‘Your friend is weird,’ Ben said as the three of them made their way home.
Everything was weird, thought Jessie. Viking hadn’t just run off – he’d looked ill. And David had seemed afraid. What else did he know that he wasn’t telling her? It didn’t matter now, she supposed. She should have believed him the first time he’d said he didn’t make friends. She’d just wasted a whole week talking to him – and she couldn’t believe she’d helped him break into the professors’ staffroom yesterday.
Dad came running the moment they opened the door of the house.
‘Where have you two been? Why didn’t you answer your phones?’
Jessie saw the missed messages. ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘Someone lost his dog and we were helping to look. You knew we’d be out with Storm, though.’
‘I assumed you were, yes, but I didn’t know. You should have left a message.’ He gave a strained smile. ‘I worry about you both, you know.’
If that was supposed to make her feel better, it didn’t work. She already had to try to make sure Ben didn’t get upset. Now she had to keep Dad from worrying too.
Storm stopped by the hall table and looked up at the telephone. It rang.
‘It’s like he knew!’ Ben laughed.
Of course he hadn’t. How could he?
Jessie picked the phone up. ‘Hello?’
‘Hello, Lightning Bug,’ Mum said.
Straight away the world felt better, as if all the bits that were in the wrong places had been put back where they belonged.
It’s Mum, Jessie mouthed at Ben and Dad.
Dad nodded, mimed making a drink and walked off to the kitchen. Ben tried to grab the phone out of Jessie’s hand and she fended him off.
‘Wait your turn. Mum, we just took Storm for a walk and we helped find a missing dog. I think he might be ill.’
‘Who, Storm?’
‘No, the other dog. He looked all funny. His owner’s taken him to the vet. Are you coming to visit this weekend?’
‘I’m afraid I can’t,’ Mum said. ‘I’ve got to work. But I will visit soon. I’ll talk to your dad about it later. And . . .’ she added as Ben pressed his head against Jessie’s so he could hear, ‘I have some good news.’
Jessie’s heart jumped.
‘Mum’s coming to live with us!’ Ben shouted.
‘I’m afraid not, Lightning Bug.’ Mum’s voice sounded tight, worried.
The phone started to feel slippery in Jessie’s hand. She wiped her palm on her trouser leg. ‘Ben, you can have your turn in a minute,’ she said, taking the phone into the front room and closing the door, shutting Ben and Storm out. ‘What’s happened?’ she asked. ‘You haven’t got a boyfriend, have you?’
She hadn’t realized how much she’d worried about that until the words were out. Her eyes burned with tears. ‘Because it’s all right if you have,’ she said. ‘I mean, Ben will probably be upset at first, but he’ll get used to it . . .’ It was no good. All the words she wanted to say bundled up in her throat and she couldn’t get them out.
Mum laughed. ‘It’s nothing like that.’ She seemed to realize this was something serious and she paused. ‘Jessie, I promise if that ever happens I’ll tell you. Are you OK?’
Jessie wiped her eyes. ‘Yes. It’s been a strange day, that’s all. What’s your news?’
‘I’m moving house,’ Mum said.
Jessie didn’t know what to say. Of all the things Mum might have told her, Jessie wouldn’t have guessed that. She gripped the phone, listening to the sound of her own breathing. ‘But why?’
‘Because I need somewhere bigger, of course,’ Mum said. ‘I’ve found a flat, not too far from where I am now. It’s got two bedrooms. You and Ben will have your own space when you visit. You’ll have to share if you come together, but you can take it in turns too, whichever you prefer. You can spend the whole school holidays with me if you like.’
She was talking too fast, cramming words together without giving Jessie a chance to answer. ‘You can decorate the room yourselves,’ she said, ‘and choose whatever furniture you want. It’ll be yours. You’ll be able to have your friends round – we can have a welcome party if you like.’
‘What about Storm?’ Jessie broke in. ‘Can I bring him?’
Mum paused and sighed. ‘I don’t know, Lightning Bug.’ The excitement drained from her voice and she sounded tired now. She’d wanted them to be happy about the news.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Jessie said.
‘No, it does. Of course you have to bring Storm. Maybe my allergy won’t be so bad. We can try it and see. We’ll sort the details out later. The important thing is you and Ben can live with me part of the time. If you want to, of course,’ she added. Her voice wobbled, just a little.
Jessie gripped the phone hard. ‘Of course I want to. It’s just . . .’ She felt suddenly exhausted, as if Mum, Dad, Ben – all of it – was a huge weight and she couldn’t carry it any longer. ‘Ben’s waiting to talk to you,’ she said. ‘You should tell him the news. Bye, Mum.’
She ran back into the hall, ignoring Mum’s voice asking her to wait and pushed the phone at Ben.
‘Hi, Mum,’ Ben said. ‘Abergavenny’s got a castle. When are you coming to visit?’
‘What do you want for dinner?’ Dad asked, coming out of the kitchen. His face creased in worry.
‘You knew about this, didn’t you?’ Jessie asked.
He looked down, avoiding her gaze. ‘Only for a little while. Mum wanted to tell you herself.’
‘We can stay with you?’ Ben shouted into the phone. ‘Fantastic! Bags me first.’
Dad wrapped his arms round Jessie’s shoulders. ‘I know things are all a bit strange and difficult right now, but your mum loves you. We’re still a family.’
A family split across hundreds of miles, with her and Ben travelling back and forth, never quite belonging in either place. She squirmed free. ‘I’ve got homework to do.’
Storm followed Jessie upstairs. He wasn’t really supposed to go in the bedrooms, but Jessie’s Dad didn’t call him back so he nosed the bedroom door open and padded through.
Jessie was lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Storm climbed up next to her and she wriggled up to make room for him. He lay down against her with a sigh. He wanted to tell her there were more important things happening than the Mum-Person keeping secrets or Dad being cross – things like dark magicians and Not-Boys – but he knew she couldn’t understand him. And, anyway, he had the feeling that even if Jessie did know the truth, the things that happened in this little house would still be more important to her.
Jessie curled tighter around him. ‘I used to wish for a dog all the time,’ she said. ‘I wanted a puppy – a white one with ears that stood up like triangles. And a little black nose.’ She opened her eyes, blinking against Storm’s dark fur. ‘You know, if Mum and Dad hadn’t split up, we wouldn’t have moved here and I wouldn’t have found you.’
Storm sniffed her chin. Her smell was sharp, full of tears and angry lightning. He licked Jessie on the cheek, tasting salt. He knew how she must be feeling. Falling to earth hadn’t been good, but some of it was tolerable. The meaty chunks, for example, and the warmth of a blanket at night. And Jessie herself.
Jessie sniffed and brushed away tears. ‘You’re a good dog, Storm.’
No, he wasn’t. He was Storm of Odin, who ran with the Wild Hunt and tore the night apart for the joy of it. He was everything that was untamed and free. Humans and their little lives were over in an instant and none of them should matter to him.
But, here and now, he was Storm, licking salty tears off his human’s face as she cried.