Cadenbury Town Does Halloween (Cadenbury Town #7)

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

W e’re all up early this morning as today is Saturday and Temp’s birthday. He hasn’t celebrated his birthday since his parents died, but in this house, you don’t have a choice, you have to celebrate your birthday. Not that he, or anyone really minds. I shake my head when I remember Titus never used to celebrate his, neither did Sion or Sal. Well everyone does now.

There is a pile of presents waiting for Temp on the table and Nora made him a happy birthday sign that is hanging on the wall. Molly is here for breakfast as well.

We don’t have to wait long for Temp to come down. He walks in smiling happily and holding Ben’s hand.

We all break out into different versions of Happy Birthday .

Temp smiles the biggest smile, and blushes a little. “Thank you,” he says.

“Open your presents, Bro,” Cassie says, pushing the pile of presents closer to Temp.

“Wow, thank you, everyone,” he says, clearing his throat. “You have no idea what this means to me.”

“We can guess,” Titus says. “Now open your presents.”

Temp opens his gifts and it takes ages. He is one of those annoying people that has to check out each and every present as he opens them. If it needs building, he’ll start to build it. If it's a book, he opens it and starts reading it.

“Temp, maybe you could open all your presents first and then look at building them, or reading your books,” Emily finally suggests. “Maybe after breakfast.”

Temp laughs. “Okay, sorry.”

“There is nothing to apologise for, Tink,” Molly says.

“Are you coming crab fishing with us, Molly?” Temp asks her.

Molly shakes her head. “I’ve things to do today, but I’ll pop in for the BBQ tomorrow.”

“Good, Madam Cleo will be here with Elliot and the Funfair family,” Temp tells her.

“Then it will be a good BBQ,” she cackles out.

Temp finally opens all his presents; seriously how can anyone take so long to open them? I want to know what I’ve got straight away. I internally shake my head, I’m never buying him lots of presents. I remember a friend saying once her brother was like this, which she forgot and for his fiftieth birthday she brought him fifty presents. She said she was never making that mistake again, as it took him forever to open them all.

The final present he opens is his witch costume.

“Really Winifred Sanderson? You could have got me Sarah?” he complains.

"I would have gone with Mary,” Jude says laughing.

“I think I’m insulted, should I be?” Temp asks the table generally.

“I looked for a Wendy outfit, but couldn’t find one in your size,” I tell him.

I hear snorts of laughter around the table.

“Now I’m really insulted,” Temp fake grumps out.

“I can’t wait to see what witch outfit someone buys you,” Titus says grinning at me.

“You know whatever it is, I will wear it and rock it,” I reply, not the least bit fazed by what someone will buy me. Plus my Adhan will love me in whatever I wear, or burst something laughing at me.

We finally get around to having breakfast and afterwards, we help Temp carry his presents upstairs then meet at the front door for our trip out.

We have Justice and Alfred in the car with us and it’s a fun drive to the Quay.

We manage to find parking spaces next to each other and close to the Quay side, so we have a perfect view of the water.

We get out of the cars and walk to the barrier by the water waiting for those who had to get the tickets.

“It’s stunning here,” Justice says with a smile. His arm is around Alfred, who is leaning into his side.

That’s something I’ve noticed about Alfred, if he is near Justice, he always leans into him. It’s sweet to see.

“It is,” Kean says. “At the end of there,” he points down the Quay side, “Is a boat that can take you across the water to there.” Again he points, this time to the opposite shore. “There are good walks there, plus they have a land train that drives around some of the way.”

“We should do that first,” Temp says, “It’s too early for lunch.”

“Do what?” Jude asks, joining us.

“Take the boat and ride the train,” Temp replies.

Sal looks at Connie, who is strapped to his front. “Looks like we’re both having our first boat and land train ride today,” he says, dropping a kiss on her head.

I look at Connie, who is smiling happily.

“A lot of us are sharing these firsts. I see lots of pictures being taken today,” Titus says.

“Come on then, let’s see when the next boat sails,” Ben says, taking Temp’s hand and leading us to the end of the promenade.

We pass lobster pots, gathered on the quay side, pass a pub and cafe, as well as a fresh fish shop that sells crabbing bate, and walk to the boat entrance.

We look to be in luck as the boat is just arriving. As we wait for the boat to dock and passengers to disembark, I notice the sign. It has prices for everything, including pirates, cats, dogs and kitchen sinks.

I grab my phone and take a photo before showing the others, who laugh and take their own photos.

We don’t have to wait long before we can climb aboard.

“Are you all together?” The boat captain asks, looking us all over.

“We are. We have a mixture of pirates, kitchen sinks and dogs,” Titus says to the boat captain.

The man laughs and gives us a nice discount anyway.

I’ve never been on a small boat before, or any boat really. I’m hoping this will be fun.

“This is fun,” Nora says, sitting next to Sal and letting Connie hold her finger. “We’re on a boat, Connie, this is exciting.”

I look at Connie who still has a smile on her face.

We mess about on the boat and make each other laugh, thankfully no one falls in, but it was touch and go for a moment when Cassie leaned a bit too far over the side. Only the quick reflexes of Sion and Adhan stopped him falling in, much to all our amusement.

It didn’t take us long to cross to the other side. We reach dry land and thank the captain as we disembark. I wonder if he will send another captain for our journey back.

“Hey look, the train has just arrived,” Cassie says pointing to the green land train.

It looks cute, there is an engine and driver and two different types of carriages, open or closed, with a trolley-type one at the back for prams and buggies.

“This is so cute. Next year we could look at getting something like this for the haunted farm,” Cam suggests.

“I’ll look into it,” Adhan says.

We wait for the passengers to get off before we all pile in. I see most of us have opted for the open carriages.

