Zodiac Girls: Star Child

by Cathy Hopkins

  “Three weeks! But it can’t be. I mean, surely, that can’t be right. I mean… will he be around at all?” I blustered.

  Captain John shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. You can never be certain of anything when Mercury goes retrograde.”

  I glanced over at the Captain. I really wanted some time alone with Dad to discuss my chart and make plans for how best to make use of my time. “Er… Dad…”

  Dad took a sip of his beer. “Just go with the flow, baby,” he said, then turned his attention back to his visitor. “Just go with the flow and all will be well, and in the meantime the Captain here and I have a lot of things to talk about, so be a dear and run along hey?”

  “Good advice – to go with the flow,” said Captain John. “And Thebe, believe in your dreams.”

  Pff, I thought as I left the room. Go with the flow? Run along. Hah! What did Dad know? I can’t “flow” back up to my room, which is what I’d really like to do, because it’s too noisy in there with my room-mate from hell. I kicked the wall with frustration.

  “Ow!” I cried as my toe throbbed with pain. I went up the stairs to the first floor and listened at my bedroom door. Yasmin was still playing music at full volume in there. I went up the next flight of stairs. Maybe I could hang out in Pat’s room and read a book. Her door was locked. I knocked. “Pat. You in there?”

  “Go away,” came her voice from inside.

  “Please,” I said. “I won’t get in your way.”

  “You’ve got your own room.”

  “Haven’t. Yasmin’s taken over.”

  “Then go and see what Mum’s doing. I’m busy.”

  I sighed and set off back down the stairs and along to Mum and Dad’s bedroom which was the Aquarius room. When I opened the door, I saw that the silver velvet curtains were closed, the only light coming from a lavender scented candle on Mum’s dressing table, and some gentle New Age music was playing. It felt cool and peaceful in there. The walls were painted electric blue. Mum and I had done some stencilling along the top of the walls similar to my room only instead of stars we’d done a series of silver streaks of lightning. These symbolized the energy of Uranus, the ruling planet of Aquarius, which was often said to come like a bolt out of the blue. Mum was lying on the bed in her dressing gown and looked like something out of a horror movie. Her hair was scraped back in a hair band, her face was plastered white and she had a cucumber slices over both eyes.

  “Mum…” I whispered.

  “Erf. Oo ee it?”

  “Thebe.”

  “Erf ’ace ’ack odge,” she said through her closed mouth. I understood. Face pack. She didn’t like to say much when she had one on in case it cracked.

  “Can I stay in here for a while?”

  “Uh uh,” she said as she shook her head from side to side. Mum took her chilling time very seriously. I got the message.

  Not wanted upstairs. Not wanted downstairs. Not wanted in my own room, I thought as I trooped down to the kitchen. Outside it was pouring with rain so the garden wasn’t an option. Go with the flow, Dad had said. What blooming flow? I’m the only one who really understands what it takes to keep things flowing. I really am, I thought, as I stomped off into the utility room at the back of the kitchen to put the dirty washing into the light and dark piles ready for Mrs Watson who was coming in tomorrow morning. If this family went with the flow, there would be no food, no dinner, no clean clothes. The house would be a total mess if it wasn’t for me getting things organized!

  Above the dryer was one of Mum’s charts listing all the signs of the zodiac and the symbol for that sign.

  Aries: the ram.

  Taurus: the bull.

  Gemini: the twins.

  Cancer: the crab.

  Leo: the lion.

  Virgo: the virgin.

  Libra: the scales.

  Scorpio: the scorpion.

  Sagittarius: the archer.

  Capricorn: the goat.

  Aquarius: the water carrier.

  Pisces: two fish.

  It was a nice poster with illustrations of each symbol drawn by Auntie Francelle but I stuck my tongue out at it. I felt cross. Being part of a zodiac family, living in a zodiac house and being a Zodiac Girl wasn’t any fun at all!

  From one of Dad’s books on astrology:

  The word retrograde applies, in astrology, to the apparent backward motion through the zodiac of a planet. All the planets, except the Sun and Moon, have these retrograde periods, but Mercury is most famous for them, probably because Mercury represents communication.

