Sunday's Child by C.L. Jennison

Author:C.L. Jennison [Jennison, C.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-09T00:00:00+00:00

EIGHTEEN

Laney

Laney stands back to survey her efforts, consulting the Pinterest board on her phone that she’s using as a reference guide. Once she’s more established, she’ll develop a signature something, edible or otherwise, but for now, she’s happy to take inspiration from others. As long as the quality of the food speaks for itself, she’ll have done her job well.

Although she just wants to be at home keeping a close eye on the twins, she’s grateful for this, her first paid catering gig – and thankful for the distraction from thinking about her convict ex-husband and her strong-willed daughter who now wants to see said ex-husband, and people who don’t ring back in a timely fashion when she’s trying to secure a restraining order on that very same ex-husband.

She tries her best to push it all aside as she arranges and faffs and tweaks the contents of the buffet table, positioned next to a huge red and white balloon arch flanked by a giant stuffed giraffe and elephant, all below a red and white striped tented ceiling. Greetings are being exchanged in the adjoining kitchen, but she cannot see the women involved. She assumes this expansive room is usually used as a dining room but the long table – fit for a banquet – which is trimmed with bunting spelling out the words Gabriel is 8, has been moved to the side to make way for all the party accoutrements, along with its matching ten chairs.

Two excitable rosy-cheeked children play in the vast garden beyond the open bi-fold doors, jumping on and off the bouncy castle then weaving their way around the mini-Ferris wheel, the Punch and Judy theatre and other assorted lawn games.

‘Not sure I would have stuck with the circus theme given the recent tragedy.’ Laney overhears this louder comment.

‘What do you mean?’ She now recognises the second voice as Jules, her Wold Park neighbour from number 37, the one who kindly recommended her for this job.

‘Well, that poor boy Kaleb was last seen near that Traveller site on your doorstep,’ says the first woman.

Jules tuts. ‘Lizzy, I hope you’re not implying there’s a direct connection between the circus community and the Traveller community, because that would be extremely ignorant of you.’

Laney smiles to herself. Good for you, Jules, she thinks.

There’s a pause followed by the unmistakeable sound of something fizzy being poured into glasses, and then Lizzy resumes her side of the conversation.

‘I hope Renee hasn’t booked a fire breather for this party… did you hear they found a lighter belonging to the killer in Kaleb’s pocket? It’s been all over the news. The last thing we want to do is frighten the children any more than they already are.’

Laney automatically freezes at the possibility of a fire breather turning up but then reminds herself that she doesn’t need to stay for the duration of the party. It’s her job to provide and arrange the food, and that’s it. She’s not that keen on clowns either ever

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