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“I was,” she admitted. “When you told us they were coming, I thought it was wonderful. But then Emily started talking about how sweet they’d be, and how she was looking forward to cuddling them and playing with them. And it just made me miss Sandy so much!” She leaned her face against Gran’s arm. “I’m not even sure I want to go and see them,” she whispered.

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Gran nodded thoughtfully.“I wondered if that was it. Poor Mia.” She gave her a hug as they reached their drive. “Come on, let’s go and make some hot chocolate. Perhaps that will cheer you up a little.”

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Emily was full of news of the kittens the next day at school. Their friends Libby and Poppy rushed up to her, desperate to know what had happened. Mia did her best to join in and sound enthusiastic, but it was hard.

“There’s a black one, and two tabbies, and the last one to be born was a tiny, tiny little white one, with the most enormous set of whiskers!” Emily beamed at Mia. “Do you think you can come and see them after school?”

Mia hesitated. She could– but she was worried she’d do something awful like start crying. “Um, I’m not sure,” she said slowly. “Gran’s picking me up, and she said something about going shopping.”

“Oh.” Emily looked a bit surprised, as though she’d been expecting Mia to be more excited, and Mia felt guilty.

“Did you learn those spelling words?” she asked quickly, to try and distract Emily from the kittens.

Emily pulled a face.“Well, I looked at them… But then the kittens were so lovely to watch – they’re all just nosing around each other and Silky and squeaking, it’s so funny. I probably haven’t learned them properly.” She sighed. “Can you test me?”

Mia nodded, feeling relieved. She’d got away with it for today, but she wasn’t going to be able to keep on making excuses. Sooner or later, she was going to have to go and see the kittens.

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By the end of the week, Mia had run out of excuses to say to Emily, and Emily was running out of patience. On Friday at lunchtime, she told Mia that her mum said she could come over at the weekend to see the kittens if she wanted.

Mia’s mind went blank. What could she possibly say, except that she didn’t want to? She couldn’t pretend to be busy for the whole weekend.

“So will you come?” Emily asked, staring at her and frowning slightly.

Mia opened her mouth, and then closed it again helplessly.

“You don’t want to, do you?” Emily said. Her voice was flat, and Mia could see that she was really hurt. It made Mia feel terrible.

“Sorry…” she whispered.

“Is it because of Sandy?” Emily said. She sounded as though she was trying to be cross, but she couldn’t manage it. Emily was useless at arguing. When she and Mia had a fight it usually only lasted two minutes before Emily cried.

Mia nodded.“It’s not that I don’t want you to have them… I just miss Sandy, and you having all those kittens…”

“I know you miss Sandy,” Emily said, her voice getting sniffly already. “But you’re supposed to be my best friend, and you ought to at least try and be happy for me! I really wanted to show them to you.”

Mia nodded. She felt like she might cry now, too.“I know! I really am trying! I just can’t make myself stop being sad about him. I can’t be happy about the kittens. I can’t do it!”

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Emily stared back at her, tears welling up in her brown eyes, and then she gave a huge sniff and raced off to hide in the corner of the playground behind one of the benches.

Mia stared after her sadly. She knew she ought to go after her friend and say sorry, and promise that of course she’d go and see the kittens. But her feet just wouldn’t move.

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It was a very strange walk home. Mia and Emily didn’t talk to each other, and Mia’s gran, who’d come to fetch them, could hardly get them to talk to her either. For Mia, it was a relief when Emily ducked into her garden.

“What on earth’s the matter?” Gran asked, as they took off their coats in the hallway. “Have you two had a row?”

“Sort of…” Mia admitted.

“Well, I hope you’re going to make up, Mia. You both looked so miserable. Can’t you talk to her about it? Why don’t you give her a call?”

Mia shook her head.“It wasn’t really that sort of fight. We didn’t shout at each other, or anything. It’s mostly my fault, and Emily won’t be my friend unless I can sort it out. But I can’t…” She sniffed. She’d spent the whole afternoon feeling awful, and now she was at home with only Gran to see, she felt like just letting herself cry.

Gran hugged her.“Oh, Mia. Why don’t you tell me? Maybe talking to someone else will help.”

Mia shook her head.“I don’t think it will,” she whispered. But she let Gran lead her into her little sitting room, and sat down on the sofa with her.

Gran gave her a tissue.“Go on, Mia. What happened?”

“She wants me to go and see her kittens.”

“And you can’t?”