Eva's Journey by Judi Curtin Page B

she was embarrassed, so I took the bag.
    Ruby turned around and locked the shed door.
    â€˜Bye, Eva,’ she said quietly, and then she was gone.
    â€˜Bye, and thanks,’ I said to the empty space where she had been standing.
    Just then, the man from the deli stall next to us came over, holding a small tub of olives towards me.
    â€˜For you,’ he said.
    â€˜But what …?’ I began.
    He started to laugh.
    â€˜I’ve been working here for seventeen years, and I’ve never once seen anyone get the better of Mamie. You’ve made my day, you really have.’
    I took the olives.
    â€˜Thank you. My mum loves olives.’
    The man patted me on the shoulder and left, and I smiled all the way home.

    â€˜You were gone a long time,’ said Mum when I got home.
    â€˜I walked slowly,’ I said, as I handed her the bag of fruit.
    Mum took it and peered inside.
    â€˜Wow,’ she said. ‘You did well. The market must be even cheaper than I thought.’
    â€˜Er, I had to haggle a bit,’ I said. ‘Oh, and I got something else.’
    I reached into my handbag and pulled out the tub of olives.
    Mum didn’t say anything. She opened the tub, took out an olive and bit into it. A slow smile spread across her face.
    â€˜I was afraid I’d never again eat an olive,’ she sighed.
    I thought with regret of how often I’d seen our housekeeper, Teresita, throwing out olives that had been going mouldy in the fridge, after Mum had bought more than we could manage to eat.
    Mum ate one more olive, and then resealed thetub and put it into the fridge, like it was the most precious thing she’d ever owned.
    Then she came over and patted my head.
    â€˜That’s my clever girl,’ she said. ‘I’ll have to send you to the market again next weekend.’
    â€˜Great,’ I said, trying to sound sarcastic.
    But the weird thing is, I found that I was totally looking forward to it.

Chapter Sixteen
    T he next week went by faster than I could have thought possible.
    Dad still hadn’t found a job, and he spent his days manically running around the house fixing stuff.
    â€˜I think you’re fixing things that aren’t even broken,’ said Mum one day.
    â€˜I think he’s breaking stuff just so he can fix it again,’ I said.
    Dad laughed, and Mum gave a big sigh. ‘Well, I suppose it’s good to keep yourself busy.’
    I thought that she was talking to him like he was a child, but he didn’t seem to mind. He put down his hammer and went over and gave her a hug and a kiss.
    â€˜Stop being gross,’ I moaned. ‘And anyway you two are very cheerful for poor people.’
    They just laughed.
    â€˜And you’re very cheeky for a small person,’ said Dad.
    Then the three of us laughed, and for a few minutes we were all happy.

    On Friday, Mr Gowing came in to the class looking a bit flustered.
    â€˜Today we’re having a very important visitor,’ he said.
    He went on to tell us how the school had applied for a big grant to buy new computers, and that the chairperson of the grant committee was coming to tour the school.
    â€˜Will she ask us questions, Sir?’ asked Chloe.
    â€˜Possibly. And if she does, only put up your hand if you’re
absolutely
certain of the answer.’
    As he said that, he stared at Shannon who always puts up her hand, even when she hasn’t the faintest notion of the answer.
    â€˜Anyway,’ said Mr Gowing. ‘This is an important day for the school, so I need everyone to be on their very best behaviour – especially you, Petronella. See if you can behave yourself just this once!’
    Ella gave a big sigh, and the rest of us laughed.
    In the middle of maths class the classroom door opened and the principal, Mrs Parker came in with the visitor, Mrs Connery.
    Mrs Connery was a huge woman. She was wearing a very ugly, very tight flowery dress, and so much