‘Ah, she’ll never meet folk like us, will she?’ Andrea said, as she put her arm around Francine.
‘Oh, no, you’re unique, all right,’ Francine said, and walked away. Then she turned back: she didn’t want poor Derik to think she was snubbing him. ‘Thanks for coming to do the DJ job, Derik. You’re a great lad,’ she said, smiling.
Andrea was rooted to the spot. Francine didn’t care.
The music came on a short time later, making for a real party atmosphere. The black sacks blocked most of the light from the windows and the glow from the pumpkin lights, mixed with the flashing disco bulbs, caused great excitement.
‘Looking good!’ Francine said to Derik, giving him a thumbs-up.
‘It’s time to collect the children,’ Jane said. ‘There are never enough hours when it comes to putting on these events.’
‘The place looks super, though. Well done, one and all.’ Francine gazed around proudly.
The whole school was finishing classes at midday to allow everyone to make costumes for the party.
‘Are you all dressing up?’ Jane asked.
‘I have a witch’s hat and one of those plastic noses on elastic. I’ll draw a black mole on my face and wear a long black dress. That’ll do, won’t it?’ Sarah said. ‘I hate dressing up. I always feel like such an idiot.’
‘I was going to wear a French maid’s outfit I got for a party last year but it’s a bit boobs out and too much leg for a family occasion,’ Andrea said. ‘Although it might cheer up some of the auld fellas from the nursing home.’ She giggled naughtily.
‘I think you’d suit the look of a tart,’ Francine said, without thinking. An awkward silence descended as the mothers all stared.
‘Francine!’ Jane said. ‘It’s not like you to be so … cutting.’
‘I was only joking! For goodness’ sake, lighten up a bit, girls.’ She giggled. ‘You’re all terribly serious today. I’m dressing as Little Red Riding Hood and Carl is coming as the wolf. We know how to let our hair down.’
‘I’ll come as a skeleton or something,’ Andrea mumbled, glancing at Francine again.
The bell sounded then, so Francine fled the room and pounded down the stairs to fetch Cameron.
‘Cara! Craig!’ she called out to the older ones. ‘I’m grabbing Cameron. Pop on upstairs to the hall, will you? Dad will be here in a while. I need you to come and look after Cameron for me until we’re finished with the final preparations for the party. I won’t keep you too long,’ she assured them.
‘I’ll tell Conor,’ Cara said, waving at her mum.
‘Good girl.’
The little ones piled out of the door as a smiling Mr Matthews waved them off. ‘Have a lovely midterm break,’ he called out. ‘Enjoy the party tonight. Hope you get lots of treats!’
‘Thanks, Mr Matthews,’ Francine said. ‘Have a good break next week.’
‘I certainly will,’ he said. Francine couldn’t help but notice the young man seemed thrilled to be shot of his charges.
‘It’s nearly party time,’ Cameron said, as he flung himself on to the shiny floor and skidded on his knees.
‘Come on up to the hall and be a good fella,’ Francine called, beckoning for him to follow.
By the time all the children were rounded up and their mothers had put the finishing touches to the hall, the atmosphere was reaching fever pitch. Francine stacked the last of her plastic cake boxes under the table and ensured that the rest of the room was ready.
She was at the back of the hall when Carl poked his head around the door with the containers and the apples. ‘Hello, hello, hello!’ he shouted. ‘Wowzers! Look at this place! Ladies, it’s a credit to you all!’
Francine watched Andrea’s reaction. On cue, she raised her eyes to heaven and elbowed Betty. A cold sensation ran down Francine’s spine. ‘Hi, love,’ she said, stepping forward to give Carl a kiss.
‘Hi!’ he reciprocated. ‘This is amazing!’
‘We’ve all worked so hard,’ Francine said. ‘Let’s get the apple bobbing set up and head home.’
‘Cool-a-boola!’ he said happily. Andrea made a faint snorting noise.
‘I wonder if you’re coming down with something?’ Francine said to her. ‘You seem to be having trouble breathing,’ she added quietly, as she brushed past.
‘Uh … no …’ Andrea nearly died. ‘I’m fine, thanks.’
