Page 45 of Wishing Under a Starlit Skye
Oh god,thought Caitlin,Jules said the same thing. How do I handle that particular scenario? What if she’s right? It’s slightly less of a big deal than engagement but…‘Look, I think we’d better see what it’s all about first. Let’s not jump the gun, because it could be something really simple like a new dog or a new car.’
Grace huffed, clearly not happy with her mum’s suggestions. She glanced at the clock. ‘We’d better go, Mum! We don’t want to be late.’
Oh, I think we do…‘Yes, I suppose we should go.’
Grace rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t sound so excited, Mum!’
As Grace put Cleo in her basket in the living room, Caitlin picked up the box containing the pink cushion cake complete with its high-heeled shoe and sparkles, just as Lyle had requested – a Cinderella theme for his princess – and they left the house.
For the duration of the short drive to Lyle’s house, Caitlin’s palms sweated. Her heart kept skipping and her mouth, unlike her hands, was dry as a bone. She pulled up outside the house and turned off the engine, inhaling a deep calming breath.
‘Now, remember what I said about getting too excited. Just let Lyle tell us the news, whatever it may be, and whatever it is, be happy about it. If you’re not actually happy, pretend!’
Grace grinned. ‘I’m going to be ecstatic. I just know it,’ Grace said dreamily.
Caitlin shook her head and climbed out of the car to retrieve the cake from the back seat. They approached the front door, but before they could knock, it was flung open.
‘Yay! You’re here!’ Cora exclaimed before hugging Grace.
‘Happy birthday, Cora,’ Caitlin said as she fidgeted with the cumbersome box.
Grace added, ‘Happy birthday! Are you excited? I’m so excited.’
‘Oh, me too!’ Cora said. ‘I’ve been trying to get him to tell me all day, but he just won’t.’ She gave an overexaggerated, dramatic sigh. ‘We’ve got balloons and I can see you’ve brought a cake! Yay!’
Lyle appeared behind his daughter. ‘Cora! Let the ladies in for goodness’ sake,’ he said with a light-hearted grin.
‘Thanks for the invite,’ Caitlin said as Lyle kissed her cheek.
‘My pleasure. It’s nice to have something extra to celebrate alongside Cora’s thirteenth.’ He raised his eyebrows, but again gave nothing away.
Caitlin narrowed her eyes. ‘Hmm, whatever it is we’re celebrating.’
He cupped her cheek. ‘All will be revealed soon. Now, come on, I’ve made curry and all the trimmings.’ He took the box from her hands.
Caitlin followed Lyle through to the dining room, which was decorated with bunting, balloons and fairy lights.
He gestured to a chair. ‘Have a seat, darling.’ Then he took the box with him into the kitchen.
The girls were already sitting and chatting giddily at the lovingly set table. Lyle began to bring in dish after dish of aromatic food and place it on the mats in the centre, yet Caitlin’s stomach insisted on turning over. Was she going to be able to eat?
As the last plate was placed down, Lyle said, ‘Right, ladies, a veritable Indian feast at my gorgeous girl’s request. Get stuck in.’
The girls began to take little spoonfuls of every dish and munched away on poppadoms dipped in mango chutney as Caitlin sat rigid, becoming more and more nervous as the moments ticked by.
‘Come on, Caity, get some food,’ Lyle said with a nudge.
She nodded and spooned some Bombay potatoes onto her plate, followed by what she thought smelled like chicken bhuna. ‘It all looks so delicious. You must have been working all day to get this ready.’
‘You’re all worth it,’ he told her with a kiss to her cheek.
Her stomach knotted again, and she wished he would just tell her what this was all about and put her out of her misery.
* * *
After the meal was done and the girls had cleared the table, Lyle appeared from the kitchen with the birthday cake. He began to sing, and Caitlin and Grace joined in the rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’.
Cora blew out the number thirteen sparkler candle and clapped her hands. ‘Miss Fraser, this cake is absolutely wonderful!’
