Page 21 of Club Royal: Calendar Collection

“Well, it’s for a good cause, and we love kids. It’s a no-brainer. I need to thank you and your friends for doing this at such short notice. I wouldn’t have a clue where to start.”

The woman flushed, and they got to work, pinning, measuring and altering the face to make it a little less scary. After all, some of the children who were coming were five years old.

It wouldn’t surprise Eddie if George eventually mentioned wanting kids of his own.

He had always been so good with them but had never mentioned having one or two.

Maybe it was Eddie’s thoughts that he was projecting onto him.

Eddie was beginning to see a family that consisted of maybe four or five of them instead of just the three.

But that was for another day. That day was about the kids who would be visiting them tomorrow.

The best day of the year, as far as Eddie was concerned.

“You’re here! Finally!” he heard George say. “Right, Mav, you will be the monster, Dad, you will be Jekyll, and Douglas…” There was a pause long enough for Eddie to glance over and see what was going on. He bit his lip when he saw. “Douglas, you get to be the witch.”

Douglas’s eyes widened. “Why a witch?”

“Because I couldn’t find anything that would make anyone believe you were a bitch.” George lobbed the dress at Douglas and walked away, but not without a parting comment. “You deserve that!”

George found him and grinned. “He’ll hate me, but it’s so worth it.”

“What are you going to be, George?” Eddie asked.

George grinned. “The Devil.”

Timothy

Watching his two men giggling like little kids was the highlight of his day.

He couldn’t believe he was dressing up for a kids’ party, but it was such a good cause.

Some of these kids had never been to a party, some were ill, and some were without families.

The kids had been asked what their favourite costume was, and George and Nick had arranged for each child to have whatever they asked for.

It was an expense that many people would think was extravagant, but to some of these children, it would be the only chance they had.

When the fitting of his vampire costume was done, he thanked the man doing it and went over to his men.

“What has you two giggling like kids?” he asked, wrapping his arms around them.

“George is the devil,” Eddie said, snorting again and wiping his eyes.

“Well, I know that, but…” Timothy exhaled when George elbowed his ribs.

“Well, tomorrow, I’ll be the actual Devil. In all my red, pointy-nosed glory,” George said, the smile on his face unable to go any further.

“Can’t wait to see it.” Timothy lifted George’s chin. “Is everyone organised now?” George nodded. “Right, let’s get some sleep. Otherwise, you’ll be too worked up for tomorrow.”

As if George had needed to hear the words, he yawned, and they all laughed. “Okay. Everyone knows what’s going on. Let me just tell Nick.”

And then they were on their way, and if they had any idea of what was going to happen at the party, they probably wouldn’t have been able to sleep.

****

The next afternoon, the Sexy Sixteen were all dressed in their costumes and waited in the ballroom, ready for the partygoers.

Kids, aged from five to fifteen, were already arriving, and George was so excited.

Everyone looked fantastic, and none of them looked scary enough to make kids cry. At least, not to Timothy.

Halloween music pulsed through the speakers, and there was food and drink laid out along one wall. There were also bowls of sweets and chocolate—enough to make any child sick if they ate too many. Decorations hung throughout the room, complemented by spooky lights. It was a kid’s paradise.

When the kids came in, they were speechless, and Timothy grinned, feeling his teeth digging into his lips. Once all the kids were inside, George—the Devil—stood and bowed.

“Welcome to the Halloween Bash.”

But before he could say any more, the music stopped, and George was pushed backwards.

All the Sexy Sixteen, minus him, Eddie and George, stepped forward.

They settled into two rows and waited. Then the music came back on again, but it was a different song.

A song most people knew. Monster Mash. And with beaming faces shining back at them, the Sutcliffes danced a choreographed routine.

Timothy glanced at George, who stared, open-mouthed at his family.

“Did you know about this?” Eddie said.

“I have a feeling I’d be dancing with them if I did,” he answered.

“Who arranged this?”

Timothy studied the room and realised one more person was missing from the line-up—Jack, a.k.a.

Nick. Behind the group of kids, Nick danced the same dance, but so the Sutcliffes could see him.

Damn the man. He’d gone and done it. He’d made the Sutcliffes even better people than Timothy had thought they were to begin with.

“Nick is either going to pay dearly for this, or he’s going to be promoted,” Eddie said.

They looked at each other. “Promoted,” they said in unison.

When the song came to an end, the kids screamed and shouted and clapped and stomped, and then everyone mingled.

Timothy lost count of how many children he met and talked to, how many times he turned down sweets, and how many times he’d accepted chocolate—because why not? The entire thing was a huge success.

“Can you believe they did that?” George said for the hundredth time as they lay wound around each other in bed that night.

“They were amazing. I just wish I’d known so I could join in.” Eddie pouted.

“It’s going to end up being something that’s talked about for years to come,” Timothy said. “I’m sure you’ll get your chance.”

Despite Timothy having been part of the Sutcliffe family for several years, he was constantly surprised by their…

humanity. Not because they were out of this world, but because they were so down to earth.

They didn’t care what people thought about them because they knew they were doing the right thing, even if it was hard.

And it was something he was still struggling to come to terms with.

Public opinion was so strong, so forced upon people, that it made them believe they had those thoughts all along, when in fact, they didn’t.

It was a rote behaviour. It was fascinating, but also something they fought against every day.

The media had so many bad things to say about them, and they fought back with everything they had.

Because they were making a difference, even if others didn’t see it.

After that night’s Monster Mash, he didn’t think anything would be the same.

****