I Think My Dad Is a Spy

by Sognia Vassallo

  I Think My Dad is a Spy

  Sognia Vassallo

  Published by Classic Author and Publishing Services Pty Ltd

  An imprint of Jo Jo Publishing

  First published 2015

  'Yarra's Edge'

  2203/80 Lorimer Street

  Docklands VIC 3008

  Australia

  Email: admin@classic-jojo.com or visit www.classic-jojo.com

  © Sognia Vassallo

  Illustrations on pages 14, 16 and 82 by Sognia Vassallo. All other illustrations Jenny Wood.

  All rights reserved. No part of this printed or video publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright owner.

  JoJo Publishing Imprint

  Editor: Julie Athanasiou

  Designer / typesetter: Working Type Studio (www.workingtype.com.au)

  Printed in China by Ink Asia.

  National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

  Creator: Vassallo, Sognia, author.

  Title: I think my dad is a spy / Sognia Vassallo; edited by

  Julie Athanasiou.

  ISBN: 9780994275561 (eBook)

  Target Audience: For primary school age.

  Subjects: Spy stories.

  Other Creators/Contributors: Athanasiou, Julie, editor.

  Dewey Number: A823.4

  Digital edition distributed by

  Port Campbell Press

  www.portcampbellpress.com.au

  eBook Conversion by Winking Billy

  To my family, thank you

  for the inspiration and support.

  I love you.

  Journal entry:

  Monday, 9pm

  What’s bugging me today more than lately is my parcel delivery job. I mean WHAT’S UP WITH ALL THESE PARCELS!?!

  Why do people leave it to the last minute on a Friday to post their packages?!! It makes me so mad!

  Mondays are hard enough without having to deliver a bazillion parcels after school. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!

  (MAJOR THOUGHT: I have just decided that when I’m a grown-up, I will NEVER work on a Monday)…EVER!!!

  I have another complaint and it’s a big one by the name of Michael McClain or as I call him—‘Idiot-Boy’. I hate that we go to the same high school and just because our parents are dating, all his dumb mates call me his ‘little sister’.

  I swear he was put on this planet just to annoy me!!!

  And the other thing that’s been bugging me lately is my DAD!

  He’s been acting really odd. I’ve caught him twice now whispering on the phone in the strangest places. Just this afternoon when I was getting ready for work, I overheard him talking on his mobile inside the broom closet. I think he was talking about a woman because he said the name ‘Tiffany’.

  I also heard him say, ‘Wall Street, New York City’.

  At first I thought he was talking to my Grandma Georgina, ’coz she’s in New York at the moment on a book tour, but then why would Dad be talking to her inside the broom closet? It doesn’t make any sense. Hmmm…I wonder if I should ask Chelsea (Dad’s girlfriend) if she has noticed anything weird about him lately too.

  I think it’s time I investigated his weird behavior more.

  Earlier today I said to my two best friends Theo and Janice as we walked to school, “Ya’ know what? I’ve had it up to here with all these secretive phone calls in the middle of the night.” Theo didn’t reply instead he gave me a pat on the back and his usual comforting smile as he walked alongside me.

  Theodore Riley is a good looking boy, tall with dark brown hair always neatly parted on the side. His passion is dancing. You name it—jazz, tap and ballet. His dream is to some day dance on Broadway in New York City. He is very popular with the girls but sadly isn’t the slightest bit interested in any of them!

  My other best friend, Janice Voyce, was walking in front of us talking about a million miles an hour. Janice is pale and freckly and she looks like a tomboy. No one wants to make her mad because she has a wild temper to match her messy red hair! She is smart too—geeky smart—and is going to become a lawyer one day. She is on the school debating team, which I reckon is because she enjoys arguing a lot. She also gossips a lot, which she gets from her mum. Her passion for law is from her dad, who owns a famous law firm with offices all around the world.

  Janice has always been jealous of Theo’s wealthy background as she doesn’t like the idea of anyone being more famous or wealthy than her. Money means a lot to Janice as she measures success by how much you have. That doesn’t explain how we became friends because I’m not a billionaire and I’m sure my dad isn’t either!

