Moon Princess Read Online Free Page A
Author: Barbara Laban
Mum had sent to her from China fell into her lap. The printed-out emails, which were folded up in the box, were the only things Sienna had to pull out.
She picked up one of the pictures. She hadnât studied it as much as the others because her mum was behind the camera. It showed a brown car from the side, a young Chinese man waving from the driving seat. He was wearing a white shirt, his hair was blowing across his forehead and he had a beaming smile. Our new driver , Mum had written in the border. In the back of the car sat a Chinese woman. Only her profile was visible, framed by carefully styled curls of hair.
Sienna froze. It was Ling!
Ling had known her mother!
A terrible chill ran through Siennaâs wholebody as she studied the image closely. She tried to be sensible and think clearly. It was a silhouette through the window of a car â it could be anyone. But it certainly looked like Ling â¦
She heard footsteps in the hall and froze. The housekeeper would kill her if she found her awake at this hour! She shoved the photos and letters back in the box under the bed, flicked off the light and shut her eyes.
Her bedroom door opened, and Sienna peeked through half-closed eyes, her heart thumping. But it was Dad. He slipped quietly into her room and sat on the chair beside her bed.
Sienna lay with her eyes closed, enjoying her dad being near her. He held her hand gently. Her breathing slowed and, despite all her questions and fears, she began to feel safe and relaxed.
She drifted off to sleep. She knew she reminded her dad of Mum. Was she the reason why he worked such long hours, why he was never home?
When she woke up, later, he was gone. But today was the day she was going to leave the flat for the first time! She pulled on her shoes for hertrip to the market with Lihua, already relieved to spend an hour or two away from Ling. She studied the photo of the car again before going downstairs, and though she couldnât be certain it was the housekeeper in the back seat, she had a horrible feeling in her stomach. What if Ling had known her mother? Could she have had something to do with her disappearance?
Sienna shook the thought away.
As soon as they turned out of their small alley on to the main road she found the street swarming with people and cars. The air was humid and sticky, and she felt rather overwhelmed by the noise and the crowds after the days spent shut away.
The boy Sienna had seen from the taxi window when she first arrived often sat in front of the entrance to the restaurant with the ducks hanging up in the window. He always wore the same jeans, and a T-shirt with a picture of a Chinese temple on the front. He had a kind, gentle face but often stared at Sienna very intently if she came out of the apartment, which made her feel nervous and curious at the same time. Sometimes Sienna thought the boy mightbe waiting outside the restaurant just to look for her.
But he wasnât outside today. As Lihua stopped at the vegetable stall next door, Sienna peered through the restaurant windows. The boy was wiping up the plastic tables. Sienna thought again about Rufusâs words about him being âsomething specialâ. What had he meant? She thought she saw a flicker of fire above the boyâs head â a little flash of light. She blinked. Strange. Sunlight reflecting from a passing car, perhaps.
âCome on,â said Lihua in Chinese, patting Siennaâs shoulder. âWeâve got lots to buy today â not long until the Moon Festival now!â
Sienna would have liked to talk to the boy, but she was afraid Lihua might tell Ling, and that she would stop Siennaâs trips outside. Instead, she quietly raised her hand in passing and waved to him as they walked away. He returned the gesture.
Next weekend Dad was at home, working on the computer while Sienna watched TV. He sat down beside her and gave her hair a quick stroke.
âWhat do you say to the two of us
She picked up one of the pictures. She hadnât studied it as much as the others because her mum was behind the camera. It showed a brown car from the side, a young Chinese man waving from the driving seat. He was wearing a white shirt, his hair was blowing across his forehead and he had a beaming smile. Our new driver , Mum had written in the border. In the back of the car sat a Chinese woman. Only her profile was visible, framed by carefully styled curls of hair.
Sienna froze. It was Ling!
Ling had known her mother!
A terrible chill ran through Siennaâs wholebody as she studied the image closely. She tried to be sensible and think clearly. It was a silhouette through the window of a car â it could be anyone. But it certainly looked like Ling â¦
She heard footsteps in the hall and froze. The housekeeper would kill her if she found her awake at this hour! She shoved the photos and letters back in the box under the bed, flicked off the light and shut her eyes.
Her bedroom door opened, and Sienna peeked through half-closed eyes, her heart thumping. But it was Dad. He slipped quietly into her room and sat on the chair beside her bed.
Sienna lay with her eyes closed, enjoying her dad being near her. He held her hand gently. Her breathing slowed and, despite all her questions and fears, she began to feel safe and relaxed.
She drifted off to sleep. She knew she reminded her dad of Mum. Was she the reason why he worked such long hours, why he was never home?
When she woke up, later, he was gone. But today was the day she was going to leave the flat for the first time! She pulled on her shoes for hertrip to the market with Lihua, already relieved to spend an hour or two away from Ling. She studied the photo of the car again before going downstairs, and though she couldnât be certain it was the housekeeper in the back seat, she had a horrible feeling in her stomach. What if Ling had known her mother? Could she have had something to do with her disappearance?
Sienna shook the thought away.
As soon as they turned out of their small alley on to the main road she found the street swarming with people and cars. The air was humid and sticky, and she felt rather overwhelmed by the noise and the crowds after the days spent shut away.
The boy Sienna had seen from the taxi window when she first arrived often sat in front of the entrance to the restaurant with the ducks hanging up in the window. He always wore the same jeans, and a T-shirt with a picture of a Chinese temple on the front. He had a kind, gentle face but often stared at Sienna very intently if she came out of the apartment, which made her feel nervous and curious at the same time. Sometimes Sienna thought the boy mightbe waiting outside the restaurant just to look for her.
But he wasnât outside today. As Lihua stopped at the vegetable stall next door, Sienna peered through the restaurant windows. The boy was wiping up the plastic tables. Sienna thought again about Rufusâs words about him being âsomething specialâ. What had he meant? She thought she saw a flicker of fire above the boyâs head â a little flash of light. She blinked. Strange. Sunlight reflecting from a passing car, perhaps.
âCome on,â said Lihua in Chinese, patting Siennaâs shoulder. âWeâve got lots to buy today â not long until the Moon Festival now!â
Sienna would have liked to talk to the boy, but she was afraid Lihua might tell Ling, and that she would stop Siennaâs trips outside. Instead, she quietly raised her hand in passing and waved to him as they walked away. He returned the gesture.
Next weekend Dad was at home, working on the computer while Sienna watched TV. He sat down beside her and gave her hair a quick stroke.
âWhat do you say to the two of us
Readers choose
Greg Pace
Katherine Cachitorie
Jessica Knauss
Kate Douglas
Ryan Schneider
Sherry Turkle
Christie Ridgway
Rebecca Demarest
Michael Fowler