Read Online Trouble in Nirvana by Elisabeth Rose - Free Book Online Page A

her throat. She groped helplessly for words to apologise to this man she barely knew and who had done nothing but treat her with friendly helpfulness. More so than the people she was living with. More than the brother she was protecting with such vehemence. A brother she hadn’t ever been close to and hadn’t seen for six years. A brother with secrets.
    “Who are you?” The piping, belligerent voice came from the doorway. Hot- faced and humiliated under the weight of Tom’s disgust Primrose twisted round to see a plump little ginger-haired boy staring at them. Mojo. By the look on his freckled face she’d just gained another disapproving acquaintance.
    “I’m Primrose, Danny’s sister, and this is Tom from next door.” She couldn’t bring herself to face Tom, couldn’t bear to see his disdain.
    “I know. Hello, Tom.”
    From the corner of her vision Tom lifted a hand in greeting. “G’day, Mojo.”
    Mojo ventured into the kitchen, eyeing her with suspicion. “Is there any breakfast?”
    Primrose’s brain grappled with the change of gear, grabbing for an intelligent answer. “Does your Mum make it for you?”
    “Anyone does. Mum or Nirupam. You can boil my egg. You’re here.”
    Primrose glanced at Tom. He’d started moving toward the door but stopped to listen to the exchange with the hint of a familiar smirk on his otherwise stern face.
    “There aren’t any eggs,” she said. “They haven’t been collected yet.”
    “If I’m not here Nirupam does it.” Mojo frowned. “Mum said she needs rest now so you should have.”
    “But you are here and I’ve been painting. Why don’t you collect the eggs? Isn’t it your job?” She accompanied the suggestion with what she hoped was a friendly smile although the muscles barely worked.
    “I slept in. I’ll have toast.”
    “Can you work the toaster yourself?”
    He glared at her but deigned to admit he could by nodding. “Have you lived on a commune before?”
    “No. Have you?”
    “Lots. I was born on one in Mullumbimby. Mum says all the adults are my parents and my teachers.” He raided the bread bin and emerged with two slices of bread. Fern couldn’t have studied Kurt very closely.
    “Don’t you go to school?”
    “No. I can learn much more from my parents and their friends. What can you teach me?”
    Manners sprang to mind.
    “Primrose plays the flute,” interjected Tom. She flicked him a furious glance, but he was smiling at Mojo.
    “You could teach me music.” The plump face regarded her with satisfaction.
    “Sorry. I’m not a teacher.” Primrose stood up abruptly and headed for the doorway where Tom stood. If she ever had the great good fortune to have a child it wouldn’t behave like this.
    Mojo stuffed two slices into the toaster. “You won’t like it here.”
    “Exactly what I think.” Tom spoke up again. “She’s not cut out to live in the country.” Delivered with a large dollop of scorn. “See you later.”
    Mojo smiled at him, revealing missing front teeth and becoming quite sweetly childish for an instant instead of the little monster he’d resembled until that moment. “Bye, Tom.”
    Seething, Primrose led the way through the house to the front door. “Thanks a lot.”
    “What’s your problem?” Tom said behind her.
    His question seemed to encompass everything, her whole attitude, not just the exchange with Mojo. She pushed the screen door open and stepped onto the verandah. Heat radiated up from the bare, dry earth outside the thin line of shade provided by the overhang.
    “I didn’t come here to teach music.” She brushed away a fly with a furious swipe. “There’s no excuse for doing to your kid what they’re doing. Farming him off on everyone else to educate. Is it legal?” It came out sounding too vicious. “Alienating him from society as well as preventing his education. Can he read and add up?”
    “Don’t know.”
    “I’d never do that to a child of my own. He wouldn’t have any