Read Online Eva's Journey by Judi Curtin - Free Book Online

yourself a cup of tea and I’ll be there in a minute.’
    I walked around to the side of the house and sat on the grass under the open window. I know that eavesdropping isn’t a very nice habit, but I couldn’t stop myself. I had to learn more about Dawn and her mother.
    Was there a way that I could help the two of them?
    Was there a way that they could both be happy?
    â€˜Dawn’s home,’ came her mother’s voice through the open window. Then there was a long sigh. ‘I’m sorry, Hannah,’ she said. ‘I know your plan makes perfect sense. I know that you and Mary need to buy a new apartment. I know that we could buy a three-bedroomed place between us. I know we could have a wonderful life together – the three Brady sisters back together at last. But who would take care of Dawn? She needs me. I’m all she has. Since her dad died, she’s been very down in the dumps. She never even goes out with her friends any more … Now I have to go and make her something to eat. The poor child must be starving.’
    She hesitated while the person on the other endof the line said something, and then she sighed again.
    â€˜Yes, I know Mary will be disappointed. Tell her she can give me a call in ten minutes. I’ll explain everything to her then.’
    I heard the click as the phone was hung up. I lay down on the warm grass and smiled. Dawn was unhappy because she thought her mother needed her, and her mother was unhappy because she thought Dawn needed her. And all they both wanted to do was to get on with their lives.
    All I had to do was let each one know what the other one was feeling.
    But how on earth was I going to do that?

Chapter Twelve
    F ive minutes later I had a plan. I’m not sure if it was a great plan, but it was the best I could come up with in such a short time.
    I pulled my phone out of my schoolbag, ran up to the door of Dawn’s house, and knocked hard. Dawn opened the door and stood there under her own personal black cloud.
    â€˜Oh,’ I said. ‘I didn’t know you lived here. What a coincidence.’
    She stared at me for a minute.
    â€˜You’re the new girl in school,’ she said. ‘Eva, isn’t it?’
    I nodded.
    â€˜What are you doing here?’ she asked.
    I smiled my best smile.
    â€˜It’s about the project Mr Gowing set us,’ I said, hoping that Dawn wouldn’t remember that he hadn’t mentioned a project. ‘It’s a science project,’ I added. ‘Science is my favourite subject.’
    â€˜And?’
    â€˜And I’m going to do my project on butterflies, and while I was walking past your house just now, I saw the coolest butterfly fly into your garden. I need to take a picture of it. Can I go look for it?’
    I helpfully held up my phone. (It was ancient – at least six months old, but at least it had a camera.)
    Dawn shrugged.
    â€˜Sure, just don’t trample on the flowers.’
    I didn’t move.
    â€˜Er …… actually, I need your help. I need you to sit with me and rustle the flowers, so that the butterfly will fly out. Then I can take the picture.’
    I didn’t wait for an answer. I walked over to the flowers under the open window, and I sat down. I smiled to myself as Dawn followed me and sat down next to me. Dawn smiled too. She lookedyounger and prettier when she smiled.
    I wondered if I could help her to smile a lot more.
    â€˜We need to be very quiet, so we won’t frighten the butterfly,’ I whispered.
    Dawn nodded, and then I continued.
    â€˜Now, what I need you to do is to shake each flower one by one, very gently.’
    Dawn smiled again.
    â€˜I think I can manage that,’ she whispered, and gently shook the first flower.
    We sat there for a while. It was peaceful, in a weird kind of way. Dawn shook each flower one by one, and when she had shaken them all, I had to pretend to be surprised that the non-existent