Page 72 of Always Be My Pumpkin

I haven’t shared the true motivation with anyone, apart from Sarah and Scott. As far as everyone else is concerned, my efforts are centred on the best interests of our village.

I lead them over to the bench by the arch and pull out two large cardboard sheets with green lettering. ‘These are yours, tuck them under your table until I give the sign.’ I pass them to Gertrude with a grateful smile.

She grabs a green marker. ‘I might embellish mine.’

‘Go for it,’ I say, because I know she’s on my side now.

‘And who are you supposed to be, Gracie?’ Finbarr frowns.

‘It’s obvious, dear.’ Gertrude tuts. ‘She’s Bella Swan, when she gets a bit more gumption.’

‘Right, right,’ he mutters, clearly no wiser.

But I smile because I’m glad Gertrude gets it.

Then I spot Pat coming through the door with Moll and Barty in tow, and I wave him over. He’s wearing a shaggy grey wolf costume, with the scary-looking head tucked under his arm.

‘Have you seen Flynn?’ I look anxiously over his shoulder. ‘I heard he went home for a nap, and you know what he’s like.’

‘Don’t worry, he’ll be here soon,’ Pat says softly. ‘He texted a few minutes ago. He’s going to take a shower and then he just has to fix something with his costume.’

‘Flynn has a costume?’

‘Of course he does.’ Pat’s eyes twinkle. ‘I’m fairly sure he got it for your benefit.’

‘Really?’ My nerve endings tingle as I picture Flynn as Edward Cullen, with diamond glitter on his cheekbones and some understated vampire teeth. He’s already got the messy bedhead thing going on. Although, I hope he doesn’t use colour contacts, I couldn’t bear him to cover those cornflower blue eyes.

‘Yes, really.’ Pat holds up his wolf’s head. ‘Right, I’d better put this on before the session starts. Have you a party piece prepared?’

‘I do.’ My voice comes out a little shaky, because even though I know my song by heart, I have no clue if my words will land the way I want them to, or if my plan will come back to bite me. And not the way I’m hoping for.

34

I nip to the loo and when I get back, the place is heaving. Sarah and Scott are at our table by the stove. Sarah’s wearing a wild jet-black wig, raven feather collar, with a fake crow glued to her shoulder. Definitely not cosy, but I love it.

I have to weave through half the cast of Derry Girls to reach them, and I make it as one of the trad musicians starts to drum on his bodhran.

‘Flynn’s awake.’ I lean in to make sure Sarah can hear me over the music. ‘Will you help me hand out the signs?’

‘Of course.’ Sarah turns to Scott and yells in his ear. ‘We need you to do lookout, babe, and keep an eye on Moll and Barty.’

‘I’m on it.’ He gives us a thumbs up and follows us out into the fray. We squeeze our way over to the arch to unload the bench, and I wave to Audrey, standing behind the bar in full Sister Michael regalia.

She lifts her handbell and calls, ‘Time!’ Everyone gasps in horror and starts shouting in protest, until she yells, ‘Not closing time, you fools. I mean Gracie’s plan.’

Ten minutes later, everyone has a sheet of cardboard with green lettering, apart from Moll and Barty as I have an even more important job for them.

‘Great costumes,’ I say as I hand each of them a placard. The ones that until this afternoon said Down with Plastic in black caps, now say Stay. Stay. Stay. in bright grassy green.

‘It’s freezing out there,’ Barty grunts as I usher him towards the door. Moll gives him a dig and pushes him outside. They’re both wearing padded black coats, woolly hats, and fleece-lined wellingtons. And they each have an oversized black sack, torn and tied at the collar as a cape. I’ve no idea who they’re supposed to be, but at least they’ll be warm.

Scott pulls on his long black coat and Nosferatu mask. ‘I’ll wait over on the other side of the road, and I’ll text as soon as I spot Flynn coming up from Hazel Cottage.’

I give him a thumbs up, and Sarah and I grab a table near the door as Finbarr starts the session with an acoustic rendition of ‘When You Were Sweet Sixteen’.

By the time he’s finished, I’m feeling quite emotional, but there’s still no sign of Flynn. Then I feel a blast of icy air as the main door swings wide. I swivel in search of a sexy Twilight vampire. And stare in abject horror as Jamie breezes in.

What the hell? I told him not to come. And Sarah warned him too.