Love, Rosie (193 page)

school
then
I
work
full-time.

Apart
from
that
I’m
trying
to
make
this
kip
of
a
place
look
like
a

home.
Brian
the
Whine
has
been
very
helpful
believe
it
or
not.
He’s

hired
out
a
sander
for
the
day
and
tomorrow
we’re
going
to
rip
up

those
smelly
carpets
and
sand
and
varnish
the
floors
in
all
the

rooms.
I’m
frightened
to
think
of
what
we’ll
find
under
them.
Prob-

ably
a
few
dead
bodies.

love,
rosie

291

Katie
and
Toby
are
having
great
fun
tearing
the
wallpaper
off
the

walls,
what’s
left
of
it
anyway.
We’re
going
to
paint
the
walls
white,

because
even
with
a
million-watt
bulb
the
place
still
looks
like
a

cave.
It
needs
brightening
up
and
I’m
going
for
the
minimalist
look,

not
because
I’m
trendy
and
fashionable
but
because
I
don’t
really

have
that
much
furniture.
I’m
going
to
pull
down
the
old
floral
cur-

tains
and
burn
them
in
a
ritual.

My
darling
brother
Kevin
was
only
too
delighted
to
come
to
Dublin

and
raid
what’s-his-name’s
house
for
all
my
leftover
belongings
which

he
only
too
gladly
gave
him
probably
because
he
was
so
terrified
of

having
his
nose
broken
again.
I
even
got
the
black
leather
couch

which
was
in
the
house
before
I
married
him
but
hey,
I
deserve
it.

Ruby:

Rosie:

It
sounds
like
it’s
going
to
be
lovely
Rosie.
A
real
home.

Now
all
I
need
to
do
is
get
rid
of
the
smell
of
curry
that’s
floating

around
and
seeping
through
the
walls
of
the
entire
building
block.

It’s
turned
me
off
Indian
food
forever.

Ruby:

Rosie:

Now
that’s
the
best
diet
I’ve
ever
heard
of.
Live
over
a
restaurant

and
the
smell
will
make
you
sick
of
food.

I
think
you’re
on
to
something
there.

Ei
Je
from
Singapore!

Having
such
a
wonderful
time
we
don’t
want
to
come
home!

Good
luck
with
your
new
job
this
week
love,
we’re
thinking
of
you
here

as
we
lounge
by
the
pool!
(Just
joking)

Love,

Mum
and
Dad

You
have
received
an
instant
message
from:
ALEX

Alex:

Rosie:

Alex:

Have
you
a
minute
to
chat?

No
sorry,
I’m
busy
licking
stamps.

Oh,
OK.
Can
I
call
you
sometime
later?

292

Rosie:

Cecelia
Ahern

I
was
only
joking
Alex.
Ms.
Big
Nose
Smelly
Breath
Casey
has

asked
me
to
put
together
the
year’s
first
newsletter
so
I’m
on
the

school
website
trying
to
figure
out
what
happened
or
is
happening