Log Fires & Toffee Apple Cake at the Little Duck Pond Cafe - Rosie Green Page 0,1

on it the other day.’

Everyone looks expectantly at Jaz, who just yawns and says, ‘It’s just something that happens spontaneously to a small proportion of women as they’re popping the baby out. It’s called an ecstatic birth.’

This raises a few amused eyebrows and comments.

I finish my ice-cream and lie on my side on the grass, head propped in my hand, watching the progress of a mallard duck gliding from one end of the pond to the other. It joins its mate in a flurry of feathers that ripples the surface, splashing a sun-sparkled arc of water over the pair. ‘I want to be that duck,’ I groan. ‘Then I’d remember what it was like to feel cool.’

‘Just what I was thinking, Maddy.’ Ellie blows at her blonde fringe and wafts her T-shirt, which is pink and has My Blood Type is Coffee in small red print on the front. ‘I love summer as much as the next person, but this heatwave is melting me into a permanent puddle.’

Primrose, whose pixie hair is a deep, vibrant pink these days, matching her dress, grins. ‘It’s so hot, those ducks are going to be laying omelettes instead of eggs.’

‘What about me, you lot?’ Jaz sighs wearily. ‘Try being almost nine months pregnant. I’m sleeping so badly, I’ve had to start filling the baby bath with cold water and ice cubes so I can dunk my swollen feet in the night when they get too hot to bear.’

‘Very resourceful.’ Katja nods admiringly. ‘Have you tried a portable fan?’

‘Far too feeble. But I’m thinking of buying shares in Magicool. Plus, I’ve got a secret weapon. An ice pack stuffed down the back of my maternity knickers.’

Everyone hoots with laughter.

‘You’re joking,’ says Ellie.

‘No.’ Jaz levers one cheek off the bench with some difficulty and pats her rear end. ‘It’s actually pretty effective.’

‘I thought you were walking strangely.’ I give her a knowing wink. ‘I just assumed Harry was finding pregnancy a turn-on.’

‘Madison!’ Jaz pretends to look shocked. ‘Actually, it’s quite the opposite. Harry’s treating me like a precious china ornament at the moment. I’m completely out of bounds in his eyes. Mind you, it’s probably just as well. I’ve got zero energy and I’d probably pass out with the heat, mid-shag, if he decided to get amorous.’

‘You don’t have to be nine months pregnant to feel like that,’ says Ellie, looking glum. ‘What with the stress of building work stalling on the baking school and keeping Maisie amused during the school holidays, I’m just completely flaking out by nine o’clock.’

We all look over at the half-built, roofless structure that stands near the café. Ellie was so excited at the prospect of her brand-new baking school opening early next year, but the money has just run out and she’s been unable to keep the builders on for now.

‘You’ll get there,’ says Katja reassuringly. ‘Once Zak gets his next book royalties in November?’

Ellie sighs. ‘Yes. But there’s no way it’ll be ready on schedule now.’

Jaz groans. ‘I have a feeling this one won’t be ready on schedule, either.’ She pats her bump. ‘And at least you don’t look like a whale, Ellie. And you’ll be able to go on all the rides when the fair’s here in a couple of weeks’ time.’

Katja claps her hands excitedly. ‘I can’t believe we’ll actually have a fair right here in Sunnybrook! I love the scary rides best. Honestly, I go into big kid mode just thinking about roller coasters.’

‘I’ll stick to the carousel horses,’ smiles Primrose. ‘I’ve never been great on the scary ones, ever since I went on the waltzer with Gran when I was small and threw up afterwards, all over this poor man’s shoes.’

‘My favourite’s the ghost train,’ says Jaz.

I make a face. ‘Ugh! Really? I hate the ghost train. I had a really horrible experience once. I was on with a friend and she fancied the boy who was running it, so we had to keep going on. He told us it really was haunted - by the ghost of a woman called Ivy Moxon, who died of a heart attack while she was riding around on it. Apparently, the car emerged through the doors at the end with Ivy’s dead body slumped on the seat, and she haunted the ride ever after. Of course, I laughed like a drain because he was obviously making it up to scare us. But then as we were setting off, I swear to God I felt fingers ruffle my hair