  “So I take it by your grumpy face this morning that you haven’t found out who’s been calling in the middle of the night?” Janice asked teasingly.

  “Nuh!” I grunted half asleep. “But I know one thing for sure; these calls are not prank calls. Last night just as I fell out of bed to answer the phone, Dad came rushing down hallway like a mad man yelling, ‘I’ll get it!’”

  “Did you find out who called?” Theo asked.

  “No, because he shooed me back off to bed before he picked up the phone,” I said miserably.

  “Oh!” said Theo shaking his head. “That’s not good Sophie.”

  “I know and it’s happening more and more. I’m really getting worried.”

  “Don’t sweat it Soph. It’s not that strange, it’s probably just a business call or something work-related,” Janice assured me.

  “Huh? A business call in the middle of the night Janice? Mr George runs a post office—what mail-related emergency could there poss­ibly be?” Theo disputed.

  “W-well, I don’t know exactly, but what I meant to say was when the phone rings in the middle of the night at our house, it’s just one of Dad’s partners from America or Japan. You see over there, no one remembers the time difference to us all the way down here in Australia. But all that will change when I become a famous lawyer like Dad. I’ll just move to Tokyo or to New York instead,” Janice announced proudly.

  “Instead of moving time zones why don’t you just turn your phone off before you go to bed?” Theo asked.

  “Oh…shut up Theo you don’t know anything!” she snapped rudely.

  “Hey stop it you two! I’d like at least one morning on the way to school where you don’t bicker at each other,” I growled. I didn’t mean to sound like a grown-up but they needed someone like me to keep them in line. The three of us dawdled up the road in silence.

  “Yesterday afternoon after I delivered all the parcels,” I said breaking the silence, “I overheard Dad talking on the phone but this time he was talking inside the broom closet.”

  “THE BROOM CLOSET!” my friends exclaimed.

  “Yes! It seems to be the place he takes all his ‘important calls’ lately,” I said using my fingers as inverted comas to emphasize the words ‘important calls’. “That’s when I overheard him mention ‘Wall Street’.”

  “But that’s in New York City!” Janice interrupted me.

  “DUH, WE KNOW THAT!” Theo scoffed at Janice.

  “Well so-rr-y for speaking,” she huffed as she folded her arms tightly and walked a little faster ahead of us.

  I could tell Janice was annoyed because whenever she got mad her freckles glowed bright orange.

  “I also heard Dad say the name ‘Tiffany’,” I said ignoring her. Theo let out a dramatic gasp with both his hands clasped over his mouth. He always showed a lot of enthusiasm during conversations; I liked that about him.

  “Wh
o’s Tiffany?” Janice asked as she stopped and waited for us to catch up to her.

  “I don’t know. I’m not even sure if he was talking to a woman called Tiffany or he just happened to mention the name,” I said.

  “Well it sounds to me like he’s got another girlfriend,” announced Janice.

  Janice’s comment took me so by surprise that I coughed and choked for air. Theo quickly pushed her out of the way and began patting me hard on the back.

  “You shouldn’t say things like that Janice, Sophie could’ve choked to death!” he exaggerated. “Besides Mr George would never do anything to hurt Chelsea, they’ve been together for ages and he really loves her!”

  “Yeah I agree. (Cough, cough.) It’s just her idiot son Michael I can’t stand!” I spluttered.

  Theo nodded agreeing with me while he kept patting my back.

  “Did you see him at lunch yesterday picking on poor Dunstan again?” I asked in a croaky voice.

  “Yeah, that Michael’s a real idiot. I feel so sorry for you Soph. Can you imagine if your dad marries Chelsea, then Michael would become your step bro…”

  “DON’T EVER SAY IT, JANICE!” I yelled.

  Theo shot a nasty look at Janice as he grabbed me by the arm. “Are you trying to kill Sophie today, Janice?” he scowled escorting me briskly up the lane way. Janice followed behind us sulking. “Hurry up or else we’ll be late for school,” he said.

