Page 30 of Clara's Secret Garden
I glance at my watch. We need to get a shift on. Ellie’sexpecting us at the café in half an hour to set up. ‘Can you help me get thislot out to the car, Bertie?’
As we lug the boxes outside, Bertie looks at me wistfully.‘Clara?’
‘Yes, love?’
‘When will my mum be back? She’s coming to watch, isn’t she?’
My heart squeezes at the hope in his eyes. ‘She...yes, I think so. She’s got something she needs to do, though, so she said shemight be a little bit late, remember?’
Irene went out at three, saying she was meeting someone forcoffee and promising she’d only be a couple of hours. But it’s now six-thirtyand she’s still not back.
‘Is she out with Damien again?’
‘Erm, no. But I’m sure she’ll be along as soon as she can.’I smile brightly, while thinking that I might actually kill Irene if her latestdate ends up eating into precious time she could be spending watching her son.Bertie would be so thrilled to see his mum there in the audience.
He nods thoughtfully.
‘And Lois is coming with us in the car, soshe’llbethere to watch you.’
I actually thought Lois was joking when she announced atbreakfast, without any prior nagging from me, that she was expecting a frontseat at the demo.
‘You’regoing?’
‘Of course I’m going.’ She threw me a daggers look, as ifshe hadn’t spent the last two months being a hermit in her room and neverventuring out. She leaned over and ruffled Bertie’s hair. ‘I wouldn’t miss itfor the world. You’d better be good, Bertie Wooster.’
‘I’ll begreat!’ said Bertie, through a mouthful ofbacon sandwich.
Lois lifted her bread and squeezed tomato sauce on her bacon.The plastic bottle, almost empty, made a loud farting sound which pleasedBertie no end, so she did it again, making him crease up with laughter.
I felt a wave of love for my stepsister.
Sometimes she was just brilliant...
*****
When we arrive at the café, Ellie has arranged chairstheatre-style in the function room, with a long table at which the bakingaction will take place.
Just looking at the set-up makes my insides squeak withnerves. Even Bertie’s gone silent, staring around the room, looking a littleawe-struck.
‘You’ll be great,’ she says. ‘Just remember it’s all reallyrelaxed. No one’s expecting Mary Berry. People just want a fun night. And ifthey learn something in the process, that’s an added bonus.’
‘Right.’ I rub my hands together. ‘Come on, Bertie. Let’sget going. Where are the fake cupcakes? Do you want to have a bit of apractice?’
This spurs him into action and I watch admiringly as I seteverything out on the table.
‘Is there somewhere to plug this in?’ I ask Ellie.
‘Interesting.’ She looks at me quizzically as she sets up mylaptop.
I shrug. ‘We’ve put together a baking playlist. It’s a bitrandom.’
Ellie chuckles. ‘Random is good. I can’t wait to hear it.’She observes Bertie with an admiring nod. ‘Excellent.’
It occurs to me that she’s putting a lot of faith in me tomake tonight go with a swing. I’d hate to let her down.
People are filing into the room now – mostly women, a mix ofages – and Lois has already bagged her seat in the front row. I beckon Bertieover to the table and he puts the two fake cupcakes in his pockets. It looks asif it’s going to be a full house, with just a few seats left in the back row.
Ellie welcomes everyone to the café. ‘We have a brother andsister duo baking for us tonight. May I present Clara. And Bertie, who Ibelieve is six years old.’
