The Mum-Minder by Jacqueline Wilson Read Free Book Online Page B

her,’ I said severely.
    â€˜Yup,’ said Sara, and giggled.
    I bundled her under one arm and went downstairs to see to the kettle. Vincent’s mum was in the kitchen, stalking about in her high heels, looking a bit tetchy because we were in such a muddle. She was holding Vincent warily, not wanting him to dribble down her smart suit. Vincent is getting a back tooth and has turned into a human waterfall.

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    â€˜Sorry I overslept,’ Mum mumbled. ‘Here, I’ll take Vincent. You get off to work now, you don’t want to be late.’
    â€˜Yes, well, I have got this very important meeting this morning,’ said Vincent’s mum, but she lookedat my mum a bit worriedly. ‘Are you all right? You don’t look very well,’ she said, absent-mindedly slotting Vincent into the highchair in the kitchen.
    Sara started shrieking indignantly in my arms. It’s her highchair and she doesn’t care to share it. Vincent started shouting too because his mum wasn’t watching what she was doing and was bending one of his legs backwards.
    â€˜I’m fine,’ said Mum, unhooking Vincent’s leg and taking the struggling Sara from me.
    â€˜You don’t
look
fine,’ said Vincent’s mum.
    â€˜I’ve just got a little sniffle, that’s all,’ said Mum.
    Vincent’s mum didn’t look convinced, but she had her important meeting so she whisked off sharpish.
    Mum let Sara slide off her lap and rested her head in her arms.
    â€˜I think you’d better go back to bed, Mum,’ I said.
    â€˜No, I’m OK, love, really,’ said Mum. ‘Well, I will be when I’ve had a nice cup of tea.’

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    Gemma and her mum turned up while we were still having breakfast. Gemma’s mum let me try on her police hat while she had a cup of tea too. I frisked Gemma and cautioned Vincent and made some handcuffsout of tinfoil and captured Sara but she simply chewed her way free.
    Mum had two cups of tea and said she felt much better. She didn’t look better at all. She was white with black rings round her eyes, just like Sara’s toy panda.
    She was still sneezing.
    â€˜Sorry about my cold,’ Mum sniffed. ‘I’ll try not to give it to the kids.’
    â€˜You sound as if you’ve got a bit more than a cold,’ said Gemma’s mum. ‘I feel a bit mean leaving you to cope, especially as your mum can’t come. But I’ve got to go to court this morning, so I’ve really got to leave Gemma with you.’
    â€˜That’s all right. We’ll manage, don’t worry,’ said Mum, and she looked at me.
    I sighed. It looked like I was going to be reading
Dominic the Vole
until I was blue in the face.
    Gemma’s mum pushed off and Mum crawled away to get washed and dressed. She tried putting on abit of make-up so that she didn’t look so bad, but it just looked weird – white face, black eyes and bright red lipstick. Mum’s nose was getting red to match because she was having to wipe it so often.
    â€˜It’s just a little cold. I won’t breathe on the baby,’ Mum told Clive’s mum.
    â€˜I think my Clive’s got a bit of a cold himself,’ said Clive’s mum. ‘He’s in a bit of a bad mood today. Got the grizzles and won’t stop.’

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    â€˜Oh,’ said Mum weakly, and rubbed her forehead.
    â€˜Have you got a headache?’ said Clive’s mum.
    â€˜Just a bit,’ said Mum.
    â€˜Are you sure you haven’t got flu?’ said Clive’s mum. ‘There’s a lot of it about.’
    â€˜No, no,’ said Mum. ‘Of course I haven’t.’
    Clive’s mum went off to her chocolate shop and we were left with all the babies.
    â€˜Don’t worry, I’ll give you a hand, Mum,’ I said, but then my friend Rachel from up the road came round to see if I wanted to go over to her house to watch videos.
    â€˜I