Suzy P and the Trouble with Three Read Online Free PDF

She just keeps staring.
    She’s been acting really weird since she lost her job a couple of months ago. They shut down the company she worked for, due to ‘tough economictimes’ or something, and it’s made Clare proper miserable. It’s horrible, because Millie’s house has always been a fantastic place to hang out before. Not only does it look amazing – it’s full of art and sculptures and colourful walls – but Clare used to make us little treats to eat when we went over, or got us movies that she knew we’d want to watch. We haven’t had anything like that for ages.
    “Mum?” Millie tries again.
    Clare turns and sees us standing in the doorway. Her eyes are red and her cheeks are blotchy but she forces a smile.
    “Sorry, lovely, did you say something?”
    “We’re going to Bojangles,” Millie says.
    “Okay. Have a nice time,” Clare says. “If you want, I’ll give you a lift back. I’m heading to the supermarket in a bit.”
    “Whatever,” Millie shrugs.
    I look at my friend in surprise. Millie and Clare have always been really close; I’ve never heard her sound so off with her mum before.
    As Danny and Jamie walk on ahead up the road, Millie’s unusually quiet. What
is
going on with her?
    “Everything okay?” I ask.
    “Yeah, fine,” Millie says. “Why?”
    “Dunno. You seem a bit stressed. Like you did theyesterday. What was all that about, anyway? You left me in the shop stuck in that hideous dress. Don’t think I’ve forgiven you yet, you know.”
    Millie flushes guiltily. “I’m so sorry. I still feel terrible about it.”
    “Meh, it’s all right,” I say. “I’ve been through worse. I’ll just add it to the ever-growing list of embarrassing things I’ve done to myself. So why’d you have to dash off?”
    “No reason.”
    I frown. “Are you sure? Sophie sounded pretty upset, and I’ve hardly heard from you since.”
    “I’m sure.”
    “So there’s nothing bothering you?” I press.
    “I guess… um… I guess I’m just worried about Mum and Dad,” Millie says.
    “What? Why?”
    “They’re rowing a lot, and I dunno…” Millie’s voice trails off.
    “That thing this morning? It was just an argument,” I say dismissively. “My parents bicker constantly, you know what they’re like.”
    “Yeah, but it’s been happening all the time.”
    “Well, they’re probably tense because your mum lost her job. It’ll be better when she gets a new one.”
    Millie forces a smile. “I suppose. It’s just…”
    “You’re freaked about nothing, I promise,” I say, flinging my arm around her shoulders. “You should try living with my parents. Then you’d have something to stress about.”
    Millie slowly breathes out. “Maybe. So, um, how are things in the house of Puttock? What’s the goss?”
    “There’s a girl coming to stay with us,” I announce, loud enough that Danny and Jamie turn around.
    “A girl?” Millie asks, as we wait at the crossing.
    “What sort of girl?” Danny asks.
    “And how old are we talking here?” Jamie says.
    “Some daughter of an old friend of Mum’s,” I say. “She’s our age, from Italy.”
    “An
Italian girl
,” Jamie says. “That means she’s going to be hot.”
    “Oi,” Millie says, mock indignantly. “It does not.”
    “It does,” Jamie says. “All Italian girls are gorgeous, everyone knows that. Just like Australian girls are sporty, and Swiss girls are excellent skiers and cow-milkers.”
    “I’m not entirely sure that’s true,” I say, as the green man appears and we start to walk across the road.
    “Don’t shatter my illusions,” Jamie says. “It’s true. I know it. So why is this divine creature coming?”
    “Her parents are getting divorced,” I say.
    Millie makes a strange, strangled noise.
    “Sorry,” she says, blushing. “Um, I was thinking that must be hard for her. Coming to a foreign country to stay with a family she doesn’t know that well.”
    “It’s not a foreign country