‘Really?’ Francine stood with her hands on her hips and stared at the other woman.
‘Okay, girls?’ Carl looked a little miffed.
‘We’re just fine.’ Francine smiled and stared at Andrea, who ran to grab her coat.
‘I’ll see you all later on,’ she said, glancing quickly at Francine, who was still staring at her intently.
Mercifully, Cameron was transfixed by the disco lights in the corner and was chattering to Derik, who was showing him how to work the small mixing desk.
Carl finished filling the water containers and threw in the apples. Francine laid towels on the floor to mop up the spills.
‘Anything else you need me to do before we go?’ Carl asked her.
‘No, we can split. The rest of the food is being brought in a while. I’ll come home with you, get changed and come back here ahead of the posse. I’ll take Cara with me to help, but I might ask you to follow on later with the boys.’
‘Whatever you like,’ Carl agreed.
As they congregated in their own kitchen at home a few minutes later, Carl leaned against the counter and looked pensive.
‘Was there a bit of a vibe between yourself and Andrea just now?’ he asked, as soon as the kids had left the room.
‘No,’ Francine said, in a high-pitched voice.
‘Could’ve fooled me,’ Carl said. ‘She was looking at you as if she was waiting for you to stab her.’
‘So she might.’ Francine sighed.
‘What happened?’
‘Nothing, love. She’s just not the person I thought she was.’
Cameron unwittingly put an end to the conversation by dragging his costume into the kitchen. ‘Can you help me put this on?’ he asked.
‘You’ve plenty of time,’ Francine said. ‘It’s not dark yet.’
‘I don’t care! I want to put it on now!’ He pouted. ‘Help!’ he shouted.
‘All right,’ Francine said, unable to bear the thought of a tantrum. As she helped him into his Darth Vader outfit, she prayed he’d make it through the evening without causing a stir.
‘What are you two dressing up as?’ Cara asked, as she sauntered into the kitchen.
‘Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf!’ her father announced.
‘Ah, what? That’s, like, sooo embarrassing. Why can’t you be something cooler? All my friends are going to think you’re so lame,’ she said.
‘Well, your friends can go and swing,’ Carl said, grabbing her and blowing a raspberry on the side of her neck.
‘Stop it, Dad,’ she remonstrated. ‘You have to stop treating me like a baby. Please dress up as something cool, like a zombie – or a ghost would be even better,’ she suggested. ‘Pull a sheet over your head.’
Carl laughed heartily. ‘It looks like the time has come when I’ve become a complete disaster.’
That should have made Francine smile, but she was too much on edge to relax. Cameron’s ‘condition’ and Andrea’s criticism of Carl had made her question her entire family. What had seemed perfect only a few months ago was now in disarray.
Chapter 19
Jodi couldn’t help but giggle at Saul. He was in his Batman suit complete with plastic mask by two o’clock. ‘There’s another four hours to wait, sweetheart,’ she said.
‘Maybe we could go now and stand in the queue at the door,’ he suggested.
‘I don’t think there’s any point,’ Jodi said, wishing she’d had the foresight to arrange a play date to kill some time.
‘Can I go up to see Sebastian at his house and shout, “Trick or treat?” at him?’ Saul b
egged.
‘Aren’t you supposed to wait until it’s dark?’
‘He won’t mind.’
Before Jodi knew it, she and Saul were ambling up the tree-lined avenue to the main house.
There was no sign of life and the old jeep wasn’t parked at the front.
‘I’d say he’s out,’ Jodi said doubtfully.
‘I wonder if he’s coming to the party, can we leave a note to tell him he’s invited with us?’ Saul asked.
‘I’ve no pen or paper with me,’ Jodi said.
Saul persuaded her to return to the cottage, write the note and accompany him back to Sebastian’s so he could stick it on the front door. ‘Now he can come if he feels like it.’ Saul beamed. If nothing else, the exercise had taken up some of the afternoon, for which Jodi was grateful. They spent the rest of the time cutting a long dress into ribbons, chopping the fingers out of some woollen gloves and tying a headscarf around her head.
‘I’m going to be a fortune teller,’ Jodi explained.
