Part 19 (2/2)

Mum and Dad hissed at each other, but I couldn't be bothered trying to work out what they were saying.

*Zia will be with you in a moment,' said Michael.

*Who's Zia?' asked Dad.

*The vet,' said Michael.

Before he left, I found my voice. *Michael? Mojo? Is she...'

He smiled. *Zia won't be long.'

It was in Michael's eyes and voice. Mojo was dead.

*I forgot to ask his name,' I whispered.

*Michael,' snapped Dad. *You just said it.'

*Not him, the guy who drove us here,' said Khaden, pulling a business card from his pocket and handing it to me. *I figured you might want to call him. Later.'

I nodded.

*What guy drove you here?' bellowed Dad. *I want answers now.'

Zia glided into the room, wearing the same blue pyjama things. She introduced herself to Mum and Dad and then turned to me, Mojo's horrible, irresponsible owner.

*Ruby...'

The walls closed in on me. I folded my arms. *Just tell me,' I said, my voice shaky.

She nodded. *Mojo's injuries were too severe.'

My nails dug into my biceps. *I want to see her.'

*For G.o.d's sake, Ruby, can we just leave?' said Dad.

Zia glared at him.

*Follow me, Ruby.' The way she said it made it clear Dad wasn't invited.

*Can we...?' asked Khaden. *If it's okay, Ruby.'

All I could do was nod. An icy feeling gripped me and squeezed out the sadness, replacing it with fear. I wanted to run, but my legs refused and instead they followed Zia. Thoughts tumbled around my head. What if there's blood? What if it smelt bad? Zia stopped outside the door at the end of the corridor.

*Ruby, you'll see where we shaved Mojo for surgery, but there isn't any blood or anything.'

I nodded. I could feel the warmth of Sas and Khaden behind me. For a second, I didn't want them here, then Zia opened the door. Under the window, on a steel table draped with a green cloth, lay Mojo. I rushed forward, a sob squeezing through my tight throat. *I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Moj.'

Who knows how long I stood there, crying and patting Mojo's lifeless body. After a while, Michael came in and asked if I wanted to take Mojo home, which I did. When I returned to the waiting room, holding Mojo wrapped in a cloth, Dad had gone. Mum said he had to finish up at work. She ignored my scoff.

As Mum drove Sas and Khaden to Sas's place, she chatted about Christmas and holiday plans. I sat wedged against the pa.s.senger door, Mojo wrapped on my lap. After Mum dropped off Sas and Khaden, we drove home in silence. She parked in our driveway and cleared her throat. *Ruby, what are you going to do with...'

*Bury her. Under the lilypilly. She liked to sleep there when it was hot.' I couldn't take my eyes from the open side gate.

Mum pulled her keys from the ignition. *Why don't you wait for your brothers and Dad to-'

*No.' My voice echoed off the car windows. *She's my dog and this is my fault. I'll bury her.'

*They might want to be here for you.'

*I don't want them here.'

Mum nodded. *Can I help?'

I shook my head.

*I'll be inside. If you need me.'

Khaden Khaden stared out the open window at the clear blue sky. Since Ginny had dropped them off at Sas's place, they'd been listening to music. He tried to concentrate on the Train Wreck song, hoping it would fade the memory of Mojo's yelps. So far, nothing else had.

Sas, sprawled in the beanbag in front of the fan, groaned. *It's hotter in here, than it is outside.'

*So, let's go outside,' said Khaden.

*Could be a breeze out the back, I guess,' said Sas, wriggling out of the beanbag. *Meet you out there. Gotta go to the bathroom.'

The air in the corridor was so still and heavy, Khaden felt he was cutting a path through something solid. On the back step, he looked across the yard, taking in the sandpit by the back fence and the blackboard nailed to the palings.

A memory flashed through his head, of him and Taj at home, helping their dad build a sandpit under the golden ash. He must have been about four. Khaden could hear the hammer and feel the weight of the nails in his hands. After Mike had finished, he, Taj and Khaden had driven to a garden supply place to buy sand. Khaden remembered the smell of the damp sand as the backhoe tipped it into the ute tray.

Khaden, Taj and Mike had built cities, castles and dinosaur landscapes in that sandpit. Now the golden sand was dirty, the plastic dinosaurs, spades and buckets long gone.

Sas handed him a tall gla.s.s of iced water. *Is it better out here?'

*How about under the lemon tree,' said Khaden. As he walked across the gra.s.s, gripping the cold drink, he tried to remember the last time he, Mike and Taj had mucked around together in the back yard.

Ruby Stuff the water restrictions. I took the longest shower of all time, letting the water wash the dirt, sorrow and tears down the drain. After I'd dressed I lay on my bed, cuddling Milly, my toy dog, which, according to Mum, I'd carted everywhere since I was one. Through the window I could see the dirt under the lilypilly. The whirr of the ceiling fan was the only noise in my room.

Dad's Land Rover rumbled into the drive. One-fifteen. I wondered if cancelling lunch had been the *thing' he had to sort out at work. Mum and Dad's low voices rolled like an ocean beneath me. I didn't strain to make out their words. I didn't need to. I knew they'd be talking about me. And Mojo.

I closed my eyes, letting the draft from the ceiling fan settle on my skin.

*Ruby. Down here. Now!' Dad's voice blasted up the stairs and battered my closed door.

It had only taken them ten minutes to decide my fate. With a groan, I stood, placed the stuffed dog on my pillow, checked my reflection and headed downstairs.

Dad sat at the head of the table, mouth a thin line. Mum was beside him, legs crossed and hands clasped in her lap. I slumped in the seat opposite.

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