Page 32 of A Wish For Wilma
With a few hours remaining before DJ took up residence again, Wilma had hoped Gus would linger at her house. But he’d made excuses about planning his work schedule for the coming week. A quick peck on the cheek and off he’d gone.
‘Get a grip, woman!’ Wilma needed to sort out her head. It was too cluttered with inappropriate thoughts and feelings she needed to squash before they led her down a road she could never travel. It would be total lunacy to imagine her friendship with Gus turning into anything more. She should be grateful to at least have that.
We need to do this again sometime.
His words echoed in her ears. Did he mean it? And when was ‘sometime’? Next month, or in a year? Perhaps never…
They had arranged nothing else. Gus had dealt with all the odd jobs around the house. Unless she dismantled a tap or took a sledgehammer to some tiles, nothing needed fixing. Apart from her own stupidity, and that would require more than a washer or some grouting.
‘The print!’ Wilma gave a jubilant whoop and hurried to the bedroom as fast as her weary legs would allow. She’d unpacked her toiletries and clothing, but forgotten about the castle print. It nestled in the front pocket of her suitcase, cushioned in bubble wrap.
‘What a bonny picture.’ Wilma propped the print up on her dressing table. Would it be too pushy to message Gus and ask him to drop by and hang it up? Hehadoffered, after all.
Reality reared up and slapped her across the face. In a few short hours DJ would return, putting paid to any visits from Gus. And hammering a nail into a wall and hanging a picture wasn’t beyond Wilma’s capabilities.
‘The sooner that lad grants me a wish and moves on, the better,’ she grumbled. ‘Not that I won’t miss him a bit, but I’m far too old for all these shenanigans.’
* * *
‘Sam, say something. Please.’
Jinnie couldn’t stand the stony silence between them as they drove to Wilma’s. DJ sat in the back, twiddling furiously with his WIFI. It looked different to Dhassim and Aaliyah’s, reminding Jinnie of an ancient Game Boy console. Oblivious to the icy atmosphere, he let out an occasional snort or gasp. ‘Get in!’ he shouted at one point, leaving Jinnie wondering if it reallywasa wish-giving tool or he’d just scored a goal in a virtual football match.
‘Jinnie, I love you, but you’ve created chaos in a universe that was already teetering on the brink.’ Sam dropped his voice. ‘We get rid of DJ, but we gain the delightful presence of his squabbling parents — both of whom are clueless as to how this saga will end.’ The genies had been unimpressed to hear that the son they had only just met was off to stay at Wilma’s.
Jinnie shuffled up from her apologetic slump. ‘With all due respect, Sam, shouldn’tyoube the one to figure it out? Being an almighty Djinn and all that.’
She hated her snarky tone, but Sam’s quiet anger at discovering Dhassim and Aaliyah slouching around the house had hit her hard. They rarely argued, Sam being the epitome of cool, calm and collected. Now she’d ruffled his feathers and discovered a side to him she didn’t recognise.
‘For the umpteenth time, Jinnie, I don’tknowwhat I’m supposed to do. It’s like being given the key to a magic kingdom, only to discover that the lock’s been changed.’
Jinnie let out a squelchy sob and Sam immediately placed his left hand on her leg. ‘Sweetheart, I’m sorry. Let’s just get DJ where he needs to be and deal with the demonic duo later.’
DJ poked his face between the front seats. ‘Don’t you mean dynamic?’
‘I know exactly what I mean.’
When they pulled up outside Wilma’s bungalow, Jinnie forced herself to take deep, relaxing breaths. Stressing herself to high doh wasn’t good for the baby. In less than three months’ time their precious bundle would arrive, and by then…
‘You’re early.’ Wilma greeted them with a face that would turn milk sour. She brightened a fraction as DJ threw his arms around her.
‘It’s good to be home!’ he proclaimed.
‘I thought you had a nice time with us,’ said Sam, icicles attached to his words.
Jinnie groaned and gave her gran a hug. ‘Of course he did! Gran, you need to tell us all about your trip with Gus. Where you went, what you saw. Did he behave like a perfect gentleman, or…’
Wilma’s face flickered between pleasure and pain. Maybe her gout was playing up again. ‘Another time, pet.’
Wilma ushered them into the kitchen. A pot of something, possibly stew, simmered on the hob. A scattering of crystals formed a heart on the table. Just to the left sat a framed picture, vaguely familiar to Jinnie. She stepped closer, Sam by her side. ‘You went to Eilean Donan Castle! Gran, I went there on a school trip when I was thirteen or fourteen. Bored me senseless at the time — I was more interested in Gordon Lennox, who then snogged my so-called best friend — but it’s amazing. What a gorgeous print.’
‘Gus bought it for me as a wee gift. I bought him a keyring.’
‘Ah, the exchange of gifts is a wonderful thing.’ DJ sniffed the stew. ‘Thanks to Jinnie, I have the most wonderful gift of all. Reunited with my parents, and … and…’
Jinnie, Sam, and Wilma waited for what would come next.
‘I have the power of invisibility!’
