Page 86 of Cadenbury Town Does Halloween

“How long do you think it will be before the boys call him Grandpops? Or Nora?” Alfred asks.

“Probably not long,” I reply as I watch Pa walking towards us, three cupcakes in his hands.

“Here you go boys,” he says, handing two over and keeping one for himself.

“Thanks,” we both say, taking one. It really is a stunning decoration. It’s a multi-coloured rose, and it tastes scrummy.

“This morning Dad said you might be holding an anti-fireworks bonfire party, instead of coming to the town bonfire and display,” Alfred says.

“I’m not surprised,” Pa says before I can say anything. “Ernest detests fireworks displays.”

“How come?” Alfred asks.

“The noise, how they affect animals and veterans with PTSD, everyone going ‘oo’ and ‘ah’. No, thank you. I started off by saying I would stay home, eat chocolate and watch TV. But it’s turning into a musical film evening.”

“I can understand that about the noise. Dad asked Cam to look into silent fireworks.”

“That would be good, still won’t be coming to the display though,” I say just as the door opens and Sly, Ebby, and the boys walk in laughing.

Enoch spies Pa and comes rushing over, carrying a box. “John, do you want to see what I made?”

Pa smiles at him. “I do indeed, and what Xander made. Open your box here and we can all see your creations.”

“Okay,” Enoch replies, putting the box on the counter and opening it. Inside is a lot of packing peanuts. “This is the vase,” he says, pulling out a bubble-wrapped package. He gently opens it and passes it to Pa.

“Wow,” Pa says, looking at it. “Enoch this is lovely. Look boys,” he says, showing us.

“Wow indeed,” I say.

The vase is stunning. It’s a tall blue vase that has swirls around it.

Alfred grins at Enoch. “That is awesome.”

Pa carefully wraps it up and puts it back in the box.

Next Enoch pulls out a paperweight and some glass caterpillars. All of them were amazing and we heap praise on him.

Once we’ve seen Enoch’s creations, he moves his box so Xander can show his creations.

“Wow Xander,” Pa says looking at his vase. It’s completely different from Enoch’s but no less stunning. It’s different shades of green.

“That’s awesome Xander,” I say, “The way that green seems to shimmer.”

Xander smiles and blushes a little. “Thanks. Look at the others.”

Again, Pa wraps up the vase and puts it back in the box as Xander pulls out his paperweight and caterpillars.

“These are lovely,” Alfred says.

“You both did so well that you deserve one of Callum's cupcakes,” Pa says, wrapping the last item up and putting it in the box.

“Cupcakes?” Sly asks happily.

“Oh yeah, you’ll love them,” I tell him.

“Then lead us to cupcakes, John,” Sly says.

Ebby shakes his head, watching them walk away. “I seriously don’t think I’ve ever eaten so much cake.”