It Takes Two. Amber Aitken

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       6 love thy neighbour

      Now that the girls had the beach hut, each new day seemed more exciting than the last. Romeo loved it there just as much too. He’d wake Coral up every morning very early by licking her head and growling softly in her ear. He was a very busy dog. He had seagulls to chase (from the hut’s deck he could survey the beach and carefully select each bird for chasing). He had crabs to sniff out (even if he ran away as fast as a gale wind when he actually came across one). And he had fish to find (one day he would catch one for sure). So it was important he got to the beach early.

      One day when the girls arrived at Coral Hut, their neighbours – the ones who owned the khaki-painted hut with the camouflage netting on the roof – were already there. There was a very tall man with shoulders as big and wide as a ship’s lookout, and a woman who was as dainty as a sparrow. She noticed the girls and waved. He saluted.

      “Well, hello there, neighbours!” the woman called out cheerily. For a small person she was particularly loud.

      Of course the girls couldn’t just saunter past. It was polite and neighbourly to stop by. So they drew up to the khaki hut, took a breath and opened their mouths – but the woman was much, much quicker.

      “Welcome to Sunday Harbour’s beach hut community!” she cried out. “One of you must be little Coral.” Her eyes danced between the girls, but she didn’t pause long enough for either of them to reply. “Oh, how we loved your great-aunt. She was so special. She will be missed. But it’s lovely to have you as our new neighbours.” Finally she seemed to run out of words.