Tell It to the Moon

by Siobhan Curham

  “Why don’t we try telling the moon about Maali?” Amber said, leaning back on the bench and tilting her face up to the sky.

  “Good idea,” Rose said, also looking up.

  A half-moon was glowing softly above them, misty-edged from cloud cover. All around them London hummed with noise – car horns, sirens, distant laughter and shouting – but in the darkened garden it felt peaceful.

  “Do you want to start?” Rose asked.

  “OK.” Amber focused her gaze on the moon. Then she pictured what she was about to say being beamed back down to Maali inside the hospital, as if the moon were a giant glowing satellite dish. “I’d just like to say that I hope Maali can feel your presence – and our presence.” She pictured the moon’s strength pulling tides in and out the world over and she pictured some of that same strength flowing into Maali. “I hope it’s making her feel stronger, in what must be a terrible time.” Amber looked at Rose. “Do you want to say something?”

  “Sure.” Rose stood up and stared at the moon. “We really need your help. I know you can’t change what’s happening to her dad but you can make our girl Maals feel strong. I know you can. And if you have some way of letting her know that we’re here for her, that would be awesome too.”

  “I know,” came a soft voice from the darkness.

  Rose turned to see Maali standing behind the bench, smiling weakly.

  “So, what did you think?” Leon asked as they made their way out of the radio station.

  “It was great,” Sky replied with a smile. “You were great. I still can’t believe you asked me to read.”

  During one of the show’s music breaks Leon had asked if he and Sky could read their “Courage” poem together. Nelson had readily agreed and to her surprise, Sky hadn’t felt any of the nerves she experienced performing at spoken-word events. There was something so intimate about radio – just her and the mic and Leon – it was easy to pretend there was no one else listening.

  As they stepped out on to Borough High Street, Sky felt much happier. “Thank you so much for this evening,” she said.

  “It isn’t over yet,” Leon replied. “Is it?” He looked at her so hopefully it filled her heart with joy. She shook her head. “Good.” He took her hand and pulled her into a shop doorway. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to do.”

  “What?”

  Leon took her face in his hands and kissed her gently on the mouth.

  Maali looked from Rose to Amber and back again. “Thank you for coming. It made me so happy when I saw your text.”

  Rose put her arm round her. “Are you kidding? Where else would we be? How’s your dad?”

  “Still in surgery.” Maali checked her phone. Before she’d popped out to see the Moonlight Dreamers she’d given her mum strict instructions to text or call as soon she heard anything. “Where’s Sky?”

  “She had to go to a radio interview,” Amber replied.

  “Wow, really?”

  “It wasn’t her interview,” Rose muttered.

  Maali looked at her questioningly.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Rose said quickly. “I’m sure she’ll get here if she can.”

  “I’m so grateful you came,” Maali said. “It’s been so scary.”

  “Let’s sit down.” Rose gestured to the bench. Maali sat down and Amber and Rose sat either side of her. For the first time all day she didn’t feel alone.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” Rose asked.

  Maali sighed. “It’s been horrible.”

  “I bet.”

  “I almost stopped believing in God.”

  “What?” Rose stared at her. “You can’t stop believing in God. You not believing in God would be like – like Taylor Swift not believing in break-up songs.”

  “I know. But I didn’t get why God would do something like this to my dad. It seemed so unfair.”

  “Life is unfair,” Amber muttered. “That’s just the way it is.”

  “But you mustn’t let it stop you from being you,” Rose added.

  “She’s right,” Amber said. “You can’t let bad things beat you.”

  Maali stared at them. “But you guys don’t even believe in God. I thought you’d be happy if I stopped.”

  Rose shook her head. “All that stuff you say about the gods and goddesses – I might not believe in it, but I do kind of like it, and anyway, it’s part of what makes you you.”

  Maali gave her a relieved smile. “Thank you.” She looked up at the moon. “And thank you, Chandra, for bringing my fellow Dreamers to me.”

