Twin Tales Read Online Free PDF Page A

fingers and vowed that they would never break friends again.

9. Growly Bears
    Dad was very late home. The car had broken down and he was in a bad mood because it was going to cost a lot of money to get it mended.
    â€˜Karen’s dad’s got a new car,’ said Connie.
    â€˜ Well,
your
dad’s got to make do with a very very old car,’ said Dad, bitterly.
    â€˜It would be nice to have a new car,’ said Connie. She was simply making conversation but it seemed to irritate Dad.
    â€˜Well, we can’t have a new car so there’s no point asking,’ said Dad, though Connie had done no such thing. Then he took a close look at her. ‘What’s all that muck on your face, Connie?’
    â€˜Make-up, Dad.’
    â€˜
Make-up
? Whatever’s going on? You’re much much too young to wear make-up!’
    â€˜It’s just for dressing up, Dad. I wouldn’t wear it out.’
    â€˜You go and give your face a wash this minute.’
    â€˜Oh, Dad. It looks lovely. I want to leave it on. And Karen’s mum lets her wear pink lip gloss even when she goes out.’
    â€˜Connie.’ Dad was starting to look very cross. ‘I don’t want to hear another word about Karen. Or Karen’s mum. Or Karen’s dad. Or any other member of Karen’s family.’
    â€˜Karen’s baby sister, Susie,’ said Connie helpfully, because she was the only one Dad hadn’t mentioned.
    Dad didn’t find this helpful. He seemed to think she was being deliberately cheeky.
    â€˜That’s enough,’ he said, firmly. ‘Go and wash your face at once. And then get ready for bed.’
    â€˜But it’s not my bedtime yet!’ said Connie, indignantly. ‘Mum, it’s not fair, Dad says I’ve got to go to bed and yet it’s not my bedtime for another twenty minutes.’
    â€˜If you’re not upstairs in
twenty seconds
then you will seriously regret it, young lady,’ Dad bellowed.
    His shouts seriously upset the twins, who both started bawling.
    Connie practically burst into tears herself. Her face was all screwed up as she ran up the stairs, and when she was in the bathroom a few tears spurted down her cheeks. Blue tears, because of the blue eyeshadow still on her eyelids. The shiny blue tears made her remember her two shiny blue beads.

    â€˜It’s not fair,’ Connie said, sniffling. ‘Dad can shout all he wants and wake up the babies and he doesn’t get told off. And I’ve got into trouble over nothing! I was being good, for goodness sake. It wouldn’t be so bad if I was being bad, but I wasn’t!’
    She twiddled the beads in her little plait and they clinked together.

    There was a blue flash in the bathroom. Then a knock at the door. Two knocks.
    â€˜Who’s that?’ said Connie – although she knew perfectly well who it was going to be.
    But there was no answer. The knocking got louder. There was a sort of scratching at the door. And then a growl.
    â€˜What’s that?’ Connie called,
shivering.
    â€˜A great big ferocious growly bear coming to hug you to death!’
    â€˜Two big ferocious growly bears coming to gobble up their little girl!’
    The bathroom door burst open and Connie squealed as twin dads rushed into the room, growling and grunting.

    â€˜Grrrr!’ ‘Grrrr!’ ‘Help! Don’t! Oooh! Tee-heeeee!’ Connie screamed, as they picked her up in their pretend paws and tickled her with their pretend claws.
    â€˜Connie? What’s the matter? Why are you screaming? Hang on, Dad’s coming!’ Dad shouted from downstairs.
    He came running into the bathroom and bumped right into the twin dads and Connie.
    â€˜Get off my daughter!’ Dad yelled, and he tried to drag Connie free.
    â€˜She’s our daughter, too!’ ‘We’re having a game. Connie loves a romp, don’t you, darling?’
    â€˜You haven’t played with