  We walked in silence and my head swirled about with so many thoughts. Chelsea was such a nice lady, and it was such a shame because I couldn’t possibly see how Michael could actually be her son. I mean at first I thought she had adopted him because he doesn’t look anything like her and then there’s the fact he’s a complete idiot and she’s so nice. He also thinks he can boss me around and yet my dad really likes him. I am beginning to wonder if Dad always wished he had a son instead of a daughter.

  Maybe that’s why Dad split my after-school post-route in half, so Michael and I would have to work together and try to get along? Dad did say it would only be temporary, just until Michael learned the ropes and then he can have a route of his own. I’m not so sure I like the idea of all four of us working at the post office together. Lucky for me I only have to put up with him for another year and then he’s off to uni somewhere. I hope it’s far away like Siberia, where ever that is! Ugh, the thought of Michael becoming my step-brother makes my stomach turn. Yuck!

  We turned the street corner from a quiet lane into the main street, which bustled with teenagers going to school. We had to dodge cars, bikes, scooters, kids on rollerblades and any other thing that had wheels. But that wasn’t the worst of it, the Murphy brothers often threw rotten oranges from Mrs Kennedy’s orchard trees at anyone who looked like a good target.

  The boys were five horrible bullies who gave their poor mum such a hard time. I remember once when I was delivering their mail I heard Mrs Murphy threatening she would start adopting them out one by one if they didn’t start behaving themselves.

  WHOOSH! SPLAT!

  “IF JUST ONE OF THOSE HIT ME I SWEAR I WILL MURDER WHOEVER THREW IT!” I bellowed grumpily over my shoulder. The brothers often annoyed us but after I yelled at them they just walked right on by and Mitchell even mumbled a ‘sorry’. I was shocked but of course I tried not to let my friends see that. I would have them believe it’s because sometimes when I growl people take notice of me. Janice and Theo would tell you it’s because the Murphy brothers are scared of Michael McClain and what he might do if they picked on his ‘little sister’.

  We were almost at the school and I couldn’t help but notice that it looked like something out of a story book. Originally the land was an orchard belonging to the Mead family which is why it was called ‘Orchard Mead High School’. The administration block is like a bazillion years old and looked it. I think it was the original homestead because it’s made from stones, clay and straw. The rose garden surrounding the school is always so neat. Sometimes I thought it was such a shame to have all these grotty teenagers trampling through them every day. Mr Ferguson, the groundskeeper, must be a very patient man.

  Suddenly Janice squealed with excitement:

  “OMG, I THINK I’VE GOT IT!” she screeched throwing her arms out in front of me.

  WHACK!

  “OWW!” I cried as I felt the harsh slap across my rib cage.

  “Whoops sorry. I didn’t mean to smack you Soph, it was an accident.”

  If I didn’t believe Theo before, I really did now think Janice was trying to kill me today!

  “But Soph, I think I know why your dad’s been acting so weird lately,” she said pulling hard on my school blazer so I would follow her off the footpath.

  “I’m sure your dad’s gotta’…” but she stopped mid-sentence and cautiously looked around to make sure we couldn’t be overheard.

  “Well what is he?” I asked impatiently.

  “I think he’s a sp…”

  BEEEEP!

  But Janice’s words were drowned out by a car horn.

  “A what?” I yelled back, but another car horn had double-beeped over me as well.

  BEEEEP! BEEEEP!

  Frustrated, Janice took a deep breath and shouted out as loud as she could, “I THINK YOUR DAD’S A SPY, SOPHIE!”

  The busy street fell silent but Janice’s words echoed around the school car park. This time there weren’t any car horns beeping or bicycle bells ringing. Everybody had stopped what they were doing to stare at us.

  I felt so embarrassed. I looked straight down at my shoes and I urged them to just walk in the direction of the school gates. My face felt hot and my heart was racing. I made a point not to look up when a group of students giggled at me as I scurried passed them. I even ignored Nichole McGerny when she yelled out, “Hey Sophie watch out!” But I really shouldn’t have ignored her because…”

  BANG!

  OMG!

  How embarrassing, I had slammed headfirst into Principal Mr McNabb.

