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Home from home

  
  From a short story by Sarah Rookledge
         
1     My mother cornered    a kind of messy, glowing    are. I don't think the
 me one wet feeling, and when, at the council makes places for
 Saturday for the last possible moment, I families our size."
 conversation she'd been put my jacket on, I felt as if9     On the Campbells' last
 trying to have for weeks. If I was leaving home evening, they all lined up
 she'd been a second instead of going there. to say goodbye to me in
 slower down the stairs, I "And don't wait for an turn. When Ramona and
 would have been able to invitation, come back David walked me to the
 escape. I stood in my red soon," said Mrs Campbell. bus stop afterwards, I tried
 denim jacket with my hand I took her at her word. In to break away from them.
 on the latch of the open fact, it wasn't long before I "What's up, Lizzie?" said
 door, and the rain blew in only went to Mum and Ramona, like she really
 onto the mat. Dad's to sleep. didn't know. I told them
2     "Elizabeth!" she called.6     My mum and dad are they were both complete
 "It'd be nice if you could both anxious types. They hypocrites. "Why did you
 manage to spend just one ask me about myself, they ever pretend you liked
 day at home." Elizabeth go to parents' evenings, me?" I said. They looked
 meant trouble - no one they behave like I'm a puzzled. "If I'm really, well,
 calls me Elizabeth. "I'm demanding job they're you know, like part of your
 glad you've got a good determined to do their family, like you always
 friend like Ramona, but best at. But Mr and Mrs said, how can you just go
 why can't she come here Campbell couldn't be like and not even care?" "Of
 for a change?" that if they wanted to. course we like you, Lizzie,"
3     I loved it at the7     Ramona loved to draw. said David. "It's just that
 Campbells'. From the first "Where's this house with we always know we're
 time I went there, I was the balcony?" I said, going to leave." Meaning, I
 hooked, though I'd only looking at a picture in her suppose, they never let
 accepted Ramona's invita- sketchbook. She peered at themselves get too fond of
 tion out of nosiness. She it. “Oh, that was in Dorset. anyone.
 was new in our school, near the last place we10     Well, the Campbells
 and seemed, well, lived at." "I bet you hated have been gone for ages
 different from the rest of changing schools," I said. now. Yesterday, when I got
 us. "It must feel so strange." home, there was a letter
4     Ramona's older brother, She laughed and shook her from Ramona. She said
 David, let me into the head. "Not really, I've done her mum had had another
 house on that first visit. He it eleven times." Ramona baby, a little girl. They'd
 nodded at the open door of said that her parents loved called her Lizzie after me.
 the front room, “She's in to move. "Come and see her," said
 there.” They all were, all the8     The next Monday the letter. “We're in
 other Campbell children. I morning, Ramona slid into Brighton now. It isn't far
 stood with him and looked her half of my double desk on the train.” Squashed up
 round a room of faces, all a second before classes at the bottom. Ramona
 with the same short pale started. "It's chaos at had put a PS. “I've never
 lashes and wide-mouthed home," she complained. kept in touch with anyone
 smiles. I silently counted. "We're off again. Cam- before. Please write back."
 There really were eight of bridge this time. Mum I jumped down the last
 them. says the house'll be step of the stairs with a
5     I don't remember much bigger, but she always little skip, and had tea with
 of the evening, except for says that and they never Mum in the kitchen.
   
       'Just Seventeen', June 28, 1995