  They sat in silence for a moment. Then Maali’s phone began to ring. “Oh my God, it’s my mum,” she stammered.

  “It’s OK. We’re here,” Rose said, moving closer.

  “Yes,” Amber said, placing her hand on Maali’s arm.

  Hands trembling, Maali answered the call.

  “Maali,” her mum said, her voice quivering like she was crying. Why was she crying? What had happened? Maali’s heart plummeted. “He’s out of surgery. The operation’s done.”

  Maali gulped. “And was it – is he OK?”

  “Yes. They’ve taken him to the recovery unit.”

  “I’ll be straight up.” Maali ended the call and looked at Amber and Rose. “My dad’s out of surgery. He’s OK!”

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  As soon as Sky got to school the following morning she went into a cubicle in the girls’ toilets to check her phone – there was no way she was going to risk getting it confiscated again. When she’d got home last night she’d texted Maali straight away, apologizing for not coming to see her and asking how her dad was. Maali had replied almost immediately to let her know that the operation was over and her dad was OK. She hadn’t seemed upset at all that Sky hadn’t come. Then Sky had texted Rose, apologizing for not getting back to her and explaining that she’d had to switch her phone off at the radio station and by the time the interview was over it was too late to join them at the hospital. It was only a white lie. Rose didn’t know that the interview had been over by seven-thirty. But Rose hadn’t replied. She had no reason to be mad at her. Did she? Sky closed the toilet lid and sat down. Then she took her phone from her pocket. She gave a sigh of relief as she saw she’d got a text from Rose. But her heart sank as she read it.

  Hey, real shame you couldn’t be there. We’re going up there again straight after school. Amber will let you know the details. xo

  It seemed so curt. And Sky couldn’t help noticing that there was only one kiss. Rose always signed off with at least two. You’re being pathetic, Sky told herself. She was probably just in a hurry when she wrote it. She leaned over and pressed the side of her face against the cool wall. Coming in from the icy cold to the stuffy school had caused her face to burn. She re-read the text. Amber and Rose were going to the hospital again. Her stomach began to churn. There was no way she’d be able to get out of going two days running. She was going to have to face her fear. She was going to have to be strong for Maali, no matter how many horrible memories it unleashed. Sky thought of the day stretching out before her. All of the teachers she owed homework to; all of the trouble she was about to get into. Last night, walking along the South Bank with Leon had been such a welcome escape from it all. She’d felt so happy as they’d walked and talked – and, every so often, kissed. But now she was back in the nightmare that was school, with no escape for hours. And then she had to go to a hospital and talk about Maali’s dad, who possibly had cancer. Sky closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the stale air. She had no idea how she was going to do this.

  * * *

  “Dad, do you want to hear me roar like a dinosaur?” Namir asked as he plonked himself on the end of the hospital bed.

  Maali’s dad grinned. “I would love to hear you roar like a dinosaur but I’m not sure the rest of the ward do. Could you roar like a dinosaur who has a sore throat?”

  Maali laughed. Even though her dad still looked as frail as he did before the operat
ion, there was a new lightness about him. Her mum had said it was because he was high on painkillers but Maali could tell that it was more than that. He was just as relieved as they were to have the operation out of the way.

  “Why don’t you and I take a trip to the vending machine?” their mum said to Namir. “That’s if you’re a dinosaur who likes chocolate?”

  Namir was off the bed like a shot. “All dinosaurs like chocolate, silly!”

  Maali and her dad watched as her mum and Namir made their way out of the ward.

  “How are you doing, pet?” he asked once they’d gone.

  “OK. How are you?” Maali studied her dad’s face.

  “I’m great.” He smiled. “Such a relief to get the op out of the way. And to not feel sick any more!”

  Maali smiled. But he must have had the same questions hanging over his head that she did, casting clouds over his relief: Had the tumour been cancerous? Would it come back?

  * * *

  Amber came out of the fire exit and looked around. Sky was pacing up and down at the foot of the steps looking really stressed.

