Almost True Read Free Page B

weapon, just like a knife. I’ve been a bit wary of dogs since a bad experience with a runaway Rottweiler when I was seven. Helen must think I’m a retard because she says, ‘Anyone could make the same mistake.’
    Then I glance out of the window and see Patrick with the galloping wolf-monster on a lead, and it turns out to be a collie-sheepdog-Lassie-lookalike. I gulp down some more of the brandy.
    Louise says, ‘Helen, can I just have a minute to talk to Ty, please?’ and Helen says, ‘Of course,’ and stops picking up bits of china from the floor, and leaves the room. I bet she’s standing just outside, listening.
    I lean against my auntie hoping she’s going to say that she’s changed her mind and this is obviously never going to work and she’s thought of some dog-freeplace to take me.
    But she starts telling me off. ‘Jesus, Ty, what are you like? Helen and Patrick offer you a refuge and the first thing you do is threaten to attack them.’
    â€˜They set their dog on me.’
    â€˜No they didn’t. Don’t be ridiculous. She reacted to your aggression.’
    â€˜He was disrespecting my mum.’
    â€˜He’s seventy-five years old. You can’t shout at him like he’s one of your gangster friends.’
    â€˜I don’t have gangsta friends.’ I don’t have any friends right now.
    â€˜While you’re staying here, for Christ’s sake, try and behave and give a good impression,’ she says. ‘Otherwise you’re letting Nicki down.’
    I don’t care, because I’m so angry with my mum for not telling me that she was pregnant that I never ever want to see her again, anyway.
    I take another big gulp of brandy, pull my knees to my chest and bury my head in my arms.
    â€˜Lou, don’t tell me off. I can’t take any more today.’
    She takes the brandy glass away from me and says, ‘I think you’ve had quite enough of that.’
    Then she goes out of the room and I fall asleep. I only wake up when Louise taps me gently on the shoulder. She’s got her coat on.
    â€˜I’m going now, Ty, but I promise I’ll be back in a few weeks. You must stay inside all the time, ideally away from the windows, and do what Helen and Patrick tell you. And behave yourself. No phone calls, no letters, no contact with anyone. And dye the hair black again. It’ll be useful if I need to move you again, and we could dress you as a Goth. Understand?’
    â€˜Don’t go . . . Lou, please, don’t leave me here. . .’
    She leans down and kisses me. ‘It’ll be fine. It’ll be good. You take care.’
    She’s gone. I hear the front door slam. She’s left me. And I have no idea who she’s left me with.
    Helen comes into the room and sits down and says, ‘Patrick isn’t very tactful, I’m afraid. You’ll get used to him.’
    â€˜Yeah. Umm. Sorry.’
    She’s staring at me. I know I look dirty and sweaty; she doesn’t have to rub it in. I shift my eyes away from her and start looking at the photos on the piano again. Maybe I can work out which one of Louise’s friends they are related to. Maybe it’s Sally, the Geography teacher at her school. She’s a bit posh. . . Hang on. What’s that?
    There’s a picture on the piano that I recognise. It’s me aged eight in a shirt and tie, when my gran insisted I did First Communion at church. What the hell is it doing here?
    She follows my gaze. ‘Louise gave it to us,’ she says, ‘I’ve always loved it. Were you surprised to see it there?’
    â€˜Um. Yes.’
    She picks out another. It’s a picture of a weird little kid. He’s looking all sad, he’s got enormous blue eyes and he’s holding a fluffy white toy horse. He looks a bit like an alien. I think maybe it’s the boy from the other photo – the one outnumbered by his