Garden of Empress Cassia by Gabrielle Wang Read Free Book Online Page B

delicious Mum,’ she said as she bit deep into the dumpling’s crunchy skin. The smooth sweet red bean paste oozed into her mouth. It tasted good.
    â€˜Have you been in Mimi’s garden?’ Dr Lu asked Mrs Lu.
    â€˜I stood at the entrance and read the inscription but nothing happened.’
    â€˜That’s because you don’t need the Garden, Mum.’
    Ding ding-a-ling.
The shop door opened. Gemma followed her mother into the shop.
    â€˜Mrs Johnson, please come in. Sit down,’ said Dr Lu.
    Oh no, what’s she doing here?
The dumpling in Mimi’s mouth suddenly tasted claggy and dry.
    â€˜Thank you, Dr Lu. Gemma tells me she’s in the same class at school as your daughter. She thought it would be nice if they got together while I have my consultation.’
    â€˜Good idea. Mimi look after Gemma. Take her up to your room.’
    â€˜But Dad, I’m busy. I need to clean up the clinic’
    Gemma walked confidently up to the counter smiling her big fake smile as though she was Mimi’s best friend.
    â€˜Hi, Mimi.’ Then she leant over and whispered, ‘Thought we could catch up while Mum’s having her witchety brew treatment with your dad Dr Smelly-Loo.’
    â€˜What do you want?’ Mimi whispered back.
    â€˜Hurry up, Mimi, what wrong with you? Take friend upstairs.’ Dr Lu waved her away.
    â€˜I go make morning tea for you and Gemma,’ said Mrs Lu. ‘Quickly, go. Your daddy busy’
    Reluctantly, Mimi led the way to her room.
She’s up to something. What is it? Gemma wouldn’t be seen dead with me.
    â€˜Cute dog. What’s its name?’ asked Gemma, plonking herself on the bed.
    She put her hand out but snatched it back quickly when Peppy growled.
Good on you Peps,
thought Mimi. He was always so placid. She’d never seen him growl at anyone before.
Dogs can sense when someone’s bad. I wonder if there’s a special bad kind of smell they have too.
    â€˜Nice room,’ Gemma said sarcastically. ‘Mum bought me a double bed for my twelfth birthday and a hot pink doona.’ She smirked. ‘Hey, you should ask for one too –’ she looked around the room, ‘On second thoughts, don’t think it would fit. Your bedroom’s smaller than my wardrobe.’
    â€˜Why did you come, Gemma?’
    â€˜I was out shopping with Mum, that’s all. Why so suspicious?’
    â€˜Because I don’t trust you.’
    â€˜Mimi,’ called Mrs Lu from the bottom of the stairs. ‘Come down get morning tea.’
    â€˜In a minute, Mum.’
    â€˜No, come now.’
    â€˜All right.’ Mimi moved towards the door. ‘Come on Gemma, come downstairs with me.’
    â€˜No. I’m going to wait right here,’ she replied coldly. ‘I won’t touch a thing, I promise.’ Gemma crossed her heart and looked at Mimi with innocent blue eyes.
    â€˜Mimi!’ came her mum’s voice again.
    â€˜Take your time. I’ll just play with your pooch while you’re gone. Come, Poopy, good boy.’ Peppy growled, then jumped off the bed to follow Mimi downstairs.
    As soon as Gemma was alone, she began searching the room.
Those pastels will make me famous,
she thought. She looked in the bookshelf, under the bed, in the wardrobe.
I’ll be on the front cover of
Gorgeous Girl.
Everyone’ll be so jealous. Now where would she put them?
    Gemma opened the top drawer in the bedside table.
    â€˜Yesss!’ she cried excitedly, then put her hand over her mouth in case someone had overheard her cry of joy.
It’ll be the start of my acting career. Or maybe I’ll be a model.
    As Gemma lifted the lid, immediately her mind filled with strange images.
    â€˜Wow. Cool.’ Gemma closed the lid quickly, then stuffed the pastels up her shirt.
    She crept downstairs and walked through the clinic. ‘I’m going home first, Mum. I just remembered I’ve got