Read Online Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars by Martine Murray - Free Book Online Page A

kindness,
Molly had never paid much attention.
    Before Miss Todd could inquire further about her mama’s health, and before Molly
would have to entangle herself further in her small dance with the quiet untruth,
Molly asked who they were making get-well cards for.
    ‘Why, for Ellen Palmer! She’s gravely ill. Would you like to make a card too?’
    Molly gazed around the class to make sure this was true. Ellen was not there.
    Miss Todd’s words ‘gravely ill’ boomed in Molly’s head. What did they mean? Was Ellen,
her best friend, lying on her bed with her eyes closed, deathly pale? Molly took
a piece of coloured card and headed for a desk. And why had life suddenly steered
so far off course? First her own mama and now Ellen, her best friend.
    ‘Why is your hair so messy? Looks like a bird’s nest,’ said Ester Morhigg. ‘Look
at my card; I drew a horse. Ellen likes horses.’ She shoved her card in front of
Molly’s face. The horse was running across a field of green.
    ‘I didn’t know Ellen liked horses that much,’ Molly said softly. Perhaps she didn’t
know Ellen as well as she thought. Perhaps Ester Morhigg knew her better. Ellen was
gravely ill and Molly didn’t even know. Her heart wobbled with an unfamiliar weight.
    Molly stared at her blank card. She picked up her scissors. Her hand shook. A large
tear rolled down her nose and dropped onto Ester’s horse card. Miss Todd let out
a gasp and flew to Molly’s side. Molly stared in horror at the damp blob on the card.
It was as if she had leaked. She wiped her eye and bit at her lip, determined no
more would escape. She had promised herself never to cry, and she wasn’t going to
give in now.
    ‘Molly. What’s the matter? Is it your mum?’ Miss Todd patted her back.
    Molly nodded, and then she shook her head, and then she felt so confused she had
to close her eyes and hold her breath and make everything stop. Then she stared at
Miss Todd’s big wide eyes and took a deep breath. ‘I’m all right. I’m just tired,
and I haven’t got any lunch, and I’m worried for Ellen.’
    All these things were true, but perhaps the truest of all of this was that she was
worried for her mama, and this was the one thing she couldn’t say.
    Miss Todd nodded. ‘You poor lamb. Come on. I’m going to take you to the tuckshop
right now. Is your mother still in bed?’
    Molly wished her mama was in bed. She just nodded, happy to be glided out of the
classroom and to land in the tuckshop where she ordered a sausage roll with sauce.
After that, Molly felt she could face the rest of the day at school. But as soon
as the bell rang, she ran all the way to the bridge where she found Pim waiting for
her, just as they had arranged. He was leaning over the rails, staring into the creek.
    ‘I’m not coming home right away,’ Molly said dramatically. ‘Ellen Palmer is gravely
ill, so I have to go and visit her.’
    ‘Ellen Palmer? Gravely ill? Who said that?’ Pim scoffed, as he tossed his bag on
his shoulder.
    ‘Miss Todd.’
    ‘Miss Todd? But Miss Todd exaggerates everything. She thinks you’re potentially
dying if you cough.’ Pim threw a stone in the creek. It landed with an undramatic
plop.
    ‘Even so, I have to go. Ellen is my best friend. Will you come to my house later?’
Molly still wanted Pim to help. She needed him. She had even felt happy to see him
leaning there lazily on the bridge with his hands dangling and his long legs crossed.
    Pim shrugged and nodded.
    ‘Okay. I’ll see you in an hour.’ He turned to go and then he stopped. ‘If Ellen’s
your best friend, why didn’t you tell her about your mum turning into a tree?’
    Molly gaped. Pim wasn’t afraid to say anything, even if it wasn’t his business. How
would he ever understand all the reasons she couldn’t tell Ellen? He didn’t understand
Ellen like she did.
    Molly frowned and lifted her nose proudly. ‘Ellen’s quite sensitive. It would upset
her. I didn’t want her to worry