Read Online Louis Beside Himself by Anna Fienberg - Free Book Online Page B

originally?’
    â€˜Afghanistan.’
    â€˜It’s a landlocked country,’ I said, ‘with deserts and mountains. And some goats,’ I finished lamely.
    â€˜Well, I suppose there are bad guys there too, hey?’ She gave that lopsided smile again. Or crooked, perhaps.
    Hassan nodded. ‘And many good, also. Like my uncle. He came to find me when there were the bombs, and helped many of us to escape.’
    Cordelia shook her head. ‘Jimmy – this guy I was escaping from – he was living with us. My mother’s boyfriend .’ She snorted again, as if in disbelief. ‘It’s amazing how mothers can live for so many years and still not learn anything about people.’
    The mention of mothers must have reminded Singo about his because he said, ‘If you’re living on the streets, how do you wash?’
    We all stared at him.
    â€˜I mean, there’s a lot of, like, germs out there . . .’
    Cordelia nodded. ‘Yeah, it’s only been a few days for me, and I’ve been using the toilets and wash basins at the library. I’ve still got a card there, luckily, so I can take books out as well. Helps pass the time – boredom is a problem too, you wouldn’t think so, but . . .’ She trailed off, gazing at the table. ‘Boredom and hunger. Did you know that silverback gorillas in West Africa have to spend twenty out of twenty-four hours a day finding food just to survive? I read that yesterday in Into the Wild – glad I’m not a gorilla . . . Is anyone gunna finish those samosas?’
    I jumped up. ‘Oh yes, I mean no, of course, you must be so hungry, eat anything you want, the chicken and rice is especially— ’
    â€˜And if you want to . . . to, like, wash your hands before eating, the bathroom is just up the hallway,’ added Singo.
    Cordelia grinned. ‘Okay, thanks.’ She hopped up, but staggered a moment, wrapping her bad foot around her other leg.
    â€˜What happened to your foot?’ asked Singo.
    Cordelia glanced at me, then shrugged. ‘It’ll be all right,’ she said, and she limped away up the hall.
    Quickly, I went to find her a plate and a glass of juice and some cutlery. I kept my back to my friends, hoping they wouldn’t ask for more explanations. I just couldn’t face it.
    She returned with lightning speed. I watched Singo trying to calculate just how thorough her hand-washing had been. In Grade 5 his mother told us that you should be able to sing the whole of ‘Happy Birthday’ during the soaping process.
    I piled Cordelia’s plate with rice and chicken and spinach in caramelised onion and baked tomatoes in their skins, and we sat around the table watching her eat. It was very satisfying.
    â€˜Delicious, mmm ,’ she murmured, her mouth full. ‘Incredible.’
    â€˜And exquisite, too, don’t you think?’ I suggested.
    She nodded. ‘Boy, did I come to the right house.’ She put down her fork a moment, looking sheepish. ‘Look, I never would have normally barged in like this. I mean, I’m not a thief or anything.’ She took another forkful. ‘It’s just that I was incredibly hungry. This is SO yummy. Do you eat like this every night?’
    Hassan smiled. ‘Often – my uncle is a chef. We are very lucky.’
    â€˜You sure are.’ She ate until her plate was clean, then sat back, sighing. ‘I wish my mother would take up with a chef – now that would be good. But see, she never seems to choose the good ones. You know, reliable, trustworthy, caring kind of men. Who can cook. Nah, just the useless ones – or worse. Crooks instead of cooks.’
    â€˜So this guy you were running from, he was a . . . a crook?’ Singo cracked his knuckles nervously.
    â€˜Jimmy? Yeah, I think so. See, he’s only been living with us for a month, so I don’t really know much about him. He was never out