Cadenbury Town Does Halloween (Cadenbury Town #7)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

A fter an amazing lunch at Penn’s, we head home. Thankfully the rain seems to have stopped for the moment, but the clouds are still dark and threatening.

We arrive back at the manor and head through the kitchen straight into the garden. The marquee is massive, there are benches set out towards the back for food, tables with drinks, seats and tables for people to sit down and space heaters here and there. There is flooring on the ground and there is even a cover over the BBQ area.

I watch as Ben starts putting food on the grill.

There are actually two BBQs as some of Elliot’s family are vegetarians.

“What do you think?” Temp asks, walking over to us.

“It looks awesome. Anything I can do?” I ask.

“You can help bring the food and plates out.”

“I can do that.”

We spend the next few minutes setting everything we need out. With so many of us, it never takes long. We have just put the last plate of food out when Elliot and his family arrive.

“Elliot,” Adhan says, smiling at him. “Welcome to Cadenbury.”

Elliot pulls Adhan into a hug. “Thanks for inviting us. We’re all looking forward to your Halloween event.”

“We are indeed,” Cleo says, also hugging Adhan.

We spend a while saying hello, hugging and laughing with Elliot’s family. We met practically everyone the first time we went to their funfair, so it really is nice to see them again.

I was surprised when I first saw Elliot. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but a man looking like Chris Evans from Avengers, End Games, wasn’t it.

Jude is currently standing next to me, Connie in his arms, and we’re chatting with Madam Cleo and Molly.

“I heard you and Sal had a daughter. She is beautiful and will grow up, happy and caring,” Madam Cleo says, stroking Connie’s hand.

“Thank you. We are only teaching her good magic,” Jude tells her.

“Good. She will be a powerful witch when she grows up. Her magic will start showing up after her first birthday.”

“So early?” Jude asks, in surprise.

Cleo nods. “Yes,” she puts her hand in her pocket and pulls out a pendent.

It looks like clear quartz with smaller stones on it.

“This crystal will help balance and calm her magic. It contains, amethyst, lapis lazuli, blue lace agate, selenite, howlite, petalite, and black kyanite. The pendent chain will grow as your daughter grows.” Cleo pulls out a velvet bag and puts the pendant inside, before handing it to Jude. “Keep it safe and give it to her on her first birthday.”

Jude takes it. “Wow, thank you, Cleo, that’s amazing and so kind of you.”

“She couldn’t have asked for better parents,” Cleo says, patting his arm, then she and Molly walk off, leaving a stunned Jude behind him.

“Just wow,” Jude says, dropping a kiss on Connie’s head.

“You can’t be surprised that Connie will be a magic user,” I say, stroking her hand.

“I’m not, I think I’m surprised that she will be a strong magic user and need help to balance and calm her magic, and that she’ll be able to do magic so young.”

I laugh. “Yeah, good luck with that. Good job your partner is Sal and you have more true witches in the family.”

Jude laughs. “Thank goodness. I need to go and warn Sal.”

I laugh as I watch Jude walk off to find Sal. I walk around chatting to more friends. Everyone is having a good time and laughter is abound.

The space heaters are doing their job of keeping the damp away as it’s raining again. I hope it doesn’t rain like this while the Halloween festivities are on otherwise the event will be a washout.