I lean into Adhan’s side and wait for the driver to come and collect our train fare. We all get return tickets and it’s not long before the driver gets into his cab and then we’re off.

“I’m loving this train,” I say, sighing happily. The train isn’t that fast, it’s going just above walking speed.

“Me too. I like how we can both fit snugly on the bench,” Adhan replies, smiling , and putting his arm around me.

In the carriage in front of us is Temp and Ben.

I grin at Adhan for a moment, before I flick my fingers at them.

A gust of wind whips around them, messing their hair up.

“Where did that come from?” Ben exclaimed.

“Where did what come from?” Alfred asks, turning round to look at them, as they are in the carriage in front of them.

I send more wind to whip around them.

“That wind,” Temp says. “How come you’re not getting ruffled?”

I flick my fingers again and Alfred sees and cracks up.

Temp turns round. “It’s like that is it?”

I try for an innocent look, but I’m not sure I achieved it. “Like what?’

“Don’t play innocent with me. I know it was you,”

Another gust of wind surrounds them, this time not from me.

“See, I did nothing,” I reply, grinning at him.

I catch a wink from Justice and snort out a laugh.

Temp scowls at me and turns around. “I will find out who winded us,” he calls out.

Pretty sure apart from Ben, only myself, Adhan, Justice and Alfred heard him.

I grin at Adhan. “Playing with magic is so much fun,”

He bursts out laughing. “So I see.”

The train meanders around the coastal path, with grass embankments on either side, slowly inclining up the little hill towards the top. It stops next to a café, and we all get off and sit at some empty tables as the brothers go in and get us all ice creams.

“That was fun,” Nora says, leaning into Nix.

“It was and we have a choice of catching the train back to the boat or walking back,” he tells her.

Connie starts to fret a little. “I need to change the princess,” Sal says, standing up.

“I can do that if you want,” Emily offers.

“Thanks, Emily, if you’re sure?” Sal says, starting to unhook Connie from the carrier.

Emily picks up the baby bag that Jude left with Sal when he went inside and taking Connie, Emily walks off in the direction of the toilets.

“Just think Doobs, you were that small once,” Nix tells her.

Nora laughs. “We all were once.”

“I’m trying to imagine Adhan as a baby,” I say, with a laugh.

“Have you not seen his baby photos?” Alfred asks me.

I shake my head. “No.”

“I’ve not seen Ben’s either.” Temp says.

“I’ve not seen Kean’s,” Titus puts in.

“Has anyone seen any Stone’s baby pictures?” Sal asks.

“I have. Adhan took great delight showing me Alfred’s,” Justice says with a laugh.

Alfred shakes his head. “All my baby photos!”

“I bet you were a cute baby,” Nix says grinning at him.

“He really was,” Justice says. “You should ask Emily to show you all the baby photos. I’m sure she could make an evening of it.”

“That’s an idea, especially as Adhan has seen mine,” I say. My Ma took great delight in showing Adhan all my baby photos.

“I don’t have any baby photos,” Temp says. “I’ve no idea what Tim did with any of our parents’ things.”

“I don’t have any either,” Sal says. “I can never remember the family taking any photos of us.”

“I have all of Nora’s and mine. Ours are in storage,” Nix says. “Plus Nora has lots as I took loads when she was growing up.”

“I have no idea if I’ve got any or not,” Sion says. “I’m going with not though.”

Cassie grabs his hand. “I don’t have many, Lizzy and Norris weren’t big on family photos,”

“I don’t have any,” Titus says.

“Me either,” Justice tells us.

Now I feel bad that I have lots. I wonder if there is anything I can do about that. I’ll get my thinking cap on. Before anyone can say anything else the brothers are back carrying ice creams, all large 99s. I notice Jude is also carrying one of Connie’s bottles.

“They heated Connie’s milk for us,” Jude says sitting down.

“That was nice. Your mum has taken our girl to get her nappy changed,” Sal tells him.

“It makes a change having an ice cream and not cake,” Alfred says.

“It does. I was tempted to buy cakes as well, their cake selection looked amazing, but I’m liking the change,” Kean says sitting down.

It’s not long before Emily walks back with a still-happy Connie.

“Thanks, Mum, let me take her so you can eat your ice cream, thankfully it’s not melted yet,” Jude says, taking Connie and handing Emily her 99.

“Thank you, darling,” Emily replies, sitting down to enjoy her treat.

Jude gets Connie settled and then gives her her bottle.

“Doobs, can you make any more of a mess?” Nix asks, laughing at Nora.

Nora nods. “Yep.”

I look at Nora, her face is covered in ice cream, she even has some in her hair.

“Here, Nix,” Sal says, pulling the wet wipes out of the baby bag and handing them over.

“Thanks,” Nix says, taking them. “Doobs you even have ice cream in your hair.”

“My hair was hungry,” Nora replies, taking a wipe from her brother and wiping over her face, as we all laugh.

“There is nothing worse than hungry hair,” Cam says, helping to get the ice cream out of it.

“We need a group photo,” Ben suddenly says, jumping up. “Everyone gather close.”

We all move around and Ben takes a family photo.

“Would you like me to take one of all of you?” A man asks from a nearby table.

“That would be amazing, thank you,” Ben says, handing his phone over and joining us.

“Say cheese,” the man says.

We all do and the man laughs, taking the picture and then handing the phone back to Ben.

“Thanks,” Ben says.

And with that, the man went and sat back down.

Ben looks at the picture. “This picture is amazing. I’ve just attached it to the family chat so we all have it.”

We all grab our phones and look at the picture. It’s lovely, we all look so happy. I don’t think I’m going to be the only one printing this out and framing it.