6
Evie climbed into the motor car behind Benny. Jasmine sat beside her, maintaining a wide gap so that she was closer to the door than to Evie, sitting back in the seat, her skinny legs stretched in front of her. The child remained silent, pressing herself into her corner like a frightened little mouse.
The streets of George Town were crowded with bicycles and rickshaws and Benny seized any opportunity to blast the horn.
Evie racked her brain, searching for something to say to Jasmine that might coax a response from her. Putting a hand lightly on the girl’s arm she said, ‘I expect you’re feeling quite nervous, aren’t you, going to a new school for the first time.’
The little girl turned her head and fixed her eyes on Evie.
Determined to follow through this minor breakthrough, Evie wen
