Handle Me with Care - Helen J Rolfe Page 0,1

been twenty or thirty years ago, but she’s lucky.’

Jem closed the box and turned to Maddie. ‘You’ve made my day, dear. It’s certainly a novel way of showing one hundred.’ She giggled. ‘The penis could be the one, and the testi—’

‘That’s enough, Jem!’ A girl with the same smile, dark eyes and dark hair as Evan emerged from the crowd holding a yellow balloon between her fingers, ready to be blown up. ‘I’m Holly, Jem’s granddaughter and Evan’s sister.’ Unlike Evan, Holly had let the curls of her hair tumble out of their own free will.

Maddie introduced herself and was grateful to be released from Evan’s scrutiny when two energetic little boys dragged him on to the dance floor. Both wore miniature suits, each with a tie she estimated had another ten minutes of shelf life before being yanked off and discarded on the floor.

‘I’m really sorry about the mix-up, Holly.’

Holly finished blowing air into the long yellow balloon and tied a knot at the end. ‘Between you and me, I think you’ve made Jem’s day.’

When the double doors to the hall sprang open and a more professional looking caterer entered, Maddie swiftly shifted her cake out of the way to make room for the new, more appropriate square cake with white frosting.

‘I rather preferred yours.’ Jem appeared beside her, and Maddie couldn’t ignore the way the old lady’s mouth tugged at the corners when she spoke. ‘Your cake is much more fun. Even the chocolate curly bits are very well formed. It’s a professional job.’

‘You mean professional apart from the fact that it’s a penis.’

Jem’s face danced with mischief and a chortle escaped. ‘Oh, do please stay for a slice of cake, Maddie. It’s not every day I turn one hundred, and it’s not every day I meet a fresh young face like yours.’

‘Of course I will, but I’d better deliver my cake to the bachelorette party first, or there’ll be some angry ladies out to get me later.’ Not to mention the need to remove her penis cake from the prying eyes of the rampant pensioners and inquisitive children who had again gathered around the creation.

Promising she’d return and uncomfortable beneath Evan’s gaze from across the room, Maddie carried the cake out of the party, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other as she crossed the car park. She prayed that she didn’t stumble and fall flat on her face into the giant penis. She’d had enough embarrassment for one day.

Maddie found the correct venue easily enough, and as the bachelorette party wasn’t set to be in full swing until much later, she headed back to Jem’s celebrations. It was the least she could do after she’d disrupted the start of the party so spectacularly.

At Jem’s party, Holly welcomed Maddie into the crowd that had at least doubled in her absence. They joked about the cake again, and it wasn’t long before Jem noticed her return.

‘I’m glad you came back,’ said Jem, linking Maddie’s arm with her own and leading her into the throng. ‘You’re just in time.’

Maddie realised how frail this little old lady really was, despite her energy. She was ever so slightly stooped at the shoulders, reducing her height to just below Maddie’s, and the skin on her arm felt papery. Maddie suspected what kept this woman ploughing on through life was her enthusiasm and obvious appetite for merriment. From her vivid cardigan to the little grey curls that danced from the top of her head all the way to the nape of her neck, her laugh and the twinkle in her eye, Jem radiated warmth and fun.

The sound of tapping against a glass and the cessation of music brought the crowd to a standstill, and Jem was ushered to the middle of the room to say a few words before the cake was cut.

Maddie stood at the side of the dance floor feeling conspicuous as that-girl-who-brought-the-penis-cake. But the other guests appeared to have moved on to more exciting things, and she joined in as they sang Happy Birthday.

During the final round of applause, Maddie felt Evan’s eyes settle on her from the other side of the room. They’d only exchanged a few words, but it hadn’t lessened her reaction to him. Had her knees really weakened? Surely not, that was just a fallacy wasn’t it? Had she really needed to concentrate on breathing in a rhythm that calmed her down and didn’t let her heart thump against her chest? Or maybe