When You Wish upon a Rat (13 page)

In fact, everything was clean and neat and perfect, and there was no rubbish anywhere. Not one thing was out of place. The house itself had been painted a nice bright white with deep red trim. The big backyard was as neat as a pin, surrounded on all sides by a very high, green, perfectly clipped hedge. The old fruit trees down near the back fence had gone. There were two long, perfectly manicured flower beds with a little path lined with rosebushes in the middle. It led down to the back gate.
The huge shed full to bursting with all her father's bizarre inventions and her mother's pottery studio had disappeared. In its place was a cute gazebo with towels and rubber pool toys hanging neatly on hooks.

Ruth's heart rate quickened with excitement and pleasure. Everything was so neat and ordered … it was all too much. Almost.

“Ruthie!” A voice sounding just like her mother's, only softer and sweeter, came to her gently on the breeze.

Ruth peered around but couldn't see anyone. She walked around the pool, hoping like crazy it wasn't all going to fade away any minute. What if it was just a dream? How disappointed she would be if she woke up suddenly and she was back in her normal house! But the bricks beneath her feet were as hard as any bricks, and when she reached out to touch a rosebush, the leaves were shiny and thick. She bent to smell one of the blooms and smiled with delight, because the smell was heavy and strong. One of the thorns on the stem gave her finger a tiny prick, and when Ruth brought it up to her mouth, her blood tasted exactly the same too. She knew then that it wasn't all going to disappear.

“Mum?” she called tentatively.

“Over here, sweetie!”

A strange woman was coming around the side of the house with a watering can. The woman smiled and Ruth saw that it
was her mother but that she …
looked totally different.
This mother was wearing makeup and high-heeled sandals, and her long gray hair had been cut off and colored with blond streaks. She was dressed in bright green three-quarter pants and a striped T-shirt, and she'd lost a lot of weight.

“Nice little snooze?” her new mother called brightly. “I'm going to fix lunch soon.”

Ruth nodded and smiled back shyly. Something else was different about her mother. It wasn't just the new clothes and makeup, but Ruth couldn't work out what it was. Not that it really mattered too much, because this woman looked so wonderful compared to her old mother.

“Why don't I fix your hair so you can have a swim before lunch?” The new mother was walking over with a big smile plastered over her face. She reached Ruth and turned her around by the shoulders.

“My gorgeous girl,” she murmured. “Such lovely hair.”

Ruth tried not to feel awkward as her mother ran her fingers through her hair, eventually pulling it back into a ponytail, but … it
did
feel a bit weird. In fact, it took all of Ruth's willpower not to cringe when she felt sweet-smelling, warm breath on her neck.
Was this really her mother?

Back in her old life, Ruth's mother hadn't done her hair in years, and she never called her
gorgeous girl.
Still … it might be something she could get used to!

“Think I'll have a swim now,” she stammered, pulling away.

“That's a good idea.” Mrs. Craze pulled Ruth back briefly and kissed her on the nose. “Then we can have lunch, okay, sweetie?”

“Okay.”

“Enjoy!” Her new mother laughed gaily.

Ruth dived straight into the pool and plowed up and down for a while. It was quite a big pool and it took a bit of time to get from one end to the other. She swam a few laps and then began to swim around in circles. She knew she probably looked like a demented shark, but she really needed to release some energy and
take it all in.

“How is it?”

Ruth looked over, alarmed to see that her mother was standing on the edge watching her swim, still with that same big, wide smile all over her face. When she caught Ruth's eye, she gave a fluttery wave with one hand—the long, bright nails flickered like lollipops in the sunshine. Back in her old life, her mother's hands were brown and worn and the nails were bitten right down.

“You need lessons, sweetie. Your style is all off.”

“I know.” Ruth turned onto her back self-consciously and floated with arms out wide, looking up at the blue sky for as long as she could. When she risked another glance, she saw with relief that her mother had moved inside. Through the large glass
window she could see her moving around in the kitchen. Ruth was hungry, but she continued to tread water, trying to calm down and get used to the big change.

