Little Darlings Read Online Free PDF Page B

and Claudia will put them to bed so we can party, Dan,’ she says quickly.
    There’s no way she’s going to let Dad party on his own, not with girls like Big Mouth around.
    â€˜I’m not in the mood for partying,’ says Dad. He says it mildly enough but Mum jumps at it.
    â€˜Right. Fine. OK, let’s hit the road.’ She phones John to tell him we need him outside the cinema right this minute. There’s an awful mad milling of people in the foyer again, but Mum pushes her way through, steering Sweetie, while I hang onto Ace.
    When we get outside on the now-scuffed red carpet, Mum looks one way for the car, Dad the other. The photographers are mostly gone. There’s just a few faithful fans leaning on the barriers.
    â€˜Hey, Danny, it’s us! We’re still here. Look, here’s Destiny!’
    It’s the woman with the ponytail and the daughter, the one who kept staring so. I shiver, clutching Ace. Have they been standing out here in the cold for the last two
hours
while we’ve been watching the film?
    â€˜Danny,
please
, come and talk to us,’ the mother yells, but Dad ignores her.
    â€˜Where the hell’s John with the car?’ he mutters.
    â€˜He’ll be coming any minute, babe,’ Mum says. ‘Isn’t that the Merc over there? Maybe he can’t park any nearer. You keep hold of Sweetie and I’ll run and look.’
    She dashes off, running all wiggly because of her tight skirt and high heels.
    â€˜Danny! Quick, darling, now Suzy’s out the way. Come and meet Destiny!’ the woman screams.
    Dad picks Sweetie up and walks back to the cinema entrance, not even looking round. ‘Bring Ace over here, Sunset,’ he calls.
    I turn round too quickly, wobbling in my silly new boots.
    â€˜Whoops! Watch out, darling!’ The ponytail mother reaches out, trying to catch me. Destiny is by her side, staring.
    â€˜You are so lucky,’ she whispers to me.

3
DESTINY
    We watch them getting into their silver Mercedes. Suzy’s in the back, with Ace on her lap, Sweetie in the middle, then Sunset. Danny sits in the front with the chauffeur. Mum steps forward as if we’re part of the family too, ready to squash into the car– but when she’s still a few paces away it drives off.
    â€˜Danny!’ Mum calls, and she’s got tears running down her face. She goes on calling his name, ‘
Danny, Danny, Danny
,’ like some demented bird.
    â€˜Mum, he can’t hear you. He’s in his car. He’s
gone
,’ I say, giving her a little shake.
    People are staring at us. There’s a whole crowd of stars pouring out of the cinema now, going on to some party.
    â€˜Mum, please,’ I beg, but she won’t listen to me. She just stands there, shaking and crying and calling for Danny.
    There’s a sudden surge forward as the Milky Star boys come out in a little bunch. They laugh and chat to the fans, but the little one, Davie, is staring at Mum. The others look too, and one of them laughs. I clench my fists. But Davie is still looking concerned. He comes right over. He touches Mum gently on the arm.
    â€˜Are you all right?’
    Mum barely focuses on him. She’s still staring into the dark, looking at the long-gone car.
    Davie looks at me. ‘Is she with you?’
    â€˜Yes, she’s my mum,’ I say fiercely.
    â€˜What’s up with her?’
    â€˜She’s – she’s just upset,’ I say. ‘It’s OK. I’ll – I’ll take her home.’
    â€˜You want me to call a cab or something?’
    â€˜No, no . . .’ Oh, definitely no. We took a taxi from the station to Leicester Square and it cost a fortune. Mum’s only got a couple of pounds left in her purse. ‘No thank you, we’ll be fine.’
    â€˜Take care then, kid,’ Davie says, patting me on the arm too, and then he goes off to join his Milky Star mates, and they all