Free Little Swan by Adèle Geras Page B

you can tell she loves pretty scarves and lace collars and long necklaces. She was walking out of someone’s drive and Weezer only just missed her.
    “Oh, Mrs Posnansky,” she cried. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
    Mrs Posnansky smiled. “You are hurricane. You are not girl.”
    “I’ve been to my first ballet class,” said Weezer. “I’m so excited. I feel like running and running. I don’t think I’ll ever sit down again.”
    “Aah!” sighed Mrs Posnansky. “The ballet! How beautiful is it! How I love! In Russia, of course—”

    Weezer interrupted her. “I’m sorry, Mrs Posnansky, I have to go now.”
    “Of course, of course,” said Mrs Posnansky. “Your mother waits to hear all about class. I tell you stories from Russia on other day.”
    She set off across the street. Her house was just opposite ours. At her door, she turned and waved. Weezer had already rushed into our house, but I waved back to Mrs Posnansky.
    Later I said to Weezer, “You should listen to Mrs Posnansky. She was born in Russia. Lots of famous dancers come from there. Maybe she knew one of them.”
    “I bet she didn’t,” said Weezer. “Anyway, I can’t listen to her. We hardly know her at all. We’ve never even been in her house.” She disappeared upstairs to do exercises in front of the mirror, and I thought about how much fun it would be to visit Mrs Posnansky. I like seeing how people decorate their homes, and Mrs Posnansky’s was sure to be full of interesting things to look at.
    Weezer had wanted to be a ballet dancer ever since she was four years old. That Christmas, Mum and Dad took us to see
The Nutcracker
. I had a book with the story in it, and I’d read itto Weezer over and over again. She knew it by heart. She was longing to see Clara, the little girl who is given a gift of a magic Nutcracker that turns into a prince. She couldn’t wait to see the snowflakes, the flowers, and the Sugar Plum Fairy.
    On the day of the performance, Weezer woke up at six o’clock and pulled me out of bed. She wanted to put on her party dress right away and said that I had to help her. Then she made me plait her hair.
    “We’re not going till tonight,” I said. I was cold and cross and sleepy.
    “Don’t care,” said Weezer, pushing out her bottom lip. “Want it now!” Weezer said that a lot when she was small: “Want it now!” Dad used to tease her about it all the time.
    Dad was living with us then. He doesn’t live here any more. He and Mum are divorced.
    “Annie,” he’d said to me, “you’re the grown-up one. Will you help me tell Weezer? Mum and I feel we’d be happier living apart, but we both still love you very, very much. And I’ll still see you. Even though I’m moving away, I’m still your Dad. I’ll always be your Dad. Do you understand that?”
    “Yes,” I said. “I understand.” I didn’t really,but I could see Dad was sad. I wanted him to look happier.
    “And will you help me tell Weezer?”
    “Yes,” I said. Telling Weezer wasn’t easy. At first, she pretended she didn’t know what we meant. When Dad left, she cried and cried.
    “Don’t cry,” I said, over and over again. “Dad loves us very much.”
    Weezer’s face turned red with fury. “No, he does not! He doesn’t love us enough. He’d stay here if he did.” I couldn’t think of anything to say to that.
    In the end, we all got used to it. We see Dad at weekends sometimes, and during the holidays. We talk to him on the phone a lot, but everything is different now that he’s gone.
    Dad was still living with us when we went to see
The Nutcracker
. After he left, Weezer talked about that evening all the time.
    “Curtains,” she’d say. “Remember the red curtains?”
    “Yes,” I’d answer.
    “Draw me the Sugar Plum Fairy,” she’d say. I did the best I could. Weezer started twirling about in front of the mirror. She pointed her toes. She walked about on tiptoe. She took our nutcracker out of the