Eventually, she got tired and rested with her arms up on the side of the pool. She looked around the garden again, feeling insanely pleased.
Good old Rodney!
She smiled as she remembered the rat's instructions to find the red door first. As if she'd want to leave paradise! But maybe she should look around, just to be on the safe side.

There was a gate right at the end of the ordered garden. Would that be it? But no, it had to be red. Never mind. He said it would be easy to find, and anyway, in a couple of hours this whole new setup would seem normal and going back to that dreary old life would be the last thing on her mind. How lucky that she had found Rodney! Here she was in her very own pool on a hot summer day. Her mum was inside getting lunch, and she had on the new swimsuit she had wanted. What more could she ask for?

She got out of the pool and just as she was thinking that she would sit down on one of the recliner chairs nearby to dry off, her mother came flying out of the back door with two huge fluffy towels.

“Shower first, sweetie?” she said anxiously, pointing to an outdoor shower at one side of the gazebo.

“Okay.” Ruth followed her over to the shower.

“Got to get that chlorine out of your hair.” Mrs. Craze pulled Ruth under the nozzle and turned on the tap. “Temperature okay?”

“Yep. I can do it myself, though.”

But her new mother insisted on rubbing in the shampoo and conditioner and making sure it was all rinsed out properly.

Ruth closed her eyes and tried not to mind the fussing. At last it was over, and she stepped out into the sunshine.

Her mother was holding out one of the fluffy towels. “Now, I've brought you your dress and sandals.”

“Thanks.” Ruth moved away a little and tried to take the towel.

“Darling,” her mother said gently, “we can't have you dripping on the carpet, can we?”

So Ruth stood there while Mrs. Craze rubbed her hair dry and then knelt down to dry her legs and feet. She dried each toe carefully, as though Ruth were a little kid.

Ruth was on the point of saying
I've been drying myself for years!
but somehow the words stuck in her throat. Maybe she was still too nervous?

“Now put this on,” her mother said, handing her a cute sundress, “and we'll have lunch.”

Ruth slipped on the dress and turned for her mother to do up the zip. She longed suddenly for all her old friends to see her new circumstances. Lou would be so jealous of this little white
sundress with the red trim, not to mention the garden and pool. None of them had a pool.

Ruth and her mother made their way into the house.

Once inside, Ruth simply stood there staring. Without all the piles of junk, the family room looked totally different. It was huge. Enormous floor-to-ceiling windows had been put in along its northern side, so light flooded in and there was a spectacular view out onto the beautifully manicured backyard. But the interior was something else. It had been elegantly decorated in cream and charcoal, with splashes of red in the cushions and curtains.

Above the breakfast bar was a banner that read
Happy Birthday, Ruth!
in fluttery gold lettering.
So! She'd arrived on her birthday. What luck!

The door leading out to the hallway was festooned with matching red and gold streamers. Everything was tasteful and lovely, and there were three unopened packages sitting on the table.

“Are these for me?” A rush of glee made Ruth lightheaded. One of the packages was slim and square and … She closed her eyes.
Could it be?
She was itching to open the package to see if it was the slim silver laptop she desperately wanted.

“Not yet, Ruthie!” Her mother laughed as she hurried over to the stove behind the breakfast bar and pulled a tray of freshly
grilled hamburgers out from under the griller. “You must wait until Daddy arrives.”

Daddy?
Ruth winced at the word. She hadn't called her father
Daddy
since she was about six.
Never mind.
She'd get used to all this. She'd make sure she did.

“Perfect.” Her mother was putting the meat onto the bread rolls. “Come and sit down.”

“Okay,” Ruth said. “Where are Marcus and Paul? Are they having lunch?”

But her mother was busy in the kitchen and didn't reply, so Ruth tried a different tack.

“The room looks nice.”

“Doesn't it just!” her mother said, pulling out a chair. “Just sit down there. Daddy will be here soon.”