Francine had asked her to get involved with the party the locals would be beside themselves to know she was coming along. ‘We have crystal ball readings each year. It’s not serious you just make up a nice little story about what’s going to happen, like a good-luck thing. The children adore it. Would you do it?’
‘Sure,’ Jodi had found herself saying. How ironic, she thought, as she looked at herself in the mirror. Here she was, many years after she’d left school, dressed as a gypsy woman, when as a child she’d hated her nickname, ‘Gyppo Jodi’, and longed for it to be forgotten. Dipping into her makeup bag, she drew dark eyeliner on her top lids and a large red lipstick bindi on her forehead.
‘You look pretty, Mum,’ Saul said.
‘Thanks, honey.’
A loud knock at the door sent Saul running.
‘Sebastian!’ he shouted. ‘Are you coming to the party with us?’
‘I’m afraid not,’ he said. ‘I just got your note so I called to bring you this.’ He handed Saul something crackly.
‘Hi, Sebastian,’ Jodi said shyly, as she entered the living room.
As he spun around, Jodi clocked him giving her a quick up-and-down glance. ‘You look …’ he swallowed ‘…you look great. Your makeup’s amazing.’
‘Thanks! I am ze great Zelda! I vill read your fortune, kind sir.’
Sebastian grinned as she swished her ribboned dress and dramatically reached for his palm. ‘I see a long life of love, laughter and lollipops,’ she joked.
Before he could answer, she plucked a lollipop from the big jar she intended to bring with her and offered it to him.
‘Sounds like a bright future.’ He smiled warmly.
‘Look, Mum!’ Saul said. ‘Sebastian gave me this huge stick of rock!’
‘That’s very kind – did you say thank you?’
‘Course I did!’
‘I got it for himself thinking he might pay me a visit, but when I found the note and realised I’d missed your call I thought I’d better deliver it instead.’
‘Thank you,’ she repeated. ‘Can’t you come to the party?’
‘No, I’ll leave it, thanks,’ he said. ‘I just spent the day with my wife and I’m ready to crash and watch a movie.’
‘Sure,’ Jodi said, blushing. She kept forgetting he was married. Or maybe she was choosing to be remiss …‘Would your wife not go to the party?’ she asked.
Sebastian stared at her oddly. ‘Pardon?’
‘Your wife? Doesn’t she like parties?’
‘Eh, no.’ Sebastian looked at the floor, and Jodi wondered what she’d said wrong this time. She longed to question Francine or one of the other mothers about Sebastian, but a sixth sense had prevented her from doing so. She didn’t want him to think she was prying if he heard she’d been asking. Nobody ever talked about him, so she hadn’t been able to pick up any information at all.
‘I’ll leave you to it so,’ Sebastian said. ‘Have a great time trick or treating,’ he told Saul, as he ruffled the little boy’s hair. ‘Happy fortune-telling,’ he said to Jodi. His face softened as she curtsied.
The smell of his musky cologne hung in the air as Jodi shut the door. Sebastian was a funny fish, there was no doubt about it, but Jodi found him intriguing.
‘Sebastian’s cool, isn’t he?’ Saul said, as if reading her mind.
‘He’s a lovely man all right,’ Jodi said, smiling.
‘He feels really sad sometimes,’ Saul said, looking serious. ‘His little boy got dead in a river a long time ago but he still misses him.’
‘When did he talk to you about that?’ Jodi asked. She wasn’t sure she liked Saul having such deep conversations with a man he barely knew.
‘When we went to see the cows,’ Saul said, shrugging his shoulders. ‘I told him I miss my daddy so he said he knows what that feels like ’cause he misses his boy.’
‘I see.’
‘We said we’d help each other. I can be his pretend boy and he can be my pretend dad. But only pretend ones.’
‘That’s nice.’
‘Yep, and that’s why Sebastian brung me this!’ he said, waving the stick of rock.
Jodi knew there were evil people around who did awful things to children. She knew there was every reason to worry about whom her son engaged with. But she had no qualms about Sebastian being around Saul.
As she padded back into her bedroom to clear up some of the mess she’d made earlier, she found herself wondering yet again what Sebastian’s wife was like. There’d been no sign of her at the house earlier and she’d never seen her drive out of the gate. Jodi wasn’t even sure that she lived there. As an incredibly private person herself, she never normally wondered about other people’s lives. But there was something about Sebastian that made her want to find out more.
