Page 33 of A Wish For Wilma
‘What?’
‘You’re a genie, DJ, not flipping Harry Potter.’ Wilma loved the Harry Potter books and films. ‘Mind you, being able to pop on an invisibility cloak might prove useful.’
‘When did you discover this new skill?’ asked Jinnie. From a pooping baby with a single wish to give, DJ had increased his arsenal of abilities at lightning speed.
‘In the car, while you two were being all snippy and snappy. My WIFI revealed that I can become invisible for short periods of time.’
‘Now would be a good time to put it to the test.’ Sam guided Jinnie onto a chair and gave her a contrite look. Jinnie hadn’tquiteforgiven him for being arsey before, but now wasn’t the time to haul him over the coals.
‘The stew’s ready, so maybe hang on until we’ve eaten,’ said Wilma. ‘Sam, if you could dish up, there’s a love.’
Sam dutifully ladled the stew into bowls while Jinnie zapped a pack of ready-made mash in the microwave. As Wilma bustled around gathering cutlery, DJ pushed something on his WIFI…
‘Jeez Louise, the wee blighter just vanished!’ Wilma dropped her handful of knives and forks, which clattered on the floor. ‘Here one minute, gone the next.’
A distinct giggle pierced the silence. Sam, Jinnie and Wilma watched as the dropped cutlery rose in a cluster before being set out on the table. ‘Come on, let’s eat!’
DJ’s disembodied voice shook them out of their reverie. As if having an invisible dining companion was completely normal, they all sat down. With shaking hands, Jinnie added mash to each bowl. They ate, though watching forkfuls of meat and mash fly through the air only for the food to disappear took the edge off their appetites.
‘Absolutely top-notch nosh,’ declared DJ. He’d cleaned his bowl in minutes, the others too stunned to take more than a few bites.
‘Are there any additional skills we should know about?’ asked Sam.
‘If you can clean the entire house in five minutes flat, I’ll be dead impressed,’ offered Wilma. ‘I’ve a basket of ironing that needs doing, so add that to your list.’
DJ giggled again. ‘Household duties are not included in my WIFI package, sadly. Merely my ability to shape-shift, grant your wish and become invisible for a limited time only.’ Now he sounded like an annoying advert, promising an amazing discount if you purchased within a set number of days.
Jinnie glanced at Sam, who looked as worn out as she felt. Wilma, however, had the countenance of a woman with a bee in her bonnet. ‘So, I’m a bit slow on the uptake these days,’ she said, ‘but did you just mention your parents?’
Little by little, DJ came back into focus. He was fuzzy round the edges, but completely familiar — if you accepted his incredible transition from baby to young adult.
‘Yes, Mama and Papa are back. We have much celebrating to do, don’t we?’ He directed his remark at Jinnie, who squirmed in her seat. Sam sat rigid, as if a coat hanger had snuck up his jumper.
‘Ah, well that’s lovely. Nice to see a family reunited.’ Wilma leant forward until she was nose to nose with DJ. ‘And the other thing you said. About ship-shafting, or whatever it was.’
As DJ patiently explained his ability to take on different guises, a wicked smile crept over Wilma’s face. And a fresh dread washed over Jinnie.
CHAPTER23
‘It’ll doyou the world of good, sweetheart.’ Sam held Jinnie’s hand as they walked to A Bit of Crumpet. ‘Get yourself glammed up and go out with the girls for an evening.’
His earlier frostiness had melted, replaced with a need to make amends. First, a visit to the café. When passing the previous day, Sam had noticed a sign in the window for ‘heart-warming soups to beat the winter chill’. He’d persuaded Jinnie to take a break from dealing with Dhassim and Aaliyah, currently holed up in a guest bedroom and bickering constantly.
‘I just feel so guilty,’ said Jinnie. ‘I’ve hardly seen them in recent months, what with one thing or another.’
Jinnie’s closest friends — Hannah, Shona, Shalini and Jacqui — kept in touch via WhatsApp and the occasional call. They’d been thrilled when she got together with Sam, and their collective scream at her pregnancy news on a group video chat had nearly shattered Jinnie’s eardrums. However, their lives had drifted apart, and Jinnie knew she was largely to blame.
‘Anyway, getting glammed up isn’t easy when none of your nice clothes fit. They don’t do sparkly tents.’ Jinnie hated to sound petulant, but her bump had expanded and she loathed the handful of items in her wardrobe that she could still get into.
‘You look beautiful whatever you wear.’ Sam gave her hand a comforting squeeze, still fighting his way back into her good books.
Jo greeted them with a harassed smile. ‘Hi, you two. It’s bedlam in here, as you can see.’
Sure enough, every table was occupied, barring one by the door. Spicy aromas mingled with familiar smells of onions, tomatoes and a hint of basil.
‘I’m no’ sure about this one.’ Janette swirled a spoon around a golden-yellow concoction, her face a picture of disdain. Hairdresser Peggy sat opposite her, looking happier with a bowlful of something green and thick.
‘It’s Keralan-style chicken.’ Jo handed Jinnie a card with a selection of soups listed on it. ‘Packed with butternut squash, coconut and lentils.’