The table had been formally set for three with table napkins. They both sat down to wait, the hot food sitting enticingly on the table in front of them.

Ruth could barely contain herself. She was starving.

“When will he be here?”

“Any minute.”

Ruth gulped. The smell was making her mouth water like crazy.

“Could we start?” she asked in a small voice.

“Now, that wouldn't be very nice, would it?” Her mother wagged her finger playfully.

“But maybe he's been held up,” Ruth said hopefully.

“So we wait,” her mother said, frowning. “Now, don't fidget, darling.”

Ruth had been mucking about with her knife to take her mind off how hungry she was, but she pulled her hand from the table and put it on her lap.

I could eat a horse and chase the jockey.
She heard Marcus's voice in her head and suppressed a chuckle. He was always saying gross things like that.

She wondered again where the boys were, but before she could ask, her father walked in, whistling and carrying a smart new briefcase in one hand and some very colorful glossy brochures in the other.

“How are my two favorite girls?”

He was exactly the same, except fatter, and his hair was now jet black. The gray had gone completely.

“So you managed to get away, then, dear.” Mrs. Craze was smiling frantically, as if she might be worried about something.

“I'm in charge now, remember?” Mr. Craze said with a jovial laugh. He kissed Mrs. Craze on the top of her head and then turned to Ruth. “Did you have a swim, Ruthie?”

“Yes,” Ruth answered carefully.

“Did you enjoy it?” Her father sat down opposite her.

“Yes,” Ruth said with a smile. “It was great.”

“Her style needs work.” Mrs. Craze's expression was suddenly
grim as she leaned across to serve Mr. Craze some food. “Time we got her some private lessons, dear.”

“Really?” He frowned. “But the Crazes are excellent swimmers.”

They were?
Ruth had never heard this before. But she was too hungry to care. She looked from one parent to the other expectantly.
When could they start eating?

“On a more positive note,” her mother gushed, “doesn't Ruth look nice?”

“She certainly does,” her father replied. “New dress?”

They prattled on as they salted their food and took sips of drink, but Ruth was so hungry she had no idea what they were talking about. Unable to hold back any longer, she picked up the burger in both hands and took one enormous bite, and then another. When she looked up, her parents were both staring at her and frowning.

“Oh, darling.” Her mother looked stricken.

“You've forgotten your manners,” her father said sternly.

“Sorry.” Ruth flushed and put the burger down.

“Well,” her father said dryly as he picked up his knife and fork, “you must be hungry.”

“I am.” Ruth's face was red. “Sorry.”

She watched her father cut off a small, neat piece of meat, pop it into his mouth, and begin to chew slowly. Her mother did the same, and Ruth, feeling almost sick with holding
back for so long, tried to follow suit. It was hard at first not to swallow quickly, but after the first couple of bites she got better at it.

They ate in silence for a while. Ruth gradually grew calmer. After all, there were bound to be new rules in her new life and it was probable that she would occasionally mess up. She'd get used to it all soon enough. Hadn't she always complained that things were way too lax at mealtimes? She had hated the way her brothers snatched and grabbed and burped and elbowed each other at the table. Learning proper manners would be part of her new life and she was going to …
embrace
it. She was.
Definitely.

“You got the movies for Ruth's party, I take it?” Mrs. Craze asked her husband.

“Sure did.” Mr. Craze reached into the briefcase he'd put down beside his chair and pulled out a couple of plastic DVD cases.

A party?
Ruth felt a flicker of panic but was too nervous to ask any questions, the main one being
Who will come?

Perhaps she had a whole lot of new friends that she hadn't met yet.

She turned the plastic cases over so she could see the movie titles. She'd heard of one but not the other. The idea of a party was playing havoc with her stomach. She felt queasy, as though the food she'd just eaten had morphed into a lump of granite
inside her. She wasn't at all sure she'd be able to manage a party.

“That is the one you wanted, isn't it?” Mr. Craze asked. “The other I thought you might like.”

“Oh, thanks,” Ruth muttered, trying to smile. “Looks fantastic …