Chapter 20
Before she left the house to head back to the school, Francine said a silent prayer that Cameron would get through the evening without kicking off. ‘Are you sure you can manage the boys if Cara and I go on ahead?’ she worried to Carl.
‘Stop fussing. It’s all under control here,’ he assured her. ‘Sure we’ll be along in about half an hour so it’s honestly no hassle.’
No hassle, Francine mused. That phrase just didn’t fit where Cameron was concerned. She wondered if she’d ever have another hassle-free day. Maybe Nuala would help her adjust their lives so she didn’t feel like she was living on a knife edge permanently. Apart from the constant fear that her youngest child might erupt, Francine was totally exhausted by it all.
She enjoyed the short car journey with just Cara for company. ‘You look lovely,’ she complimented her daughter.
‘Thanks.’ Cara was touchingly pleased. ‘I was going to go as Katy Perry but I decided at the last minute to be a zombie bride.’
‘Well, even though you’re meant to be dead, you still look very pretty.’
Cara hesitated. Then she said, ‘There’s a boy I kind of like. He’s going tonight. He’s in the first year of secondary school.’
Francine knew this was a pivotal moment for Cara. They’d had many conversations about the birds and the bees but her daughter had never before been forthcoming about crushes. ‘What’s his name?’ she asked, trying to ignore the urge to tell her daughter to find a boy her own age.
‘Uh, I’d rather not say.’ Cara blushed.
‘Right,’ Francine said. ‘Does he like you too?’
‘Well, we’ve been texting for the last week and he said he’d hook up with me when we go trick or treating. Naomi likes his friend so we’re going as a foursome.’
Francine made a mental note to get Carl to keep an eye on them if he could. She’d be stuck in the hall tending the old folk, but Carl would lead a posse.
‘Well, I hope he’s a nice boy,’ Francine said, sounding ancient. ‘I’m sure he’s very slick,’ she amended.
‘Slick?’ Cara giggled. ‘That’s such a funny word! I’ll tell him you said that.’
; As her daughter walked ahead of her, Francine reassessed her outfit. The very short white ra-ra skirt with knee socks and white lacy top over a neon vest was suddenly not quite as sweet as she’d first thought. Francine used all her willpower to keep her mouth shut and resist the impulse to shove her daughter back into the car and drive her home.
‘Is my veil on right?’ Cara wondered.
‘It’s perfect,’ Francine managed. She’d been so busy focusing on Cameron that she’d almost missed her daughter turning into a stunning young woman before her eyes. ‘Mind yourself tonight, won’t you?’ Francine said suddenly, catching her by the arm. ‘I hope you have fun but don’t forget boys can break your heart if you let them.’
‘I know, Mum.’ Cara sighed. ‘I had my first broken heart last year. But I’m over it now.’ With a toss of her talc-whitened hair she ran towards the school building, leaving her mother astounded.
‘All right, Francine?’ Barbara, from the committee, asked, bustling up behind her.
‘Yes, thank you. Apart from the fact that my daughter is twelve going on thirty-five. Did you know she’s already had a broken heart and is going on a double date tonight?’
‘That’d be about right,’ Barbara said. ‘My Harry is nearly fifteen and he’s probably almost ready to take on running the country.’ She giggled. ‘They’re streets ahead of us at the same age, aren’t they?’
‘So it seems,’ Francine marvelled.
‘I’ll catch you later. I need to make sure the punch is mixed properly and keep the teenagers away from it. I laced it with vodka. I reckon we’ll all need a stiff drink after traipsing around out there with the children.’
‘People would be disappointed if your punch wasn’t lethal!’ Francine agreed. ‘The village is looking very festive. I love all the decorations people have put up. My kids are so excited about going around the houses.’
‘It’s a bit of gas, isn’t it? See you in a while,’ Barbara said.
Things were going according to plan in the school hall. Derik had positioned a separate CD player outside the building playing creepy Hallowe’en music. Fake cobwebs were stretched around the doors and people were arriving in droves.
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