  “Oh good!” she said when she spotted Amber. “I thought you might not come.”

  “Why wouldn’t I come? We always meet here.”

  “I thought maybe … never mind. How are you? How was Maali last night? I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to join you.”

  Amber came down the steps. “It’s fine. She was OK. Well, as OK as can be expected. And the surgery went well.”

  “Yes, but…” Sky broke off. “Do they know what it was? The tumour, I mean.”

  Amber shook her head. “They have to wait a few days for the results of the biopsy.”

  Sky looked away. She seemed so flustered and on edge.

  “We’re going back to the hospital to see Maali straight after school. Did Rose tell you?”

  “I – uh – I won’t be able to make it,” Sky said glumly. “I have a detention.”

  “What for?”

  “Not doing my maths homework.”

  “Oh no! Well, maybe you could join us after your detention? We’ll be there for a while, I’m sure.”

  “No! I can’t. I have so much other homework to do. I need to get on top of it or I’ll be in detention every day.”

  Amber stepped closer to Sky. “Are you OK?”

  “Yes, yes, I’m fine.” Sky looked like she might be about to burst into tears. “I think maybe I should go to the library. Try and get a start on the homework mountain.”

  “Oh, OK.” Amber stared after Sky as she hurried up the steps.

  “Have a nice time with Maali tonight. Send her my love,” Sky muttered, before disappearing back into the school.

  As Rose made her way along the canal path she felt her anger grow with every step. It had been bad enough when Sky didn’t show at the hospital because she was out with Leon, but to blow them out tonight because she had homework was the lamest excuse in the book. Part of her had wondered if the homework excuse was even true. That’s why she’d decided to call in on Sky on her way home from the hospital to check for herself that she wasn’t out with lover-boy.

  She stepped onto the deck at the front of the boat and knocked on the door.

  “Rose!” Liam opened the door and grinned at her. “How are ye?”

  “Great, thanks.”

  “And how’s your mam?”

  “She’s OK, I guess. Is Sky home?”

  “She is.” Liam stepped aside and gestured down the narrow passageway. “Go ahead.”

  Rose felt a slight wave of relief as she made her way along the boat. At least Sky was at home. At least she hadn’t been lying. Then she heard the low murmur of Sky’s voice from inside the cabin, followed by a giggle. She must be talking to Leon. Rose rapped loudly on the door.

  “Rose?” Sky looked really shocked as she opened the door. Or was it guilt? “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to see what’s up,” Rose said bluntly.

  “What do you mean? Wait a second.” Sky ran over to her bunk and picked up her phone. “Can I call you back?” She giggled again. “Yes, you too.” She put the phone down and turned back to Rose. “Sorry about that, come in.”

  “Who were you talking to?” Rose said.

  “Oh, just Leon.”

  There was something about the casual way she said it that really pissed Rose off. Bully for Sky that she could be so blasé about having a guy.

  “Why didn’t you come to the hospital last night?”

  “You know why.” Sky looked defensive.

  “You were out with poet guy.”

  “Leon. Yes. He’d invited me to go to a radio interview with him.” Sky sat down on her bunk.

  Rose remained standing. “His radio interview?”

  “Yes.”

  “So you didn’t have to be there?”

  “No, well, yes. I mean, he’d invited me.”

  “And what, he wouldn’t have understood if you told him you had to go see your friend whose dad was having life-saving surgery?”

  Sky stared at her. Even in the dim light of the candles dotted around the cabin Rose could see her face was flushing. “Yes, of course he would,” she eventually replied. “But by the time I got your message it was too late. I was already there.”

  “But I messaged you at five. How long did this interview take? All night?” Rose was really mad now. She could tell Sky was lying. It was written all over her face. And she’d lied again tonight. She hadn’t been doing homework after her detention, she’d been on the phone to Leon. “I thought the Moonlight Dreamers was important to you.”

  “It is.”

