Read Online Moon Pie by Simon Mason - Free Book Online

Grandma and Grandpa?’
    He didn’t say anything to that, but muttered to himself, and suddenly she felt so sorry for him that although she was nervous and confused she went forward and hugged him.
    ‘I’m sorry they upset you.’
    At last she felt him relax.
    ‘We had an argument,’ he said gruffly.
    ‘I know. I heard a bit of it.’
    He stiffened again. ‘Did you hear what they said? About me not looking after you properly?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘I hate them dragging you into it. They’ve never liked me. They never thought I was good enough for her.’
    He began to talk fast and his voice was oddly stretchy.
    ‘Don’t, Dad,’ she said, stroking his hair, ‘Please, don’t,’ but he went on talking, so fast and stretchy that sometimes he got his words muddled up and it was hard to understand him.
    ‘They blamed me,’ he said suddenly, ‘when she died.’
    There was a moment’s silence, then he was talking again. ‘Dragging you into it,’ he said. ‘Upsetting you. They’ve no right. They’re getting old,’ he said. ‘They get these strange ideas into their heads.’
    Eventually he fell silent.
    ‘I still don’t understand,’ Martha said.
    Dad ignored her. He gave her a funny look. ‘Did you hear anything else they said?’
    ‘No.’ She hesitated. ‘Except.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Something else I don’t understand. What are the Social Services?’
    His face hardened. ‘Social Services are a part of welfare,’ he said. ‘If they think children are beingneglected or endangered, they take them away from their parents to live elsewhere.’
    Now Martha stopped stroking, and caught her breath. ‘Are the Social Services going to come and take us away?’
    ‘No, Martha.’
    ‘But might they?’
    ‘No. Grandma only mentioned them to scare me. You mustn’t worry.’
    She had a picture of someone putting her in a car and driving her away, and taking her to a place full of strangers, and she felt her heart beating fast.
    ‘What about Tug? Will someone take Tug too?’
    Dad got to his feet – nearly falling sideways in the cramped and darkened shed – and took hold of her.
    ‘What will happen to Tug?’ she cried.
    Then he was comforting her. ‘Hush,’ he said. ‘Hush. I love you. I love the little Tug. No one’s going to take either of you away from me. No one. I won’t let them.’ He rocked her. ‘I love you,’ he said. ‘Remember? I love you more than dads love Marthas.’
    They stood together for some time, and at last she calmed down.
    He cleared his throat. ‘Martha?’
    He sounded nervous again.
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘Was that all you heard Grandma and Grandpa say?’
    She hesitated. There
was
something else. But she said, ‘Yes, that was all,’ and he let out a sigh.
    Then, stepping back from her, he stared at her in amazement.
    ‘You’re not wearing anything but your pyjamas!’
    She began to explain.
    ‘Quick, get back to bed. You’ll catch cold.’
    ‘Are you coming too?’
    ‘In a minute. I’ll just tidy this mess up.’
    In the doorway of the shed she turned back. ‘Dad?’
    ‘What?’
    She couldn’t think exactly how to say it, and she frowned.
    ‘What?’ Dad said again.
    ‘Are we going to be all right?’
    A strange look passed across his face.
    ‘Of course we are. We’re going to be better than all right.’
    ‘Are we really?’
    He put on a funny voice. ‘Sweetheart, we’re going to be tremendous!’
    She looked doubtfully at him standing there in hisold T-shirt, ripped at the neck, and dusty jeans, with his hair sticking up and his wet chin, and his dirty hands hanging heavily at his sides.
    ‘I’ll help,’ she said.
    He touched her face. ‘I know you will. You’re a good girl. Go to bed now. Things will be better in the morning. Things are always better in the morning.’
    In the garden the darkness didn’t seem so dark any more. She was used to it. Halfway across the shaggy grass she paused to gaze up at the stars flickering faintly through a veil of