Lizzie Zipmouth (3 page)

“I wonder what sort of bedroom you'd like, Lizzie? You can choose the colour for the walls and we'll get you curtains and a duvet to match,” said Sam. “What about . . . pink?”

“Pink's a bit girly,” said Mum. “How about red, Lizzie? Or purple?”

I liked pink. But I didn't say anything.

Sam painted the walls purple and Mum bought red-and-purple checked curtains and a matching duvet. Sam bought a real little red armchair and a purple fluffy rug.

“There! Isn't it lovely? What do you say, Lizzie?” said Mum.

I didn't say anything.

“
Why
don't you ever say anything, Lizzie?” said Rory. “It's like you've got a zip across your mouth.”

“Lizzie Zipmouth,” said Jake, giggling. “Can't you talk at all?”

“Don't call Lizzie silly names,” said Sam. “Of course she can talk. She's just feeling a bit shy at the moment.” He looked round my new bedroom. “How can we make it a bit more homely for Lizzie? What about your toys? Shall we spread them around a bit?”

I didn't have that many. They all fitted neatly in a drawer. I wished I still had Flying Barbie but she got left behind when we ran away from that first stepdad. I hope she managed to fly out the window away from him.

I wished it was time to leave this second stepdad. He was being jolly and friendly but he'd change soon. I was still waiting for the shouting to start. I was sure he was just pretending to be kind.

I wasn't so sure about Rory. Maybe he really
was
kind. He stuck one of his Manchester United posters up on my bedroom wall.

“There! It's the right colour,” he said.

Sam wanted Jake to give me one of his Beanie Babies. Jake didn't want to be kind.

“They're
mine
,' he said. “I don't want to give them to Lizzie Zipmouth.”

“Hey, stop the name-calling,” said Sam. “What about the little purple teddy? He'd like to live in Lizzie's room.”

“No, he wouldn't!” said Jake. “He'd
hate
it!”

I hated it in my room too. All that bright red and purple hurt my eyes. I opened up my new wardrobe and shut myself inside.

It was lonely in the wardrobe. I put my slippers on my hands and made them do a dance in the dark but I couldn't think of any other games I could play.

After a while I heard Rory calling for me. And then Mum and Sam and even Jake.

“Lizzie?”

“Lizzie, where
are
you?”

“Lizzie Zipmouth?”

They shouted and shouted and shouted and shouted.

I still didn't say anything at all. I kept my mouth well and truly zipped.

Chapter Three

I got into big trouble with Mum when she found me. She was very, very cross because she thought I'd run away. She shouted at me.

Sam didn't shout at me. I was surprised. But maybe he
wanted
me to run away?

“You made your mum cry,” said Rory.

“You're ever so naughty, Lizzie Zipmouth,” said Jake.

Mum wanted me to say sorry to everyone for hiding in the wardrobe. I wouldn't say anything. So I got sent to bed without any tea.

I decided I didn't care one bit. But then Sam knocked on the door and whispered my name. He came into my room. I hid under the duvet. I was sure he was going to shout now.

But he didn't say anything at all. Long after he'd gone I peeped out. He'd left a big chocolate bar beside my bed. Purple to match my bedroom.

Rory and Jake crept in when they came to bed at the normal time. Rory gave me a biscuit. It was a bit crumbly from being in his pocket. I didn't say anything but I did smile at him. Jake didn't bring me any food but he ran and fetched his purple Beanie Baby teddy.

“You can have Mr Purple just for one night,” he said. “Only you will give him back in the morning, won't you, Lizzie Zipmouth?”

I didn't say anything but I nodded at him.

I didn't touch the chocolate but I nibbled an edge of biscuit and cuddled Mr Purple. Then I snuggled down to go to sleep.

Then guess what. Mum came in with a tray of tea for me. I didn't have to say sorry. In fact Mum said sorry to me! She gave me a big, big cuddle and she cried. She promised she'd never ever get cross again. But as I said, I don't always believe Mum's promises.

The next day was Sunday. Mum and I used to have lovely fun Sundays when we were just a family of two. We'd lie in bed late and play Bears-in-Caves under the bedcovers and once Mum let me take a jar of honey to bed with us and she just laughed when the sheets got all sticky.

Mum liked reading the newspapers all morning. I liked drawing on the papers, giving all the ladies in the photos moustaches and the men long dangly earrings. Then we'd have a picnic lunch in the park. We even had picnics when it was raining. We didn't care. We just said it was lovely weather for ducks and went, “Quack quack quack.” Then we watched videos in the evening. Mum liked old black-and-white movies and I liked new brightly coloured cartoons.

We had LOVELY Sundays.

I didn't think I was going to like the new Sundays one bit. Mum and Sam had a lie-in. Rory and Jake had pillow fights and played on their computer. I sat in the wardrobe. I wished I had Mr Purple to keep me company but he was back in his box in Jake's bedroom.