Cat Mummy Read Free

really worried.
    ‘Do try and stop, Verity. You’ll make yourself ill,’ said Gran. ‘Come on, now, you’re going to be late for school.’
    ‘Maybe she’s not in a fit state for school?’ said Grandad.
    ‘No, I’m not in a fit state at all,’ I sobbed, hoping that I’d be able to stay off and search for Mabel.

    But Gran was firm. I had to go to school no matter what. She stuck the cleaned sandals on my feet and fetched me a clean school dress from the airer.
    ‘Come on, stop that crying now, Verity,’ she said, buttoning me into my dress.
    She couldn’t button my lips though.
    ‘You don’t understand, Gran. Don’t you
care
that Mabel’s missing?’
    Gran stopped buttoning.
    ‘I care a great deal,’ she said, and her voice suddenly sounded wavery, like a radio not tuned in properly. ‘I’ve known Mabel much longer than you, Verity. I remember when we first got her as a kitten and your mother––’ Gran’s voice suddenly stopped. There were tears in her eyes.
    My tummy clenched so tight I couldn’t talk either, but I squeezed Gran’s hand to show her I was sorry.
    ‘I’ll take you to school today, Verity,’ said Grandad . ‘Come on, dear. Leave your gran be for now.’
    Gran wasn’t making any sound but the tears were running down her cheeks. Silent crying seems more frightening than noisy sobs. I hurried off to school with Grandad, looking in every single garden on the way. I kept stopping to peer underneath cars too just in case Mabel was curled up anywhere.
    Grandad gave me a hug at the school gate.
    ‘How about a big smile for Grandad?’ he asked. I couldn’t even manage a very little smile. Grandad was finding it hard to smile too.
    ‘I
wish
I didn’t have to go to school, Grandad,’ I said, wondering if he’d weaken and let me go back home with him.
    But Grandad said maybe playing with my friends would take my mind off Mabel. I didn’t see how he could say that. My mind was going Mabel-Mabel-Mabel like a burglar alarm and when I went into the classroom and started talking to Sophie and Laura and Aaron the Mabel noise didn’t stop. It got louder.

    ‘What’s up, Verity?’ Sophie asked, putting her arm round me.
    ‘Mabel’s missing!’ I wailed, and I told her all about it.
    Sophie was very comforting. She gave me half her Mars Bar from her lunch box and told me that Sporty and Scary and Baby and Posh’s mother once went missing.
    ‘She was gone for ages. She made herself a nest in the garden shed. That’s where she had her kittens. Maybe your Mabel’s having kittens too?’
    ‘Mabel’s much too old to have kittens.’
    ‘Maybe she’s just gone off on the scrounge,’ said Laura. ‘Our dog Dustbin does that. He goes into people’s gardens and barks piteously as if he’s starving and sometimes they fall for it and feed him.’
    ‘I don’t think Mabel would do that. She’s been a bit off her food recently,’ I said. ‘She keeps being sick.’ I put my head down on my desk. ‘I was horrid to her because I stepped in it, but it wasn’t her fault at all. Maybe she’s really, really ill.’
    ‘Our Licky is sick lots and lots. He eats grass, the silly boy, like he’s got this mad idea he’s a sheep. Does your Mabel eat grass?’
    ‘No, she just likes her cat food,’ I said, speaking into my desk.

    ‘Good morning, everyone,’ said Miss Smith cheerily, coming into the classroom. ‘Verity? What’s up with you, poppet? Are you sleepy?’
    ‘Mmm,’ I mumbled.
    ‘Did you stay up late watching television?’
    ‘No. I couldn’t sleep properly.’
    ‘Why’s that?’ said Miss Smith, coming up to my desk and squatting down beside me.
    ‘I had these bad dreams.’
    ‘Oh dear. Did you tell your mum?’
    ‘My mum’s dead,’ I said, and I sniffed hard.
    Miss Smith looked very upset. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said, as if my mum had only died yesterday.
    I drooped in my desk while Miss Smith started the lesson, telling us all this stuff about the Ancient