Something that felt like excitement. But also, home.
The same feeling I’d got with Grace, Dad and Mr W on the train to Edinburgh.
And singing in Cara with Mum and Billy.
And making silly socks with Tess.
Was this what Christmas magic felt like?
I looked at my family onstage. And smiled.
Forget all the flashy events. This year, despite everything, my Christmas spirit had finally come back, and it was all thanks to these guys, to Grace.
And right then, I made up my mind.
It was time to stop watching and go inside.
Thirty minutes later Jack and I walked back out the front door. Billy spotted me first, running over and throwing her arms around me. Mum, Dad and Tess were still onstage rehearsing. I walked up the steps towards them, Bil clinging on to my leg like a koala bear. As I got to the top step she screamed, “LOOOK!!!!”
All three of them stopped dead and gawped. At me. Their middle daughter, head to toe bright green, wearing a stripy dress with jagged pointy red collar and cuffs, big gold buttons down the front, red-and-white stripy socks that came up to my knees and the longest, pointiest green hat with a bell on. I’d even brought my bass guitar out in public for the first time ever.
For a second no one said anything.
But then, in unison, Mum and Dad both ran (well, waddled as quickly as a parsnip and turkey could) and bundled me into a big hug.
“Molly Natasha Bell!” Mum squeezed me so hard one of her drumsticks bashed me on the head. “I have never been more proud of you.”
Good to know all my studying, my design, all my sports stuff, my kitchen creations, paled into insignificance over dressing as an elf.
Dad rubbed my cheek (although stopped when he realized he was making his hand green). “You, my darling, are the best elf in … all the land…’ Uh-oh. Was his voice cracking? “You always were. And…” sniff, “look at you now.” He gulped. “I’m sorry, Ange. Can you … hold the fort?” He sniffed, his eyes welling up. “I think this is a Christmas present that has tugged a little too hard at this parsnip’s heartstrings.”
And he ran offstage, to where Jack was already holding out a tissue.
“SNOW MACHINE READY!” Harry’s mum yelled. OK. This was happening. “SLATES.”
A woman shouted, “‘Love Your Elf!’ music video. Rehearsal one,” and snapped a clapperboard shut. This was just like the movies!
Except…
There was my house. And my still bleary-eyed dad. And Mum and Tess standing back-to-back ready to shimmy. And my furry reindeer little sister clutching Sosig’s sleigh bed, with him sitting on it like a throne despite, being dressed as a carrot.
Was I having an “overdone it on the Quality Street” dream?! Or had Hollywood really come to Bromster, with me and my family at the centre of it all?!
WHAT HAD I DONE?
“And … ACTION!”
The song started. My family began jumping about. They looked totally ridiculous!
And I … bounced right over and jumped along with them, pretending to play my bass. Our neighbours were clapping in time, loving it.
It wasn’t exactly playing onstage with The POWR, but weirdly, it felt great.
And after a few more run-throughs, it was time to break for an early dinner.
“Back here for half five, then we’ll bring on the normals!” Elijah yelled, when we finished.
Lucky my microphone didn’t pick up my whimper.
What if no one arrived? The whole video, the whole party, would be a flop!
I sat on the stage drumming my feet against the front of the cracker, bits of glitter shimmering down. It was dark now and with everyone inside grabbing food it was weirdly quiet.
But when five thirty hit, not one person had turned up. I sat staring left, staring right, waiting for a single car, a single new person to appear.
And fifteen minutes later, there was still not one arrival. And less than an hour till I’d asked Grace to come down. I looked at the poster of Grampy G. Please let this work! Please let any of the people I’d invited arrive?! Please let Grace turn up!
But by six p.m. my hope had disappeared and panic had taken its place. My nightmare was coming true. I’d messed up my last chance to save Grampy G’s party.
It was time to put Elijah on alert. There was no massive crowd.
Although, where was Cara?!
A loud honk rang out.
IT’S CHRIIIIISSSTTTTTMAAAAASSSSS.
Cara?
