Gracie Rose | tracy beaker returns {on hiatus}

2

I woke up the next morning to hear Carmen, Johnny and Tee arguing. I walked downstairs to see what all the fuss was about.

"Hey what's going on?" I asked.

"They can't decide who's taking Tracy's tea up!" Toby replied.

"How about you all take it up. But be careful!" Mike said. I moved out of the way so they could take it up. I wasn't adding to the fun and games here. I wanted my breakfast!

"Scrambled eggs, Gracieboo?" Mike asked.

"Of course, Mike!" I grinned.

As I was sat down eating my breakfast, Carmen came back into the kitchen. She looked upset.

"Tracy's gone, and she never even said goodbye!" she said to Mike.

"Well, you know how busy these authors are!" Gina said to Carmen, still unhappy after Mike explained why Tracy came. Mike told us that Tracy was arrested for publishing her book with her mum's credit card without permission. That made me sad. However, I felt that she probably just made a mistake. I couldn't imagine Tracy doing that on purpose. She didn't seem like that sort of person.

Just then, Mike looked as if an alarm bell had gone off in his head. He made a cup of tea and went out to the garden with Tracy's tea as well as his own. I then noticed Tracy's bag, sitting on the chair by the back door. It's as if Mike just knew where she would be, and I thought that was really cool.

"Carmen, I think Tracy is outside." I said.

"What do you mean?" she replied.

"Look, her bag is there, plus Mike has just gone outside with two cups of tea. Makes sense, right?" I said with a smile.

"Gracie you're a genius!" Carmen said. She went and told everyone else that she was still here, and it made me smile knowing that I'd helped her out with something and made her happy.

About ten minutes later, Mike came back inside, followed by Tracy. Mike went to talk to Gina while Tracy came to talk to us.

"Hi, Tracy," I said.

"Morning, Gracie! Are you okay?" Tracy asked, as she put her hand on my shoulder and stroked it gently. I nodded.

"Wait, she knows your name already? How?" Johnny asked.

"I told her last night when she came to say goodnight to me, is that a problem?" I asked.

"Of course it's not a problem. I'm already starting to learn some anyway! How about you all tell me your names one at a time, so I can try to remember them all!" Tracy said. One by one, everyone said their name.

"Guys, can you all listen up for a second please?" Mike asked, walking over to the table where we were all sat. We all went silent, to give Tracy a good impression of us. That normally doesn't happen, we all just slowly stop talking. But Tracy was our guest, and she was famous, so we were all on our best behaviour.

"We have a new care worker that we would like to introduce to you all, even though you've all already met her. It's Tracy!"

We all screamed. We couldn't believe that Tracy was going to be working here from now on.

"How come this has happened so quickly?" Gus asked.

"I needed a job, and Mike said I could have one here." Tracy replied. Gus began to scribble this information down in his notebook.

"Well I'm so glad Mike let you stay," Lily said.

"Me too," Tracy replied.

Now that Tracy was going to be working here, I had a chance to get to know her, and read her book, which I was desperate to do.

*****

"Tracy, can you come with me for a sec please?" Mike said. "I need you to look at the children's files, so you can be aware of why they're all here." Tracy followed Mike into the office. Not going to lie, but that made me a bit anxious. I'd been here for around a year, and to this day, I still find my old life hard to talk about. I ran upstairs and curled up in my bed, feeling flashbacks coming from what happened to me.

Flashback

"Mum, this needs to stop!" I screamed.

"What are you on about?" Mum replied.

"You seriously don't have a clue? Dad died two years ago, and now--"

Mum slapped me in the face.

"Don't you DARE mention your father again!" she shouted.

She continued to hit me until I collapsed. I only knew I'd collapsed as I woke up on the kitchen floor, blood coming from my forehead. I needed to get out, but I didn't know how. Mum had literally just left me there, lying in a mess on the floor.

"Mum!" I shouted. No answer.

"MUM?!" I shouted again. Still no answer. At times she forgot she was even a mum. It broke me.

"oh for god's sake...PATRICIA MILLER!!!" I screamed. Still nothing. I tried to move, but felt dizzy every time I stood up. I slowly began to crawl around the house, trying to find mum, but there was no sign of her. Until I saw her passed out in the back garden, with a box of tabs and a can of beer next to her. I burst into tears and hid. I just wanted my dad back. I wanted my old mum back. If that stupid man hadn't crashed into dad's car, none of this would've happened. Dad would still be here, Mum wouldn't be a drug and alcohol addict, and I'd be a normal, happy nine year old. I just wanted my life back.

End of Flashback

"Gracie, what's wrong?" I heard a voice coming from my door. It was Lily. I quickly wiped my eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm okay." I replied.

"No you're not. What is it?" Lily asked.

"Mike took Tracy into the office to look at our files, so that she could learn about why we're all here, and I got really panicked about what Tracy would think, so I came upstairs, and then I went into flashback mode." I said, trying not to start crying again. "I really miss my dad, and my mum, but my mum before my dad died."

Lily understood me so well. When her mum died, her dad turned to alcoholism. Her and her younger sisters, Rosie and Poppy, were brought here because of that.

"I miss my mum too, and my dad before he started drinking. It's hard, I know. But I'm sure Tracy won't judge us. She used to live here, she knows what it's like to live in care. She seems too nice to judge," Lily said. We sat and hugged for a few minutes, before she took me by the hand and into the living room downstairs. Tracy was in there talking to Frank, Tee and Carmen. I started to worry again, squeezing Lily's hand gently. She squeezed mine back as we sat down on the sofa.

"Are you okay girls?" Tracy asked. We both just nodded. I didn't really feel like talking, and neither did Lily, but we decided to sit and join in the conversation with the rest of them. It did help me. We all had a laugh with Tracy, which made me begin to forget about what had happened for now.