“Mag-gie! Mag-gie! Mag-gie!” they chanted. “Mag-gie! Mag-gie! Mag-gie!”

WEDNESDAY
10 SEPTEMBER

CHAPTER 35

Mum. Tucked up tight in Lindi’s bed till she got better. Or till Dad found us somewhere new to live.

She’d been bathed and mended. Cleaned and kissed. Plumped and fluffed and wrapped up warm in lacy, frilly Chowdhry bedclothes. She hardly even looked like Mum any more. I closed my eyes and buried my face into her. She still smelled of the muddy fields of Fennis Wick, though. You couldn’t wash that off. It was dug into her skin.

She had one arm stuck out from under the cover and was holding on to Jed’s hand, tight as you like. He was munching on his millionth piece of goldie pie. S’all I really needed, he’d said. That and a glass of raspberryade. He had a black eye, just as purple as Lindi’s had been a week ago.

“Well.” Doctor Sunita put her visiting bag on the end of the bed and buttoned it up. “She’ll need to be well cared for over the next couple of weeks, but this is one patient I’m not worried about – she’s clearly in excellent hands.”

Trig pushed me out of the way. “She’s got to have space to breathe, Maggie. Doctor Sunita said so, didn’t you, Doctor Sunita? S’important.” He pulled Mum’s covers straight. “D’you need some more water, Mum? I can hold it up for you. You’re only allowed sips, though. Doctor Sunita said so. And Dad said it too. Didn’t you, Dad?”

“That’s right.” Dad nodded. “Got to listen to Trig. He’s planning on being a nurse like his old dad when he leaves school, and a great job he’ll make of it too.”

Mum groaned. “Maggie, Jed – you can’t leave me here with these two. They’ll nurse me to death.” Her voice croaked and gravelled. “Can’t even glug down a glass of water without someone telling me off.” She threw me a wink.

“Got to let your lungs recover,” said Trig.

“Absolutely,” said Doctor Sunita.

Excellent hands. The doctor was right. No need to worry about Mum. Dad and Trig’d be on her like hawks. And Mrs Chowdhry too.

She’ll get better soon as you like.

She’ll have to, or they’ll drive her la-la.

“We’re all set.” Mr Chowdhry leaned in through the doorway. “You ready, Maggie? Jed?”

“I’m still not sure this is a good idea.” Dad squeezed my shoulders. “Jed could hardly walk yesterday and—”

“We have to go, Dad,” I said. “Soon as we can. All those eldests are still locked in.”

“My little Maggie.” He pulled me close, hugged me tight.

“Don’t worry, Dad,” I said. “We’ve got loads of help. Una’s coming, and Mr Opal, and some others too. We’re not on our own.”