Free Worry Warts by Morris Gleitzman

microwave.
    â€˜That’s Mick,’ said Keith. ‘I painted his mate Col’s truck.’
    Mum and Dad looked pained.
    Tracy leaned over to Keith and whispered, ‘The store looks great.’
    He gave her a grateful grin.
    But something was wrong.
    Why did she look so anxious?
    â€˜Have you found any opals yet?’ asked Tracy.
    Keith decided everyone had had enough time to recover from the trip.
    â€˜That opal mine I mentioned before,’ he said, ‘it’s ours for a whole day. We can dig up as many opals as we like and keep them.’
    He waited for Mum and Dad to be overjoyed.
    Mum and Dad exchanged a glance.
    Mum put a hand on Dad’s arm.
    Silly me, thought Keith. Of course. They’ve had the whole trip down here to get used to the fact that we’re going to be fabulously wealthy and immensely happy.
    Keith saw them swap another glance.
    Look at the difference it’s made to them, he thought.
    Gazing into each other’s eyes.
    Touching each other.
    â€˜Keith,’ said Dad, ‘we’re all going back to Orchid Cove first thing in the morning. You as well.’
    Keith was sure he hadn’t heard that right.
    Maybe someone had just exploded some gelignite out on the diggings and the shock waves had distorted Dad’s words.
    Dad said it again.
    Keith stared at him in disbelief.
    Squinting at the road across a Tropical Parrot car bonnet for two days must have left Dad with temporary brain damage.
    â€˜Don’t you understand,’ Keith said to him, ‘we’ve got our own opal mine. For a whole day. We’ll never have money problems again. No more migraines or tummy upsets or arguments.’
    Keith turned to Mum.
    She’d understand.
    â€˜Keith,’ she said, ‘let’s all go for a little walk and get some fresh air.’
    Good idea, thought Keith. Fresh air’ll help certain people’s brains work properly.
    They all stood up.
    â€˜Tracy,’ said Mum, ‘would you mind doing the washing up while we have a little chat with Keith?’
    Keith was about to protest. How dare they treat Tracy, the person who’d helped them get to the brink of wealth and happiness, like a servant?
    But before he could say anything Tracy had said, ‘Sure, no problem,’ glancing anxiously at Mum and Dad.
    Right, thought Keith angrily, wait till I get you two outside.
    Outside it was dark.
    They walked to the edge of the caravan park and stood staring at the mullock heaps, which were glowing faintly in the moonlight and looked to Keith like coconut macaroons.
    Concentrate, Keith said to himself.
    He knew it was very important to choose the right words, the words that would persuade Mum and Dad to stay for just one day so they could find the opals that would make them all happy for the rest of their lives.
    But it was hard with Mum on one side and Dad on the other and both of them with an arm round his shoulders.
    He didn’t want to think, he just wanted to enjoy.
    He decided to use telepathy and sent a double-strength message to both of them.
    Change your minds.
    â€˜Keith,’ said Dad softly, ‘I wasn’t being honest with you before.’
    It’s working, thought Keith joyfully.
    â€˜I wasn’t either,’ said Mum, ‘we both weren’t.’
    â€˜That’s OK,’ said Keith, ‘I understand.’
    â€˜Keith,’ said Mum, and there was a little sob in her voice which made Keith realise with a stab of fear that he didn’t understand at all.
    â€˜Love,’ she went on, ‘Dad and I have decided to split up.’
    â€˜Not just in the shop,’ said Dad, the sob in his voice too. ‘For good.’
    â€˜But we want you to know,’ said Mum, ‘that we both love you as much now as we always have.’
    â€˜And we always will,’ said Dad.
    Keith knew what he should be saying.
    That it would only take a day.
    Half a day.
    A couple of hours.
    And that once