teat hovered above her mouth.
    Her grandmother sat on the other stool and watched this happy domestic scene with satisfaction. Afterwards I did my best to sponge the stray brain spots from Angelica’s pretty yellow smock. She was going visiting. I helped load her on to the back seat of the car. She chortled up at the vinyl roof from the wicker depths of her carry-cot. Her grandmother leaned towards me over the passenger seat and spoke to me out of the car window.
    â€˜Why don’t you phone James and tell him to pick up the car on the way home from work? I’ll keep Angelica round there until late tonight. Then you can get your shopping done in peace.’
    â€˜Oh, that’s lovely. Thank you so much.’ I smiled with genuinely surprised gratitude and waved goodbye enthusiastically.
    A high cracked voice seemed to come out of the air: ‘She dotes on that little baby, can’t you just seeyut?’
    I hadn’t seen her there, standing dead-centre on her pride and joy.
    â€˜Must be nice for her, having you all so close by.’ She laughed as though she had just made a joke. ‘Tell you what. Just step over here a minute. Got something to show you.’
    I stepped over the miniature ranch-style fence and walked delicately over the grass towards her. She dug into the pocket of the stiff brown smock thing she wore while tending her lawn. She waved an agitated clenched fist full of something in my face.
    â€˜What is it?’
    She unfolded the fist close up under my nose. It took me some seconds to focus on what it was. My shells.
    â€˜Found them, I did. Early today. Chucked down on me lawn. What a thing to do. I ask you. Some kids I suppose. Makes me mad, I must say. You work and slave to