that there was no leg there That was how Mary felt She felt Ava walking beside her She knew she wasn’t but she looked anyway and that made it worse Mary knew Ava was somewhere else in Dublin only seven kilometers away But if she’d been acting in a film or a play and she was told she had to cry she’d have thought of Ava and crying would have been easy Feeling angry and looking angry would have been easy too Mary couldn’t understand why people moved house It was stupid And she couldn’t understand why parents Ava’s parents said no when two friends Mary and Ava asked if it was okay if one of them Ava didn’t move but instead lived with the other friend Mary You won’t have to feed her if she lives with us Mary had told Ava’s mother the day before they’d moved It’ll like save you a fortune No Especially with the recession and that No Why not Ava asked Because you’re our daughter and we love you Then do the noble thing and let her stay said Mary If you like really really love her It’s not funny 5
I know said Ava’s mother It’s just so sweet Which was exactly the sort of stupid thing that adults said They saw two best friends clinging to each other wanting to die rather than be separated and they said it was sweet I suppose you think war and starvation are sweet too like do you said Mary You’re being a little bit rude Mary said Ava’s mother Whatever said Mary She stood at Ava’s front door Then she tried to slam it But she couldn’t There was a thick rug in the hall and it seemed to grab the bottom of the door So she’d shouted it instead Slam And she’d stormed off to her own house where the slamming was easier That’s a wet one Someone had just spoken to Mary But she couldn’t see anyone She was alone on the street just outside her house Then she saw the woman She must have been behind one of the trees Mary thought The woman was old But actually she wasn’t Mary 6
knew what it was why the woman seemed old She was old fashioned She was wearing a dress that looked like it came from an old film one of those films her mother always cried at She looked like a woman who milked cows and threw hay with a pitchfork She was even wearing big boots with fat laces A bird above them must have flown away quickly because the leaves shook and dropped loads of water on to their heads Mary laughed she felt the raindrops this time but the woman didn’t seem to notice Nothing about her was wet But It’s a wet one all right she said Did you get loads of homework did you The usual said Mary What’s the usual when it’s at home Mary laughed again The woman sounded like her grandmother But then that made her sad and angry again She was going to cry she thought she was What’s wrong with you said the woman My granny’s not well said Mary Sure I know said the woman Well why did you ask then said Mary God you’re a rip all right 7
What does that mean You’re a cheeky young lady said the woman Everyone says that said Mary That I’m cheeky But I’m not I’m just honest Good girl yourself Mary looked at the woman again She wasn’t old at all She looked younger than Mary’s mother although it was hard to tell with adults what age they were Mary was sure she’d never seen this woman before Never talk to strangers she’d always been told But that’s stupid she’d said a few years ago Why is it stupid her mother asked Did you know Dad when you met him said Mary No So he was a stranger But And you spoke to him said Mary So if like nobody spoke to strangers nobody would meet and get married and the human race would like cease to exist But your dad wasn’t a stranger Yes he was He must have been He wasn’t strange said her mother He was nice 8