  This includes writing, speaking, shopping and signing contracts. While Mercury is retrograde, don’t give that party, be extra careful what you say and what you interpret when chatting with or writing to friends, expect mail to take longer than usual and computers to crash, so make sure you back up anything important.

  Good things to do when Mercury is retrograde are: chill out, meditate, edit the book/poem/song/essay you’ve been writing, clean house, talk to your pet, listen to music, paint, catch up on sleep!

  Chapter Five

  Queen of Sheba

  “You’re telling me that nothing’s happened?” asked Rachel the next day at school when I told her about my first weekend as a Zodiac Girl. She looked as disappointed as I felt. “I thought you’d have been having a fantastic time with all sorts of magical things happening.”

  “Maybe that’s how it is for some Zodiac Girls but not for this one, Thebe Battye. I must be so uninspiring and ordinary that the planets can’t even be bothered to think of anything exciting for me to do and even my guardian’s cleared off, he’s so bored.”

  “You’re not boring, Thebe,” said Rachel and she gave my arm a squeeze. “I think you’re the most interesting girl in the whole school.” Rachel has been my best friend since junior school. Dad used to call us Ebony and Ivory after a song written by Paul McCartney who was Dad’s favourite Beatle. It’s something to do with piano keys I think. The lyrics are “Ebony and ivory play together in perfect harmony,” or something like that. We’re total opposite in looks as Rachel is tall with long blonde hair and creamy white skin and I’m small and dark with coffee-coloured skin.

  I smiled. It was nice of her to say that but what I knew she really meant was that my family was interesting and where I lived was interesting. I was only interesting because I basked in their reflection. It was only a matter of time before she realized that I was the black sheep of the family. I was the dull one.

  After school, I went up to the ice rink to try and get a bit of practise in without anyone I knew witnessing my shame, but for all my best intentions, I still couldn’t let go of the edge or stand up on my own. I made my way home afterwards feeling like a failure and hoped that I could get my room to myself for half an hour before Yasmin got back from her school. I was hoping to tidy up and get the room organized after the mess she’d made everywhere, as seeing everything neat and tidy always made me feel better again.

  I let myself in and was about to go and make a peanut and raspberry jam sandwich (with rye bread as I’m allergic to wheat) when I heard the sound of laughter and chattering coming from Dad’s study. I knocked on the door in case he had a client with him but there was no response and the laughter continued. In the end, my curiosity got the better of me so I opened the door and stuck my head around. Captain John Dory was back, but this time, he had someone else with him. He was much older looking than the Captain, had a long white beard, wore little glasses and was dressed in an old-fashioned looking tweed suit. He was engrossed in one of Dad’s old books. And then it dawned on me. If Captain John Dory was here. Maybe the other man was one of the planet people too.

  “Ah, here she is,” said Dad when he spotted me. “Come on in, Thebe. We’ve got guests!”

  Mum bustled in from behind me with a tray of drinks and a big smile. “Sorry guys, it’s cranberry and apple juice as we haven’t got any nectar of the gods today. Maybe next time.”

  The guests cracked up laugh
ing like Mum had said the funniest thing ever.

  “Thebe, come in. Meet everyone,” said Dad. “Captain John Dory, you know. And this is Dr Cronus a.k.a. Saturn.” The man in glasses nodded in my direction.

  I did my best to smile in a friendly manner but I wasn’t sure what to say or how to be. How to greet planets manifest in human form hadn’t been covered at our school. I felt like I was going to faint or my brain was going to short circuit. And then I remembered what a mess the Saturn room was upstairs. I so hoped that Mum and Dad hadn’t shown him up there or else he might have got upset.

  “Er, have you had the grand tour of the house?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

  “Ground floor only,” Dr Cronus replied. “My old bones can’t do the stairs like I used to.”

  Thank heavens for that, I thought. Still it’s strange that he’s in here with Neptune and Dad and doesn’t seem that bothered about talking to me. I remember that Hermie mentioned something about Saturn in my chart before he took off, but I don’t remember him saying anything about Neptune, so what’s he doing here? I know. Maybe he’s come over to make up for Hermie disappearing and he’s come with Dr Cronus to introduce themselves and congratulate me on being a Zodiac Girl.

