Page 22 of Cadenbury Town Does Halloween

“It might take a while to cook our order and I'm pretty sure Nora will want chicken nuggets.”

“Wait here and I’ll place the order,” Adhan says, joining the queue.

I look down at Connie and she is drooling all over me. I should be freaked out, but this is Connie. I can cope for now. I turn around so she can see the sea and watch the surfers. I walk to the stone wall that separates the path from the beach.

“Look at them princess, all those people having fun out there surfing. If I tried that I’d be in the water so much I’d probably become a mermaid.”

“I think you mean merman,” a lady says from beside me.

“I’ll stick with mermaid thanks,” I tell her. Really is it any of her business? I look and internally sigh, she looks like a total Karen and I should know. I’ve dealt with them before. Indeed Alfred and I tag-teamed one once when a lady walked into the tearoom and took offence to Miles being in there. Neither Alfred nor I were very professional in our handling of her, but we hadfun, and Adhan pretty much scared her into leaving. He then told me not to teach his son how to be a diva.

The lady sniffs, looks around and suddenly says, “That’s disgusting.”

I look at her. “What is?”

“Those two there, holding hands.”

I look to where she’s pointing and see Justice and Alfred walking our way, holding hands, laughing together. I smile happily. “Why is that disgusting?” I ask her.

“Because it’s wrong.”

“Says who?”

“Everyone,” she snaps.

“Well not everyone, I don’t think it’s wrong,” I tell her.

She turns and sneers at me, looking me up and down. “No, you wouldn’t.”

Justice and Alfred walk closer.

“You should be ashamed of yourselves,” she tells them, looking back.

“Why?” Alfred asks her. “Don’t tell me my flies are undone?” he looks down to check.

I snort out a laugh, as does Justice.

“No, you’re safe Al,” I tell him.

“Why am I not surprised thatyouknow these people,” she says in an annoyed tone and sneering.

I stand up straighter. “These people as you call them are my stepson and his husband, and I can guarantee they are a hundred percent nicer than you will ever be. So take your hate-filled, spinster self and crawl back into your troll hole, where you can spew your hatred to your cats.”

The woman gasps and opens her mouth to probably spout more hate.

“Whatever you’re about to say, I wouldn’t,” Adhan warns from beside me.

The woman shows a surprising sense and scurries away, not looking back.

“Stepson?” Alfred says, laughing at me.

I shrug. “Well, you kind of are.”

“Aww shucks, love you, Pops,” he says, one arm hugging me.

“I love you too, Pops,” Justice says, smiling widely.

I shake my head at them and pass Connie to Adhan. “I’m off to wash my hands. Look after the princess for me.”