Read Online The Astonishing Return of Norah Wells by Virginia Macgregor - Free Book Online

and watches Mrs Moore empty a packet of browny red powder into a small bowl, add water and make a paste. When she stands close, Ella smells paper and tape and stamps and newsprint and the metal of coins on Mrs Moore’s hands. And another, sweet smell, the same smell as Sai.
    As Mrs Moore combs the paste into Ella’s hair, Ella closes her eyes and lets her mind float on the movement of the comb and the sound of the bracelets tinkling against each other on Mrs Moore’s wrists.
    â€˜I always dreamt of having a daughter,’ says Mrs Moore. ‘Of doing her hair.’
    I’ve always dreamt of having a mum, thinks Ella.
    She lets the world outside fall away: the thoughts of Mum coming back, of Dad ignoring her, of what Fay will do when she finds Mum in the house or how Ella’s going to protect Willa from the truth. Here, in this small kitchen above the post office, Ella can pretend that nothing else exists. That her life hasn’t just capsized.

Willa
    Willa sits on the bottom step of the entrance to Holdingwell Primary.
    Why’s Ella being so weird?
she asks Louis.
And why’s Mummy late?
    But he’s not answering. He must be busy sleeping or eating.
    A shiny beetle disappears into a crack in the concrete steps. Maybe there’s a mummy in there who’s prepared seeds and bits of grass for his tea and a soft nest for him to sleep in.
Snug as a bug in a rug,
that’s what Mummy says when she puts Willa to bed.
    Willa wishes that Ella were coming to pick her up. Having a sister at Holdingwell Academy makes up for being called Gingernut; even the older girls look at Ella like they wish they had her for a big sister.
    Willa gets up and walks over to Mr Mann.
    â€˜I don’t think anyone’s coming to get me,’ she says.
    Mr Mann looks at his watch. ‘Where’s Ella?’
    â€˜It’s Mummy’s turn. And she’s not here.’ Ella told Willa to act upset so Willa sniffs and makes her eyes go sad as she looks at the parents’ cars parked along the road.
    â€˜Well, why don’t I give her a call?’
    Mr Mann has the parents’ numbers stored in his mobile, in case of an emergency.
    Willa nods. ‘Thank you.’
    Then she goes to the gates because no one stands next to their form teacher at going home time, not unless they’re in pre-school.
    A man wearing a woolly rainbow jumper stands on the pavement holding a music case. A massive rucksack sits at his feet like he’s been camping. He gets out his trumpet and starts playing a tune that Willa recognises from Ella’s Louis Armstrong CDs. Something about being back home again in a place called Indiana. Mummy says not to give homeless people money, but the rainbow jumper man is really good and if playing’s like his job, he should get paid, shouldn’t he?
    Willa takes her Fantastic Mr Fox purse out of her schoolbag, fishes out a fifty-pence piece and drops it in the yellow cap at Rainbow Man’s feet. He nods and smiles at her with his eyes as he plays.
    Everyone should have a family and a house to live in, thinks Willa, including beetles and homeless people.
    â€˜Willa!’ Mr Mann booms from across the playground.
    Several of the kids turn round and look at her.
    She’s been told off for talking to strangers before, on school trips and stuff. Which she thinks is stupid. Strangers are interesting. Anyway, she’s not talking to him, she’s listening to his music.
    Mr Mann strides across the playground and waves at her to come over.
    â€˜Your mother isn’t answering her mobile,’ he says.
    His eyes go crinkly with worry. She wishes that Ella hadn’t made her lie to him.
    And Willa doesn’t want Mummy to get in trouble. She thinks about telling Mr Mann about Ella’s plan, about Mummy and No One Woman not knowing that they’re meant to be collecting her and about her having to call Mummy on her mobile once she’s waited a bit, but