  However, it wasn’t just the fact that they were there that was making me feel unsettled, it was the atmosphere in the room. It was like there had been a surge in electricity or someone had turned on the heating to full blast. The room felt like it was bubbling with an energy that was so alive that it seemed that it might blast the walls down.

  “Er… no Hermie?” I asked.

  “Retrograde,” chorused everyone then they all laughed again.

  “Now Thebe, I’m sure you have homework to do,” said Dad.

  “Yes. It’s very important to do your homework,” said Dr Cronus and he gave me a stern look over his glasses. I remembered that Mum had said that Saturn was the taskmaster of the zodiac, the one who taught important lessons, and that his human guise was that of a headmaster. I could see that he’d be a very strict one and was glad that he wasn’t at my school.

  “I always do my homework,” I told him. I did. I was an A-grade pupil and was never late with work. It was important to me to always be the best if I could, both at home and at school.

  Dr Cronus observed me for a few moments which made me feel more uncomfortable than ever, then he turned away as if he’d lost interest. Oh god, he can see how dull I am, I thought as I tugged on Mum’s arm. At first she took no notice as she seemed intent on chatting with the guests but eventually, she gave in and came out with me to the corridor.

  “What is it, Thebe?” she asked.

  “Mum, I’m not sure that both Neptune and Saturn should be here today. Hermie told me that Zodiac Girls only get to meet those who are prevalent in their chart in their special month. I think Saturn is but the only others who are supposed to be here are the Moon and Venus.”

  Mum patted my head. “Oh chill, Thebe honey, these guys aren’t here to see you. They’re here to see us. Your father invited them over to look at his library and to… well, to talk stars. And they seem as eager as we are. Joe Jupiter popped over this afternoon too while you were out at school. They are so interested to find out how astrology is perceived in this day and age and they’re dying to see all my merchandise. Now don’t you worry your pretty little head about them. You run along upstairs.”

  There it was again, run along. Mum must have seen my face fall because she pointed upstairs. “You have your own guests. Up there.”

  “Me? Who?”

  “What were you just telling me about the Moon and Venus? You were right and they are here. Pat took them up and I think Yasmin’s home too.”

  Oh lollipops, the Moon and Venus alone with Pat and Yasmin, yiiiiiiiiiiiiiikes, I thought as I took the stairs two at a time and prayed that my sister and my cousin hadn’t put my planet guides off for good. I burst into my room to find the kind of scene that you’d find in any girl’s bedroom. A woman with long blonde hair had her back to me and was braiding Yasmin’s hair while Pat was lolling on my bed. By the way she was holding her hands up she had clearly had her nails done recently.

  “Hey, Thebe,” said Pat. “This is Nessa. She’s come from a beauty salon in – where was it Nessa?”

  “Osbury, dahlin’,” said the woman in an Essex accent as she turned to me and smiled. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life. She had a perfect heart-shaped face, white blonde hair, sky blue eyes and a smile that lit up the room. I was thrown for a moment. Was she Venus? Could she be? She was certainly stunning enough, but would a goddess-type planet person wear tight, white jeans, even if they did have little diamante sequins up the seams? And her T-shirt looked totally up to date, there was nothing ancient about it at all. Somehow though, I’d imagined that Venus would wear goddess-type clothes but the woman in our room was pure footballer’s wife trendy. “Hi there, Thebe.”

  “Are… you… you… Venus?” I whispered.

  Yasmin cracked up. “Venus schemus. Der! Time for your medication, Thebe.”

  Pat rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. “Take no notice, Ness,” she said. “My little sister, in fact my whole family, is bonkers about the stars.”

  “Is that right?” said Nessa and she kept her eyes on me and then winked. I was certain who she was then. And she knew I knew. It didn’t matter what my stupid sister said. Or my cousin. Nessa was Venus.

  “What do you…? That is… do you like the room?” I asked.

  Nessa looked around in appreciation. “Bloomin’ love it,” she said and her glance stopped on the mural that had been partially covered by Yasmin’s horrible poster. “Shame you can’t see that fab paintin’ properly though. Based on a Botticelli, innit?”

  I nodded. “The Birth of Venus.”

