Jasmine is seven years old and is not happy. She was happy, very happy, until earlier today but then her mum and dad told her they were moving house. They were moving so far away that she will have to change school and make new friends. Her dad had a new and better job that would enable them to have nicer holidays and nicer clothes and toys. Her mum and dad said it would be an exciting adventure – a new bedroom where she could decide how her bedroom should be decorated, a bigger garden where she could play and they would even get a puppy.
All these things meant nothing to Jasmine. She just did not want to go. Even the thought of a puppy did not make her change her mind. This was truly the worst thing ever to happen to her. She did not want to leave her two best friends, Chloe and Eva, and she did not want to change school where she was doing very well.
Jasmine has a younger sister, Amber. But Amber is just two years old and wouldn’t understand what was happening. “Amber is stupid” thinks the big sister.
Jasmine talks to her two friends, Chloe and Eva. Chloe bursts into tears when she hears that Jasmine might be leaving them and fiery Eva screamed in anger. “No, no, no” she shouted to anyone who would hear.
Eva says to Jasmine “I’m going to ask my mum if you can live with us. You can share my bedroom.”
“And mine” says Chloe. “We have plenty of room now that Nana is in a home.”
“Yes, we will share you” says Eva “but we can’t take Amber as well. She will have to move with your mum and dad.” Amber has a reputation for being sick at every opportunity.
“Really?” says Jasmine.” Do you think that might work?”
“Why not” says Chloe “I’m going home to ask my mum now”
“Me too” said Eva and the two girls hurried off to their homes.
Jasmine felt so much better after this conversation. She was sure her mum and dad would let her stay with both Eva and Chloe. After all, they would have to buy less food and Grandma Joan, who is not well at all, could have her, Jasmine’s, new bedroom.
Jasmine couldn’t wait to hear from Eva and Chloe, she was sure their mums and dads would agree to the plan, and she went straight home to share the plan with her mum and dad.
But Jasmine was wrong. Her mum and dad said “No” to the plan. They were a family and they would stay together. They said they knew it would be difficult for her but there is nothing they can do to make it better and she would get used to the new move and even like it in time.
“I won’t, I won’t, I won’t” screamed Jasmine and she rushed upstairs to her bedroom where she got a black felt tip pen and scrawled “I am not going” all over the walls.
Jasmine’s mum and dad had told her teacher that they were moving and that Jasmine was not at all happy about it all. Her teacher, Mrs Gibbs, was very understanding, especially when Jasmine asked “May I live with you instead?” But Jasmine’s schoolwork suffered and she was no longer top or near the top of her class. She was also very naughty and more than once Jasmine was sent to the headmistress for punishment. Jasmine just didn’t care. She was rude, she was sullen and she burst into tears at the drop of a hat – and Chloe and Eva’s behaviour was not much better.
At home Jasmine’s behaviour was appalling. When no one was looking she pinched Amber and made her cry. She deliberately broke cups and plates and whatever she could find that could not be mended. She wouldn’t speak to her mum and dad and looked at them with such hate in her eyes.
Jasmine’s mum and dad eventually lost patience. They stopped her pocket money, they sent her to bed early, they hid her mobile phone and they prevented her seeing Eva and Chloe. Jasmine still didn’t care and with a red felt tip pen she scrawled “No” all over her already scrawled on bedroom wallpaper.
The moving day came. The huge van was waiting outside and Jasmine used all the moving activity to get away. Jasmine and her two best pals had a plan. Eva’s family had a garden room and Eva had been secretly moving pillows and duvets into it with lots of snacks and food. The garden room had been Eva’s dad’s office when he worked at home during Covid, but now he was back at work properly the garden room was used for storage. But it still had room for a small girl to hide away in.
Jasmine sneaked out of the house when no-one was looking and made her way to Eva’s house - her new place of refuge. There was no one at home – she knew Eva would be at school, as would Ewan, Eva’s older brother and Eva’s mum and dad would be at work. But Eva’s older brother, Ewan, was not at school. He was at home; he had broken an ankle playing football and he was in his bedroom wondering where he could hobble to without causing more damage to his foot when he saw movement in the back garden. He recognised Jasmine immediately. His fiery sister had been making her own family miserable for the last few weeks following the awful news of Jasmine’s move and he quickly worked out what those two naughty girls had done. “And Chloe is probably in on it too” he chuckled.
His mum rang him to check on him and the foot.
“We have a visitor in the garden room” he said.
“Oh please don’t tell me the fox has returned. If she has babies in there I will scream.”
“I think a fox would be easier than this visitor.” said Ewan.
“What do you mean” asked his mum.
“Jasmine is in there” he replied.
“Oh that poor girl” said his mum. “I’m coming home now. Don’t do anything till I get there.”
“OK” chuckled Ewan. Suddenly having a broken ankle was quite exciting and not the boring event it had been not so many minutes ago.
Eva’s mum came home. She wondered on the way whether she should collect Eva and Chloe as well but decided against it. They would be dealt with later. Instead she rang Jasmine’s mum and dad, who were frantic with worry and told them that Jasmine was safe and she also rang Chloe’s mum who worked from home. They were all asked to meet in her, Eva’s mums, kitchen.
At home she went straight up to Ewan’s bedroom where he was sitting with his eyes glued to the garden room door. “There has been no movement. I reckon she is waiting until Eva gets back from school” reported Ewan.
She said.” In a short while, Chloe’s mum and Jasmine’s mum and dad will arrive. Can you welcome them and take them in to the kitchen and ask them to stay there. I will come to the kitchen with Jasmine. Can you do this Ewan? I will help you downstairs”
Ewan nodded. Never ever had a broken ankle been so thrilling.
Eva’s mum went to the garden room, went in quietly and sat down. Jasmine was well hidden behind some deckchairs. After five minutes or so, after five minutes of the tiniest noises from the far corner, Eva’s mum said in a very gentle and kind voice.
“I know you are in here Jasmine and I know you are very unhappy about your family’s move. I am so sorry this is happening”
At this Jasmine burst into tears, she cried like she had never cried before. Eva’s mum moved the deckchairs and gathered this distraught small girl tightly into her arms and sat back down with her.
When Jasmine had calmed down a little, she was shaking all over and the tears still fell but no longer in a torrent Eva’s mum said.
“Sometimes Jasmine, we have to do things in life that we do not want to do. I know exactly what you are going through. When we moved here I was leaving my family, my mum and dad and aunties and uncles and I hated it for ages. But it got better and now I wouldn’t live anywhere else.”
“I’m not going” mumbled a small voice into Eva’s mum’s wet jumper. There had, after all, been a lot of tears and no tissues.
“I know it is awful for you but I promise you that Eva and Chloe will keep in touch otherwise they will be in big trouble.”
There was a small smile somewhere in the depths of the wet jumper.
“But it won’t be the same” said Jasmine.
“It won’t” agreed Eva’s mum. “But we can make it a bit better if we all try – and that includes you. I think by now your mum and dad are in my kitchen. Shall we go in and have a chat?”
Jasmine immediately looked terrified, she knew she was in
the most trouble ever.
“I will be with you. You will be fine” said Eva’s mum in her most reassuring
voice – but with her fingers crossed too.
And shortly afterwards and hand in hand they entered the kitchen.
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