Clyde and Rani were outside Rani’s house, waiting for the UNIT car to come and collect them. Gita was brushing down Rani’s blouse when Haresh emerged from their home with Rani’s overnight bag. ‘Don’t know what you’ve got in here,’ he muttered. ‘Feels like you’re going for a month, not a night.’
Clyde was explaining his concerns to Gita. ‘Luke says Sarah Jane’s gone mad.’
‘Oh, don’t be rude, my darling,’ Gita said. ‘Luke would never say “mad” about his own mother.’
Clyde nodded. ‘He also said “nutty, fruity, loop the loop, tonto-barmy-bonkers”.’
‘I’m sure he didn’t,’ Haresh said. ‘Rani, have you got everything now?’
Rani nodded. ‘It’s true though, Luke’s dead worried.’
‘Sadness affects people in different ways,’ Haresh said. ‘Remember your Grandmother when Granddad Ram died?’
Rani nodded. ‘Yeah, she washed everything. Curtains. Furniture. She even washed the walls.’
‘I remember,’ Gita added. ‘I mean, who washes walls?’
‘It went on for days,’ Rani remembered. ‘And then…then she just started crying.’
‘It takes time,’ Haresh explained to the two teenagers. ‘Because when someone dies, it’s so massive, it’s like you can’t fit it all inside your head.’ He stroked Rani’s hair. ‘And that’s what Sarah Jane’s doing now. She’s denying it.’
‘So what can we do to help her?’ asked Clyde.
‘Wait,’ Gita said. ‘That’s all you can do. Friends just wait.’
And there was the sound of a car turning into Bannerman Road and they watched as the big black car pulled up opposite, its UNIT emblem small but prominent on the driver’s door.
Sarah Jane came out of her house, wearing a smart jacket and jeans, nothing black or dreary in sight. ‘Bang on time,’ she said to the driver as he got out and took her bag and walked around to put it in the boot. He then crossed the road and hefted up Clyde and Rani’s bags.
The teenagers followed him to the car and Sarah Jane called over to the parents. ‘Don’t worry, you two, I’ll look after them.’
‘Sorry to hear your bad news,’ Haresh said.
‘No need,’ Sarah Jane said back. ‘I’m fine.’
Clyde grinned back at Haresh. ‘Keep the school running without me, sir. While I head off in my big posh car –’ Clyde touched the rear passenger door but whipped his fingers away as a crackle of bright blue electricity arced around the palm of his hand. ‘Blimey,’ he muttered. ‘What was that?’
‘Static electricity,’ Haresh called over. ‘Course, if you paid more attention in class…’ But Gita grabbed his arm. ‘Not now, my darling.’
Haresh smiled weakly at Sarah Jane as she got into the car, followed by Clyde and Rani.
And they watched as it drove off, waving at Rani who waved back.
They were ignored by Clyde, who was still staring at the palm of his hand, frowning.