Page 60 of Clara's Secret Garden
And I’m still laughing as – under the stern eyes of Carmenand Manuel – we do our own very individual take on salsa...
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
It’s Saturday afternoon and the village hall is filledwith the hum of chatter, laughter and anticipation.
The curtain is about to go up.
I was amazed when Rory told me Elsie was taking part intonight’s charity dance show – as a lettuce. I said yes straight away when heoffered to get me a ticket for the show.
‘So your mum managed to work her magic.’ I smile at Rory,who’s sitting on my left.
‘On Elsie’s headdress?’ He grins. ‘Yeah, the lettuce leaves seemto be standing to attention now instead of flopping into her eyes.’
‘That’s good. She’ll be able to see the audience – well, youand your mum and dad, in particular.’
‘And you.Especiallyyou, Clara.’ He smiles. ‘Elsie’salways talking about you.’
Blushing a little, I brush off the compliment. ‘She’s reallycome out of her shell.’ I’m feeling a bit like a proud parent, sitting herewith Rory, getting ready to watch Elsie dance. Her mum and dad have baggedseats nearer the front.
I feel a bit awkward about Lois being at home thisafternoon, keeping an eye on Bertie. It was her choice, though. She could havecome with us and I would have asked Gran to have Bertie for the afternoon, butLois insisted she and Irene would look after him together and make him pizzafor tea. Shows like this aren’t really her cup of tea; she gets bored easilyand starts to fidget. So I think she was quite glad to get out of accompanyingRory.
When we arrived at the village hall earlier, Elsie and Laurenwere coming out of the toilets together, and they came over for a moment,excited and looking very cute in their costumes. (Lauren, dressed in red, isapparently a radish.) I noticed that Elsie’s mouth looked better. The skinaround her lips wasn’t as raw and red.
‘Elsie’s come so far,’ I murmur now.
Rory nods. ‘I know. I couldn’t believe it when she told me,in a perfectly calm manner, like she was cleaning her teeth or something, thatshe was going to bedancing on stage. That sort of bravery wasn’t on thecards even a month ago.’ He shrugs. ‘Let’s be real here.’
I cast a sly look at him. ‘You mean,lettucebe realhere?’
‘Er, stop that now if you want to “romaine” friends.’
‘I can’t be-leaf you just said that. Cos it’s not evenfunny.’
‘Yes, it is.’ He grins. ‘You love a pun as much as I do.’
I nod eagerly. ‘I don’t trust stairs because they’re alwaysup to something?’
He looks at me quizzically. ‘Nice. But what’s that got to dowith vegetables?’
‘Nothing at all. I just mean – don’t you remember...?’I shake my head.Of course he doesn’t remember. It’s only lovesick foolslike me who can still recall conversations with a certain boy from my long-ago schooldays!
Swiftly, I change the subject. ‘What’s this show all about,anyway? Well, apart from vegetables, obviously.’
‘I’m not sure. But there’s definitely a naughty villain andsome thieving going on, from what I can gather from Elsie. I think it’s acautionary tale about not being jealous of other people and stealing theirthings.’
‘Hang on.’ This somehow rings a bell and I turn to Rory,wide-eyed. I can tell by his grin that the penny has just dropped for him, too.
As one, we hiss: ‘The Great Marrow Heist of ’98!’
The woman in front turns round and gives us a funny look,and when I sneak a glance at Rory, he’s covering his smile with his hand. Isnort with laughter and that sets him off, too. And suddenly, instead of aproud parent, I’m a naughty kid giggling in the back row with my schoolmate.
It feels so good to laugh with Rory. But it’s bittersweet.
Because schoolmates is all we’ll ever be.
Friends...
*****
