Free Alarm Girl by Hannah Vincent Page B

dig and said Don’t get involved. The whole journey I kept thinking about Zami’s mother’s dying wish. I was thinking what your dying wish was. Robin doesn’t look after me. He doesn’t do anything with me except be mean. When I asked for my scarf back he threw it at me and said Have your stupid baby scarf.
    I was trying to remember what were the last words I heard that came out of your mouth. I think it was Night-night.
    When we arrived back at the village near Dad’s all the little children were holding our hands and laughing. They ran away when we got to our gate. Zami stayed behind to talk to Lindisizwe and Dad came storming out of the house looking really angry and wearing smart trousers. He shouted because he had been looking all over for us and he didn’t know where we were. I told him we went into the village and he said we were only allowed out of the gate with him. It felt like we were his prisoners. I said Why are you wearing that outfit and he said I haven’t finished with you, young lady, but it will have to wait because there’s a surprise for both of you indoors.
    Whenever anyone says that, I think the surprise is going to be you. We went indoors and there, sitting on the sofas, were Nan and Grandad. It wasn’t you. Robin said What the –? and his face was like in a cartoon when the character looks and then looks again and their eyes go ginormous because they can’t hardly believe what they are seeing. Dad said Now we can all be togetheras a family for Christmas. It was Christmas in three days’ time but it didn’t feel like it and Nan and Grandad didn’t feel like Nan and Grandad because they looked different in Africa. Grandad was all shy and Nan’s hair was all big and standing up where she’d back-combed it like she does when she wants to give it body. It was weird them being there – as if it wasn’t really and truly them. Dad tried to put his arm round me but I didn’t let him. He said Sorry I got so angry, Indy, but you have to understand there are different rules here. Neither of you had your phones with you and I didn’t know where you were.
    Nan said she couldn’t believe the place Dad had and wasn’t the garden lovely. She was wearing a yellow T-shirt I had never seen before. It had a big white bird on it and the sleeves had white beads hanging off. You never get to see her arms normally, but in the summer you do and they’re all freckly. It was summer here even though it was Christmas. That’s a colourful top you’re wearing, Nan, I said, and she said to Dad She doesn’t miss a thing which is what she always says about me. How about that dress of yours, that’s new, she said, and she noticed Robin’s new T-shirt too but she didn’t say anything about my shoes so I knew we would have an argument about wearing them to school. She bought her bird T-shirt at the airport when they were waiting for a lift. Dad said Sorry about the wait and Robin said Africa Time and everyone laughed. Nan said Don’t I get a kiss then and me and Robin had to kiss her andGrandad. Then we all went and sat on the big sofas. Dad said Both of them are doing so well, meaning us, and Grandad said we were lovely kids. I know that, Dad said, but you’re doing a good job is all I’m saying and I want to thank you. No need, said Grandad, and he wouldn’t look at Dad. They were all talking as if they didn’t know each other and none of us were looking at each other. I was looking at my shoes which were all dusty from the village and I couldn’t wait to clean them. Dad was talking about all the things we were going to do while Nan and Grandad were here, like safari and posh restaurants. We were going to an island with a prison on it the next day. Nan said it was very generous of Dad to pay for their holiday and he said they were welcome any time and it wouldn’t cost a penny.
    There is a narrow white line running around his neck, where his necklace goes. If you lift up his necklace you can see what