Free Philippa Fisher and the Dream-Maker's Daughter by Liz Kessler Page B

someone close to you goes out of your life.”
    I told her about Charlotte, about how we’d been friends since nursery school, and how I’d been convinced that we’d be best friends for ever, and how it felt as though someone were chopping off a limb when she moved away.
    “But the last time I saw her, it was like we were in different worlds — like we’d never even been best friends in the first place.”
    Robyn nodded. “It sounds horrible.”
    “It was.”
    “You said you’d lost two best friends. What happened to the other one?”
    I thought about Daisy. I’d only just met Robyn, and even though I felt as if I could talk to her about anything, telling her I’d become best friends with a fairy who’d granted me three wishes was probably pushing it!
    “Oh, that was just someone who lived nearby for a while,” I lied, trying to sound casual. “She wasn’t really my best friend. She didn’t stay around long enough.”
    “But you wish she had?” Robyn asked.
    “Yeah,” I said. “I do.”
    I really wanted to talk about Daisy. I had the feeling Robyn would believe me and understand — or maybe it was just a hope. Either way, I didn’t want to lose my new friend the moment I’d met her by confessing I was about to turn twelve and still believed in fairies! Well, I didn’t just believe in them; I
knew
they were real. But that’s not the kind of thing most girls my age would go along with, and even though I didn’t think Robyn would laugh at me like Charlotte had done, I couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t worth the risk.
    I decided to change the subject. There was something else I’d been wondering about.
    “So how long have you known Annie?” I asked. “You seem really close.”
    Robyn kicked her way through a huge pile of leaves. “I’ve known her all my life. She used to be Mom’s best friend.”
    “Your dad doesn’t seem to like her very much.”
    “That’s the understatement of the year!” Robyn said with a dry laugh. “Something happened after Mom died. I’ve never really understood what. One day we were all friends. The next, they had a huge argument and I was almost banned from having anything to do with her.”
    “That sounds awful.”
    “It
was
awful. Annie’s like an aunt to me. She’s always been there. Dad says she’s not what she seems.”
    “What does he mean?”
    “I don’t know. He won’t tell me. Just tells me to keep away from her. So I have to be careful about it when I see her. I know how angry Dad gets about it, and I hate making him angry. He’s had enough to deal with in the last year.”
    “You sound like me,” I said.
    “How do you mean?”
    “Oh, I don’t know. Like you’re so busy trying to keep everyone else happy that you can forget about yourself sometimes.”
    “I guess so.”
    “Wow, look at this!” Mom and Dad had stopped in front of a huge gong hanging between two trees. Drumsticks made from branches were propped up in front of it.
    “This is great,” Robyn said. “You have to hit the gong, then turn and stand with your back to it for the best effect.” She handed me one of the drumsticks. “Try it.”
    I hit the gong and turned around. I was looking out across the rows and rows of trees. The sound echoed and vibrated through the trees. It felt like a heartbeat, coming through me and snaking around the whole forest.
    “That’s completely amazing!” I said when the vibrations had finally subsided.
    “Good, isn’t it?”
    We walked on ahead, standing to the side as Mom and Dad each took a turn at the gong.
    “Do you think your dad and Annie will ever be friends again?” I asked, stopping next to a tree while we waited.
    Robyn leaned back against the tree beside mine and pulled on a piece of loose bark. “I don’t know. He won’t even tell me what it’s about. I’ve asked him lots of times, but even mentioning her name gets him angry, so I’ve given up. I can’t imagine what she’s done. All she ever did was be a friend to