My heart sinks. Oh, God, I’ve pissed him off now. I’m doing well this week. Soon, there’ll be no-one in the entire world speaking to me…
Carrie is signalling to me. ‘I can sort you out with fancy dress,’ she hisses.
I stick my thumb up at her. ‘Yes…yes, don’t worry, we’ll definitely have costumes.’
‘Good. Listen, Maddy, something’s come up and I’m having to stay in London overnight. So could you make your own way to the event tomorrow and I’ll meet you there?’
‘Oh. Okay.’
‘I’ll be there for eleven. Don’t be late!’
‘What do you think about me moving to London?’ I ask quickly. But he’s already ended the call.
I heave a sigh. ‘Why is everything so complicated? I think I agree with little Eva. I’d very much like to be a fairy.’
Carrie laughs. ‘At least you’re okay on the costume front. Krystle’s always been big on fancy dress parties. She’s got a wardrobe full of whacky outfits, and she’s having a big clear out at the moment, getting rid of lots of stuff that reminds her of when she and Ryan were together. I’m sure I’ll be able to find you something with a snorkelling flavour.’
‘Great. Thanks. Not sure how I’ll get there, though.’
‘Cadge a lift from someone?’
I smile bitterly. ‘I seem to have fallen out with everyone I know, so that could be tricky.’
In the end, Adam offers to drive me there. I’m leaving the café with Carrie at home time and we bump into him on the way to his van. Carrie is her usual star-struck self, with Adam in touching distance, so I end up babbling on about the bog snorkelling, which he’s never heard of and finds absolutely hilarious. He says he has to see a client in Sussex the next day anyway, so he’ll drop me on the way.
Watching him drive off, Carrie shoots me a grin. ‘I need a favour.’
‘Anything.’
‘When you’re chatting to Adam on the journey tomorrow, make sure you find out what he thinks of me?’
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Bog snorkelling day dawns drizzly with a flat grey sky, which mucks up my plans immediately. (I’d been hoping for something more dramatic - a thunderstorm, maybe…gale-force winds…perhaps a freak tornado - which would obviously mean the event would be cancelled. But apparently even the weather is against me.)
The drive with Adam is nice, though. He’s good company, asking lots of questions about bog snorkelling (which I can’t answer) and about the café (which I can) and keeping me entertained with stories about the weird customers he’s met along the way in his plumbing career.
‘The best one was when I was called to unblock a toilet and I found a full set of dentures down there. “Oh, that’s where they went!” says the customer. Apparently, he’d been a bit ill after a boozy session the night before and the teeth had departed along with everything else.’
I start to laugh and Adam grins. ‘First time you’ve cracked a smile since we set off. Are you looking forward to this thing today?’
‘To be honest, not really. I agreed to it to please my, um, biological dad – long story – but I probably should have thought about it first.’ I frown. ‘I can’t duck out now, though. I’m being sponsored and I’ve upset too many people already.’
Adam shoots me a look of sympathy. ‘What’s your costume like? I hear the lovely Krystle gave you some of her cast-offs? Purging her house of everything to do with her ex, even though it was a mutual decision to split. She’s mad, that girl.’
‘My costume’s a mermaid,’ I tell him, noting the affectionate way he talks about Krystle. I think we’re roughly the same size, so I’m hoping it’ll fit.’
‘I’d say you were more Carrie’s size,’ he says, casting a critical eye over me. ‘Slightly smaller than Krystle, slim shape, small waist.’
I laugh. ‘I like that description. So…do you make a habit of studying Carrie’s shape?’
He swings round, looking a bit embarrassed. ‘Banged to rights, your honour.’
I laugh and he says, ‘They’re both lovely. Different personalities, though.’
‘True. Krystle’s the extrovert. Carrie’s quieter and she’s very wise for her age, I think. And funny. She’s really helped me stay sane these past few weeks.’
He nods. ‘I like Carrie. A lot.’
Inwardly, I’m clapping excitedly. I can’t wait to pass on this interesting information to Carrie herself.
‘Actually…I said I’d go with Carrie to the fair. Do you fancy coming along with us? Next Saturday night?’
‘Yeah. Great. Haven’t been on the dodgems for years.’
‘Good. Carrie will be pleased.’
‘Haven’t you tried your mermaid costume on for today?’ he asks.
I shake my head, pulling the big black plastic bag on my knee and delving inside. ‘Carrie dropped them off just before you arrived to pick me up.’ (I decide not to tell him that she hung around for a good twenty minutes, hoping to see Adam, while I was fleeing about getting ready. And that the new lip gloss she’d bought specially was completely wasted.)
I pull out a handful of slippery, sparkly material in a lush sea green colour.
Adam grins. ‘Very glamorous.’
‘Probably a bit too glamorous,’ I murmur, noting the crystal-studded bodice and elegant fishtail. ‘I’m not sure what Marcus is snorkelling in. It’s supposed to be a jellyfish, Carrie said, but this looks more like a giant blue pouffe.’
‘Is Marcus a giant blue pouffe kind of a guy?’
‘Actually, he probably is. He’ll think it’s great. The more outlandish the better. Then he can get his picture in the paper.’
Adam looks as if he’s not sure how to take that. And I don’t blame him. Marcus really is one of a kind.
At last, we arrive at the venue, which is a massive field in the middle of nowhere with a muddy water channel running alongside one edge. The channel seems to stretch to eternity and the idea of sliding in makes me shudder.
Swim in muddy bog water?
I don’t think so!
My plan is to cheer Marcus on from the side-lines but to remain resolutely dry myself. And clean. None of my sponsors needs to know I didn’t take part myself, do they?
We park up in the field, alongside four or five other vehicles already there, and I gaze around at the occupants, who’ve mostly got out of their cars and are chatting and laughing together. I spot a Superman, an Elvis in shiny white suit and shades and a massive Hulk, plus a woman in combat gear with mud smeared on her face, and a couple of girls in shorts and shark head-dresses. They probably do this every year. I wish Marcus would hurry up. Once Adam leaves, I’m going to feel (literally) like a fish out of water.
I glance around me. There’s nothing but fields as far as the eye can see. ‘I thought there’d be somewhere to change once I got here.’
‘Apparently not.’ Adam grins. ‘We left civilisation about twenty minutes ago. You can get changed in the back of the van if you like. I promise I won’t look.’