Candyfloss Read online

  13

  I WALKED INTO the café. I knew at once that something strange had happened. We didn’t have any new customers, but Billy the Chip, Old Ron and Miss Davis were all sitting at the same table. They weren’t drinking tea. They were drinking from dinky little glasses, filling them from a big green bottle. Champagne!

  Dad had a glassful too. He raised his glass at me, and then nearly spilled his champagne when he saw what I was wearing.

  ‘Oh Floss, what has that woman done to you! Here, darling, come and have your first weeny little sip of champagne.’

  ‘What are we celebrating, Dad?’ I asked.

  ‘It’s our dear old Billy. He’s the one who’s celebrating!’ said Dad, raising his glass to Billy the Chip.

  ‘Is it your birthday, Mr Chip?’ I asked, taking a small sip out of Dad’s glass. The bubbles fizzed up my nose and made me giggle.

  ‘You can’t give alcoholic liquor to the child. Look at her, she’s drunk already!’ said Miss Davis.

  ‘Oh liven up, you old biddy. It would do you good to get drunk yourself for once,’ said Old Ron.

  ‘It’s not my birthday, sweetheart,’ said Billy the Chip. ‘But it feels like it. I backed Third Time Lucky in the four thirty at Doncaster – a fifty-to-one outsider, no less – and guess what, the darling little filly grew wings and flew home, first past the finishing post!’

  ‘Oh well done!’ I said, clapping my hands. ‘Oh Dad, did you have a bet too?’

  ‘I thought I was being so sensible,’ said Dad, shaking his head. ‘Still, I’m thrilled for Billy, and very grateful too.’

  ‘It’s me that should be grateful to little Flossie here. I’ll buy you a big dolly or teddy for a belated birthday present – and do your dad a little favour into the bargain.’

  ‘Mr Chip’s doing us a great big favour, Floss,’ said Dad, sipping champagne. He took my cap off and ruffled my curls back into place. ‘There! Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t really care for the trendy outfit on you, pet.’

  ‘I hate it, Dad. I didn’t want her to buy it for me. Don’t worry, I won’t ever ever ever wear it again. But what’s the big favour?’

  ‘Well, you know the whole sad situation about the café—’ Dad started.

  ‘Oh Dad, oh Dad! Is Mr Chip going to give you some of his winnings so we can keep the café?’ I burst out.

  ‘Of course not, Floss! We owe far too much. No, I’m afraid we’ve got to go by Monday week. But I’ve got somewhere to go now. And I’ve got a job for the next few weeks!’ Dad beamed at Billy the Chip. ‘It’s so good of you, Billy. You’re a great mate.’

  ‘Think nothing of it, Charlie. You’re the one doing me a favour, taking over the van and keeping an eye on my gaff while I’m off gallivanting.’ Billy the Chip nodded at me. ‘I’m off to Australia, young Floss. I’m going to spend my winnings on a ticket to go and see my boy. I can’t wait!’

  ‘Isn’t that great, Floss! You can travel with Billy, keep each other company.’

  ‘I’m staying with you, Dad,’ I said firmly, though inside I was as wobbly as a jelly.

  ‘No, Floss, that’s completely mad and we both know it.’

  ‘Then I’m completely mad,’ I said, pulling a funny face.

  They all chuckled, while Dad shook his head.

  ‘So you’re going to run Mr Chip’s chip van, Dad?’

  ‘That’s right, little darling.’

  ‘And is that where we’re going to live . . . in the chip van?’ I said. I tried to say it casually, but my voice came out all squeaky as I said it.

  Dad burst out laughing. Billy the Chip laughed too, his pale potato face flushing pink. Old Ron roared. Even Miss Davis chirruped and cooed, sounding like her birdy friends.

  ‘It might be a bit of a squash, sweetheart,’ said Billy the Chip. ‘I don’t think you could squeeze even your little bed inside my old van. No, you and your dad can stay at my house. You can be my house-sitters – and feed my cats too. Your dad says you like cats. Is that right, Flossie?’

  ‘Yes, especially little skinny black ones,’ I said wistfully.

  Dad wouldn’t let me have any more champagne, but he poured lemonade into a special glass for me so that I could join in the party too.

  ‘I’m a bit peckish with all the excitement,’ said Billy the Chip. ‘How about a chip butty, Charlie?’

  ‘They’re on the house, pal,’ said Dad. ‘Hey, little Floss, come and be my Number One Kitchen Assistant.’

  When we were out in the kitchen and Dad had set the chips sizzling, he bent down till our faces were on a level and cupped my cheeks with his big hands.

  ‘Are you sure you’re serious about staying with me, darling? I truly think you’d be so much better off joining up with your mum. Billy’s offer is a godsend but he’s only going for a month. He says we can still stay at his place after he comes back but that doesn’t seem very fair. I’ve no idea what his house is like, though I shouldn’t think it’s very big.’

  ‘It’ll be bigger than a cardboard box, Dad,’ I said. ‘I’m staying.’

  Dad laughed, but his eyes went all watery. ‘You’re a great little kid, our Floss,’ he said. ‘So, we’ll have to get your toys all packed up again. We’ll take your swing with us too. Let’s hope we can tie it up in Billy’s garden somewhere, though I can’t promise. Run and have a little swing now, sweetie, make the most of it. I’ll call you when the chips are done.’

  I went into the back yard even though I didn’t really feel like swinging. I felt as if I’d been on a giant swing for far too long as it was. I was dizzy with all the changes in my life. Rose was wrong. All the changes that had happened so far had been horrible. She’d got her good luck signs wrong too. My lovely little lucky black cat had sloped off to live somewhere else. She probably hadn’t been snacking on the plates of tuna. I was fattening up that ginger tom, or a stray squirrel or fox was licking its chops and coming back for more at this newly opened animal annexe to the café.

  I leaned over the swing seat, moodily propelling myself backwards and forwards with my toe-tips. The seat was hard against my tummy. I hung my head right down, staring at the scrubby grass. I sent messages through the earth all the way down to Australia.

  ‘I miss you so, Mum,’ I whispered.

  I shut my eyes and thought about the airline ticket. Everyone thought I was mad not to go to Australia, even Dad. He’d be all right now. He had a job and a place to live. It wasn’t as if I’d be leaving him for ever. In five months I’d be back.

  I could have my own bedroom in Australia, not a camp bed in a corner of some funny old man’s house. I could have fresh clean comfy clothes, not creased smelly stuff or embarrassing designer denim. I could make new friends and I could be a proper friend back. I could play on the beaches and swim in the sea, I could go into the bush and see all the animals, jump with the kangaroos, cuddle the koalas . . .

  ‘Mew!’

  I opened my eyes. Lucky was sitting right in front of me, her green eyes shining, her little mouth open wide.

  ‘Mew mew mew!’ she said, for all the world as if she was saying hello.

  ‘Oh Lucky!’ I nearly fell right off the swing, onto my head. I caught hold of the rope, wriggled free and then bent down in front of Lucky, holding out my hand.

  ‘Hello, darling,’ I whispered. ‘You’ve come back!’

  ‘Mew!’ she said, padding softly towards me until her lovely little head was right by my palm. She let me tickle her chin, arching her neck and stretching her whole body. She wasn’t quite as skinny now, and her fur seemed softer and thicker.

  ‘Have you been eating all the food I’ve left for you?’

  Lucky gazed at me with her beautiful emerald eyes, a wouldn’t-you-like-to-know! expression on her face.

  ‘Would you like something to eat now? Some nice brown slurpy slimy specially bought cat food?’

  ‘Mew,’ said Lucky. It was a definite yes.

  ‘So what am I going to do? If I go and get your food will