jake’s notebook
Monday 23rd December
Days since Mum got sick: Eight
Days until Christmas: Two
On Monday morning I SPRANG out of bed and ran downstairs to ask Grandma if I could go round to Lukas’s to play video games. I hadn’t been over for AGES, what with everything going on and was looking forward to a bit of normality, KILLING ZOMBIES with my BEST FRIEND.
I was REALLY HOPING things could get BACK TO NORMAL between us now that it was the school holidays and we would be able to spend more time together.
When I entered the kitchen, Grandma was already up and dressed, putting out the breakfast things. She’d been sleeping a lot less lately and I wondered if she was feeling OK.
‘Grandma, is it OK if I go round to Lukas’s today?’ I asked.
‘Of course,’ Grandma replied. ‘It is the school holidays after all.’
When I got to Lukas’s flat I didn’t even have to knock on the door as he was already on the balcony outside waiting for me to arrive.
‘How was football?’ I asked, making an effort to show an interest in Lukas’s weekend.
‘Good, thanks,’ Lukas replied. ‘Neil scored the winning goal, but I guess you can’t have everything, right? At least we won.’
At the mention of Neil, I began to feel sick again.
Lukas must have the same PSYCHIC ABILITY as Grandma as he said, ‘Don’t worry, Neil will be fine, I’ve told him not to bother you again.’
‘Thanks,’ I replied. Lukas really was the PERFECT BEST FRIEND.
I started to wonder what was WRONG WITH LUKAS. He had started to look UPSET about something and I needed to work out what it was.
‘Are you excited about the holidays?’ I asked.
‘I guess so,’ Lukas replied.
He didn’t seem VERY EXCITED, in fact he seemed TOTALLY PREOCCUPIED with something and he hardly said anything else, just gestured for me to go inside.
I knew straightaway that SOMETHING definitely wasn’t right when we got inside Lukas’s flat and both of his parents were sitting in the living room waiting for us. Lukas’s parents were rarely home at the same time.
Valerie is a nurse and works shifts at the local care home and Marek, Lukas’s Dad, is a builder who’s often out before sunrise and usually gets back long after it’s dark.
When they are both at home, Lukas’s mum is usually in the kitchen cooking up one of her AMAZING FEASTS and his dad is on the balcony looking after his plants, or doing odd jobs round the house. SOMETHING was most definitely NOT OK.
‘How’s your mum doing?’ Valerie asked. ‘I must go and visit her soon.’
So, this wasn’t anything to do with Mum. I was WORRIED for a moment that SOMETHING ELSE had happened to her.
‘She’s OK,’ I replied. ‘I’m sure she’d love to see you.’
There was a strange atmosphere in the room all of a sudden.
‘What’s going on?’ I spluttered anxiously. ‘Why are you both at home?’
Valerie smiled in what she probably hoped was a reassuring manner. My stomach clenched in fear.
‘There’s something you should know,’ Valerie said, taking a deep breath. ‘We didn’t want to worry you, what with everything else you’ve had to deal with lately.’
Lukas was doing everything he possibly could to avoid eye contact.
‘It’s partly why I haven’t had a chance to visit your mum yet. We might be moving soon. Back to Poland.’ Her voice rose at the end of the sentence as if this was a VERY EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT and didn’t signify THE END OF MY LIFE.
‘What?’ I was so shocked I didn’t know what to say. ‘You can’t. What about Lukas?’
‘Lukas, too, I’m afraid. Marek has been offered a fantastic new job as the head of a building firm back home. It’s a great opportunity. But nothing has been decided yet. We wanted you to know as soon as possible. Lukas wanted you to know.’
‘What about Mum? You can’t just abandon her. She needs you.’
‘I’m sure she’ll understand. She knew we were thinking about moving back at some stage.’
I felt my stomach sink to the BOTTOM OF MY FEET where it lay heavily, REFUSING TO BUDGE. Lukas was still doing his best not to look at me and was studying his feet again with GREAT INTENTION.
‘Why, why didn’t you tell me?’ I looked over at Lukas accusingly. Lukas was quiet for a moment as if trying to decide what to say to me.
‘I tried. I tried to tell you last week,’ he replied. ‘But you had so much going on with your mum and everything. I didn’t think it was a good time.’
I couldn’t BELIEVE it. First MUM and now this. I COULDN’T BELIEVE he hadn’t told me sooner. I bet he’d told NORA already. Maybe I could have helped Lukas persuade his parents to stay. Persuaded them that he would be MUCH HAPPIER here than back in POLAND. Wouldn’t he?
Had I really been that blind? How many more people was I going to lose before it stopped? Why hadn’t I been paying CLOSER ATTENTION? I thought Lukas was acting EVEN STRANGER THAN USUAL, but I hadn’t even bothered to find out what was wrong.
He was right, I hadn’t been listening to anything he had said to me. I’d been a BAD FRIEND all round. I wondered if he’d EVER FORGIVE ME. I’d let my JEALOUSY get in the way of seeing THE TRUTH. I had thought Lukas was acting differently towards me because of HIS FRIENDSHIP WITH NORA but really he’d been HIDING A MASSIVE SECRET and I hadn’t even asked him what was wrong.