Page 46 of A Wish For Wilma
They finished up and headed back to Sam and Jinnie’s. Sam had a video call with his publisher and Aaliyah was nowhere to be seen.
‘Now might be a good time to introduce me to DJ’s folks,’ said Wilma. ‘I’d love to meet the genies who are responsible for my lodger.’
Jinnie gasped. ‘I hadn’t realised you’d never met them, Gran! Although it’s a bit tricky right now, as only one of them is here.’
‘That would be me.’ Aaliyah sashayed into the lounge, wearing Jinnie’s recently purchased top. Instead of her normal pigtail, she’d piled her inky-black hair into an intricate bun and her eyes sparkled with glittery shadow.
‘Ah, you’re a right glamour puss, and no mistake,’ said Wilma. ‘A bit dolled up for a day at home, or is that a genie thing?’
Aaliyah smirked. ‘You must be Wilma. The wrinkly who’s trying to get it on with the other wrinkly. Each to their own, pet, but why not try a sex toy?’
Jinnie mimed ‘zip it’ to Aaliyah. Aaliyah ignored her and looked Wilma up and down. ‘Admittedly, you don’t look too bad for a very old person and I owe you thanks for nurturing my beautiful boy. Sadly, his father has done a bunk, so you won’t have the dubious pleasure of meeting him yet.’
‘If he’s as delightful as you, pet, I reckon I’ve had a lucky escape,’ replied Wilma.
The veiled insult flew over Aaliyah’s head. She whipped out her WIFI and scowled at it. ‘Ugh! It appears that I cannot be reunited with Gorka until dim Dhassim returns. That sucks!’
‘Erm, he prefers to be called DJ, as I think you already know.’ Jinnie rolled her eyes in despair. ‘Surely you can entice Dhassim out of his lamp with your feminine charms?’Or could Sam the almighty Djinn intervene somehow? On second thoughts…
‘Well, I’m nae further forward with my wish, although I appreciated the bonus one. Ta for that.’
Sam stuck his head round the door. ‘Call’s done. Hi, Wilma.’ He squished her in a bear hug, then turned to Jinnie and did the same.
‘Gently, please!’ grumbled Jinnie.
‘Do I get one too?’ said Aaliyah, coquettishly. Sam obliged, but with considerably less enthusiasm.
Jinnie cleared her throat. ’Aaliyah just told us that she can’t be with DJ until Dhassim gets over his strop. I wondered if you—’
Sam shook his head. ‘Sweetheart, you know I’m as much use as a chocolate teapot when it comes to the Djinn stuff.’
Aaliyah returned to glowering at her WIFI, while the mention of a teapot sent Wilma scuttling into the kitchen to make a brew.
Jinnie eased herself onto the sofa and patted the seat next to her. ‘How was your call?’ she asked, snuggling up to Sam. ‘Do they like your outlines for the follow-ups toWishful Thinking?’
‘Fortunately yes, otherwise I’d be back to the drawing board,’ said Sam. ‘Pitching a book outline is more painful than writing the actual book.’
‘But you always come up with brilliant ideas and awesome books. Who needs mythical powers when you’re a wizard with words?’
A loud harrumphing interrupted the conversation.
‘Are we disturbing you, Aaliyah?’ Jinnie raised her voice to be heard over the loud beeping and jangling coming from the WIFI.
Aaliyah ignored her, a manicured nail tap-tap-tapping furiously.
‘Tea’s ready,’ announced Wilma. ‘I can bring it through, or we can—'
‘Haddaway!’ shrieked Aaliyah.
‘Did you break your nail?’ said Jinnie, unsure of what ‘haddaway’ meant. The still-functioning part of her brain recalled Aaliyah’s Geordie connections, and it didsounda bit Geordie.
‘It’s a Newcastle expression for disbelief,’ said Sam, rather smugly. ‘I know that because one of my characters came from there and I researched the local dialect.’
‘Fascinating, Sam.’ Wilma folded her arms and surveyed the room. ‘We can discuss the meaning of whatever drivel Aaliyah’s spouting, or we can adjourn for tea and put the world to rights in time-honoured British style.’
‘I vote for tea.’ Jinnie craved a cuppa. She wanted her hands cradled round a hot mug, with nothing more challenging to think of than how much milk was acceptable.
‘You don’t understand,’ Aaliyah snapped. ‘There has been a terrible, terrible mistake.’