  Rose shook her head. “No, it’s not. Not since you met this guy.”

  Sky stared at her. “What? How?”

  “It’s like your friends come last now. Everything revolves around him.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Yes, it is. You were late for our meeting because you were so busy writing poems in the park or whatever. And twice now you’ve let Maali down at a time when she really needs us.”

  “I haven’t let her down. I’ve been texting her.”

  “Oh, whoop-de-doo!”

  Sky got to her feet. “You don’t understand.”

  “Oh, I understand. You’re one of those lame girls who dumps her friends the minute a guy comes on the scene.”

  “I’m not!” Sky looked really angry now.

  “Yes, you are, and it’s pathetic.”

  “You’re jealous,” Sky said, staring at Rose.

  “What?”

  “Of me and Leon. That’s what this is about. You’re jealous because I’ve met someone who likes me back.”

  There was a horrible silence. Sky’s words lodged deep inside of Rose like a knife. “Thanks,” she muttered.

  “I didn’t mean—”

  “No, I know exactly what you meant.” Rose turned and walked to the door. “Go to hell, Sky.”

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Clutching her e-ticket and her passport, Amber made her way to the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras. This was it, the day she would finally have something sensational to write about … hopefully. She pressed her ticket to the scanner and walked through the gate to join the queue of people waiting to go through customs. Her recent trip to Paris with Gerald and Daniel and the Moonlight Dreamers was fresh in her memory so she remembered exactly what to do. She still felt nervous, though. This was the first time she’d ever travelled abroad on her own. But she felt excited, too.

  Once she’d put her bag and coat through the X-ray machine she joined the queue for passport control. This was the bit she’d been dreading. What if they were suspicious of a sixteen year old travelling alone? She’d looked it up online and knew that it was allowed, and she’d prepared a cover story just in case – she was off to see her great-aunt Celine from the fictional French side of her family – but it was fine. The grumpy security guard scowled at her and scowled at her passport, then let her through with a grunt. A
s Amber made her way over to the crowded waiting area she felt awash with happiness. This was it – her adventure had begun.

  Maali stepped out on to Brick Lane and took a deep breath of the crisp, cool air. She loved it at this time on a Saturday, before the place was invaded by shoppers and tourists. When the only people around were the road-sweepers and the store-owners getting ready for the new day. She’d wanted to come out with her camera to see if she could find any photos of hope and love. She also craved a little time on her own. The past couple of days since her dad’s operation had been a weird confusion of mixed emotions. The surgeon had been very pleased with the results – she’d been able to remove all of the tumour. With every day Maali’s dad looked a bit healthier and stronger. He was able to walk and eat. But every day brought them closer to finding out the biopsy results. The happiness they were feeling was as fragile as an eggshell. It could be shattered in an instant.

  As Maali walked past the Brick Lane mosque she instinctively thought of God. It had been such a confusing time for her spiritually but the conclusion she’d come to was that as long as she kept it as simple as possible – thinking of God as a source of love and strength and wisdom within everyone – she felt at peace and protected. She took a photo of the mirrored minaret, then carried on walking, looking for other signs of hope and love. She turned down the side street that led to the City Farm. It was far too early for Ash to be there. As she walked across the stubbly patch of grass in front of the council flats she thought of how love-struck she’d felt when she’d seen Ash before. It seemed so silly now. She hadn’t loved Ash. She hadn’t even really known him. What had happened to her dad had rebooted her somehow. It had made her realize what real love was and that it didn’t come in an instant. Like a rare orchid, real love took tender care and time to grow. She went over to the low fence and looked into the farm. Most of the animals were still in their stalls but a white horse was grazing in the far corner of the field. The same horse that had been there the night she’d first met Ash – the one that had been made to look like a unicorn for a drink commercial. It felt fitting somehow that she should see it today – that the thing that had brought her to Ash in the first place should appear just as her crush on him ended. “Thank you,” Maali whispered to the horse before taking its picture.