  I could tell it was him just by looking at his expensive Italian shoes, which I was now standing on.

  All the students and some of the parents erupted into laughter. I wanted to run off in the hope this hadn’t just happened. Maybe I was still sleeping and this was all a nightmare, I thought. I shut my eyes tight and pinched myself sharply. Ow! No, I was awake all right!

  I opened my eyes. I am never going to live this down, I kept thinking to myself over and over.

  “Sophie George what are you doing?” asked the deep gravelly voice of Mr McNabb. Suddenly everyone fell silent. I did not want to look up but knew I couldn’t stand on his feet forever. Slowly I moved my gaze from his shiny black shoes all the way up to his navy blue suit. My eyes reached his grey necktie, which looked like it was choking his chubby neck.

  “Perhaps you should watch where you’re walking Miss George,” he said in a surprisingly good mood as he ushered me off his shoes.

  “SORRY SIR, IT WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN!” I blurted in a booming nervous voice. Whenever I felt nervous my voice got louder, which was just another embarrassing trait of mine.

  “Come on,” he said warmly as we walked through the large gates and into school.

  Mr McNabb patted my shoulder as he left me standing on the main pathway alongside the rose bushes. I pretended to be interested in the flowers while I waited impatiently for my friends to catch up.

  “Oh my god Sophie, are you all right? That must’ve been so embarrassing for you!” Theo said scrambling to my side.

  “Oh my god, I know. I don’t know what was worse—banging into Mr McNabb or Janice telling the WHOLE WORLD my dad is a spy,” I said glaring at Janice.

  “Oh it was definitely when you slammed headfirst into Mr McNabb,” Janice pointed out ever so efficiently.

  My friends were both nodding in agreement reminding me of those silly bobble-head dolls. I was so upset with them that I didn’t bother to argue the point any further. Instead I walked off in the direction of my locker.

 
“STOP THAT McCLAIN! PUT DOWN THAT BOY INSTANTLY!” bellowed Mr McNabb. His booming voice snapped me back into the horrible reality that was high school.

  McNabb was yelling at Michael McClain who was holding poor Dunstan Milfrey up by his underwear in what was suitably called a ‘Hanging Wedgie’.

  “IF YOU ENJOY HANGING AROUND WITH THE JUNIORS SO MUCH, I’M SURE WE COULD ARRANGE FOR YOU TO JOIN IN SOME OF THEIR CLASSES TODAY!” McNabb bellowed across the quadrangle.

  “No sir. I’m sorry sir,” Michael retorted as he quickly dropped Dunstan back on the ground.

  “What an idiot,” I said sadly shaking my head in shame.

  “Yeah, I agree,” said Theo.

  “Me too,” said Janice. “Soooooooo Sophie, what do you think about what I said earlier; you know about your dad?” Janice reminded me.

  She looked overly excited about her ridiculous theory.

  I was trying hard to ignore that she even mentioned the ‘my-father-is-a-spy-nonsense’ when all of a sudden I saw the Luna twins coming this way.

  “Good morning Mr McNabb,” sang Lulu and Lola as they stood blocking Mr McNabb’s path, causing him to come to an abrupt halt.

  “Oh, good morning girls,” he stammered as he desperately looked around for any type of distraction other than the identical twins standing before him.

  “Would you like us to carry anything to your office today?” the Luna twins chorused. Every word they said they sang together. They were so annoying it made me sick.

  “A-hem…no thank you girls…not today,” Mr McNabb said awkwardly as he tried to move past them. He stepped forward, sideways and backwards but the girls mirrored his actions and blocked his path. I felt kind of sorry for him as he looked extremely uncomfortable. I could tell by the dread in his eyes that he was desperate for someone, anyone, to rescue him.

  Suddenly my imagination began to drift off. I had another idea for a cartoon drawing; I was running towards the Loony twins waving my arms and shooing the horrible girls away like they were a pair of oversized seagulls. Squawk! Squawk! I laughed out loud.

  “Soph…Sophie? Sophie George are you even listening to me!” Janice barked.