Read The Red Cardigan for Free Online Page B

smile. He holds a meat pie smeared with way too much tomato sauce.
    â€˜Ben? Hi.’
    He takes a huge bite. ‘So, are you all better?’
    â€˜Sorry?’
    â€˜Are you better?’ he says with his mouth full. ‘You were crook last time.’
    â€˜Huh?’
    He spits out a bit of gristle. ‘I saw you running for your life.’
    â€˜Oh?’
    â€˜I spoke to your friends. One of them said your guts were a bit off.’
    â€˜Oh?’ She can’t stop staring at the tomato sauce smeared over his chin.
    â€˜She said you were making a run for it.’
    â€˜Did she?’
    â€˜Had you eaten one of those curries?’ Now flakes of pastry sit on the corners of his mouth.
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜Just as well.’ He swallows the last bit.
    â€˜Yeah?’
    â€˜Well, I’d better get back.’ He wipes his hands on his jeans. ‘See you.’
    â€˜Yeah. See you.’
    Evie buys herself a mixed plate at the Indian samosa van and sits on the grass. Scrambled thoughts swim in her head. She can’t get his words or the image of him eating that pie out of her brain. ‘Silver boy’s a yobbo? Oh my god!’ She lets a laugh escape. A kid stops and stares.
    â€˜Hello,’ giggles Evie.
    â€˜What are you laughing at?’ the kid asks.
    â€˜Nothing. Everything.’
    â€˜What’s that?’
    The kid is called away before Evie can answer. From the grass she can see Petrina folding brightly coloured mohair jumpers. She wears the poncho Alex wore that day. Evie gets up, throws her rubbish in the bin, clears her throat and walks over.
    â€˜Hello.’
    â€˜Evie!’ Petrina gives her a hug. ‘I wondered when you’d come back to see me. Hey,’ she says, searching Evie’s face, ‘you’re not embarrassed, are you?’
    Evie shrugs. ‘A bit.’
    â€˜Evie, you are so special.’ Petrina holds her hand. ‘I’ve always thought that and now I know why.’
    Evie’s hand feels limp in Petrina’s. Petrina squeezes it and holds it firmly.
    â€˜If I could’ve had children,’ for a moment she pauses. ‘Well, no chance of that happening.’
    Evie frowns.
    â€˜Long story.’
    â€˜Oh?’
    â€˜I was in an accident. No one’s fault really,’ is all Petrina says.
    The same breeze whistles through Evie’s chest and out her spine – Petrina’s emptiness.
    â€˜Anyway, what I’m trying to say is I would’ve been proud to have had a daughter like you.’ She lets Evie’s hand go. ‘So, I don’t want you to think any more about it. Deal?’
    Evie nods. ‘Deal.’
    Petrina pulls something out from under the table. ‘This is for you.’ She hands Evie a parcel wrapped in purple tissue paper.
    â€˜Oh my god.’ Evie holds up the fringed shawl. The pink roses spill out of the fabric. ‘Thank you.’
    â€˜It was my mother’s Great-Aunt Jacqueline’s,’ Petrina’s voice trembles. ‘She was born in Johannesburg and she was a cabaret dancer.’
    Evie feels her throat tighten. It always feels like this when she’s forced to swallow who she is.
    â€˜Evie, I don’t know anyone like you. I have no idea what it’d be like.’
    â€˜It can be scary,’ Evie whispers.
    Again, Petrina hugs her. Evie nestles her face in the soft wool of the poncho and breathes in the camphor and mothballs.
    Â 
    At home, Evie wraps the shawl in its purple tissue paper and carefully places it in the bottom drawer of her wardrobe. This is where she keeps her most treasured pieces.An original 1970s Fendi silk scarf, thigh-high green suede boots, a brown snakeskin handbag. Evie had hesitated before buying this, but decided there was nothing she could do about the inhumane things they did to animals back then. She has silk stockings still in their original packet and a pair of white Staggers denim flares.