  “That’s what I thought,” said Yasmin, getting up and taking the poster down immediately. “Such a shame not to see all of it.”

  I couldn’t believe how sucky-uppy she was acting. I so wanted Pat and Yasmin to clear out so that I could have a proper talk with Nessa. There were so many things I wanted to ask her but they seemed intent on staying. And stay they did. They talked about hair and make-up and skin care, even how to wax your legs, and Nessa didn’t seem to mind at all. She finished Yasmin’s hair. She painted Pat’s toenails. She showed both of them how to make the most of their lips. She offered to show me how to do make-up too, but I wasn’t bothered about that. I had far more important things to ask her about. I felt myself getting cross again. What was the point of being a Zodiac Girl, I thought, if you had to share it with your stupid relatives?

  “Er… is there anyone else with you?” I asked when I suddenly realized that Mum had said something about the Moon having arrived with Venus.

  “Oh yeah,” said Nessa and she looked around as if expecting someone else to appear out of nowhere. “Selene was wiv us when yer mum gave us the tour of the ’ouse when we first got ’ere. Where’d she go?”

  Pat and Yasmin shrugged.

  “She asked where the bathroom was,” said Pat. “Maybe she’s in there.”

  I set off to look. Maybe the Moon lady would be more interested in me. But then again, with my luck, she probably wouldn’t.

  I found her sitting half way up the stairs to Pat’s room. She had the look of a mermaid about her, although without the tail, as I could clearly see two feet with sparkly nails in silver sandals poking out from under her ankle-length skirt. Her clothes were made from a luminous, pale grey-green, silky material, the colour of fish’s scales, and she had long silver white hair that fell over her face. She was leaning over with her head in her hands and she didn’t look happy at all.

  “Erm… are you all right?” I asked as I approached as quietly as I could.

  She looked up and I saw that her eyes were the colour of the sea – aquamarine – and the iris was outlined with deep jade green. On her forehead, she had a silver dot. She was very striking but in a different way to Nessa. Ness
a was in-your-face obvious gorgeous whereas this woman was gentler looking with a quieter beauty.

  “Oh!” she said.

  I sat besides her. “I… er… I’m Thebe.”

  “Oh,” she said again. “Zodiac Girl?”

  I nodded. “Are you Selene?”

  She nodded. “Selene Luna.”

  “The Moon,” I said and then I couldn’t think of anything else to say so we both sat in silence for a few minutes. “Erm… is there something the matter?” Selene sniffed and it was then that I realized that she’d been crying. I put my hand on her arm. “Oh don’t cry, it can’t be all that bad. What is it? You can tell me. I’m a good listener.”

  Selene sniffed again and pointed upstairs. “Your mum gave us the tour when we arrived. Beautiful room after beautiful room. The house is… lovely.”

  “I know. Mum’s very proud of the décor. Our house was even featured in Heavenly Homes magazine one month. Did you see my room?”

  Selene nodded. “Yes…” sniff, sniff, “it’s really nice. It’s… all… lovely…” Sob, sob.

  “So what is it? Shall I get Mum? She really wanted you all to feel at home here.” And then I realized. How could I have been so insensitive? There was no Moon room. It had been painted over. “Oh peanuts! No Moon room. Oh Selene, I am so sorry. There used to be. It was up there and it was lovely, it really was, magical and then… my sister Pat…”

  “I know. Painted over it. Ten planets and I’m the only one who got covered over.”

  “Not exactly. The Saturn room is stuffed to the ceiling with Mum’s merchandise and anything that won’t fit in any other room.”

  “Yes but underneath all that, it’s still the Saturn room isn’t it? But mine’s been removed. Painted over. It happens all the time you know. Like I’m invisible sometimes. People don’t realize how hard it is for me. I try my best you know, I really do, I try to shine, I put out as much light as I can but it’s never enough. It’s because I don’t have my own light, did you know that? I shine by the sunlight reflected from my surface. Without the Sun, I’m nothing but a cold, rocky place… I am sooooo boring, no wonder your sister painted me out of the picture. It’s like everyone’s always so bowled over by the Sun or by Venus but the Moon, the Moon, so boring, so dull, hasn’t even got her own light…”