Chapter Twelve

 

Maggie had prepared most of the packing that they would require for the holiday, days before they actually set off. It only remained to shove in a few small items like toothbrushes and face flannels and things like that . . last minute items. Actually she had been so excited that she had been getting things ready for weeks beforehand.

“I’ll need a lot of clothes for the baby, Joe. Can you and Freddie manage with the one suitcase if I use the other one for John Paul and me?”

Maggie produced a large case from above the wardrobe and dusted it carefully. It hadn’t been used since the last holiday and that was about seven years before, but Joe was over-enthusiastic to help where he could.

“That’s fine Love . . we don’t have much to take anyway and as long as the weather keeps up like this, we’ll be swimming most of the time, won’t we Freddie?” said Joe, but before Freddie could say anything, Joe heard the Voice . . .

“It’s quite some time since I went swimming, but I’m willing to try.”

Freddie nodded as he chewed on some sticky sweets and Joe scowled over his shoulder.

“You haven’t forgotten our snorkels and flippers, have you Joe?” Freddie asked between mouthfuls of his gooey candy and again Joe could hear the Voice before he had a chance to answer.

“Oooh!, that would be nice. I’ve always wanted to try on them snorkelin’ things. Joe . . Joe . . .”

Joe waited for an opportune moment when he knew that Maggie and Freddie wouldn’t hear him talking, even if it was with his mind and with his eyes tightly closed.

“What is it now Bertie . . and before you answer, I wish you’d shut up when other people are talking to me . .”

“Sorry dear boy . . but I would appreciate a little of that lovely smelly stuff that Freddie’s got in his mouth . . Could you get me some please . . oh! and Joe . . I think it would be better if we spoke with our minds all the time from now on, eh?” said Bertie, but Maggie interrupted . .the two minds that spoke together.

“We haven’t forgotten any of those important items, Freddie, along with my water wings, of course, have we?” she asked as she laughed, clasping a nappy pin from between her lips at that moment. “You’ll make me swallow this thing and then there won’t be any holiday, but a trip to the hospital instead,” she chuckled but a certain blue cloud wavered beside her.

“Joe?”

Joe closed his eyes for a second and spoke with his mind.

“Yes Bertie . . what is it this time?”

“Joe . . do you think I could have a pair of water wings too? I ‘d like that.” the Voice said and Joe began to think . . . . but the Voice answered him.

“No Joe . . I wouldn’t like that nappy pin stuck where you’re thinking of putting it . . thanks all the same.”

Joe checked the baggage to make sure everything was alright and to put everyone’s mind at rest as Maggie settled herself comfortably in the back seat of the car with John Paul on her knee. Freddie sat next to Joe who was driving . . . and . . . .

“And who’s going off for a nice summer holiday then?” she asked her new born, “And who’s gonna be a good boy too?” she added, but she didn’t notice the movement in the seat beside her as an invisible hand moved a rattle nearer her skirt, so that a certain person could sit in comfort. Joe glanced over in that direction through the driving mirror before he set off. He had promised Bertie that he could come with them on holiday, but then he hadn’t seen him for over a week and that promise was beginning to sound hasty, if somewhat threatening. He was apprehensive about his old friend and it was beginning to show as he tried to start the engine but the car wouldn’t move.

“Oh! I hope I’m not going to have trouble with the plugs now . . at this stage. I thought they would be O.K. when the service was done.”

“Having trouble Joe . . are we?” came a Voice from the back seat, followed by a little cough and Joe closed his eyes again, ready to snap at his friend when the car immediately purred into action.

“Don’t forget to ‘think talk’ with me Joe and then we’ll be able to say anything we want. We’ll be able to chat all the way along the journey, won’t we?”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” said Joe and Maggie overheard, as he wasn’t using his ‘thinking voice.’

“What was that Dear?” she asked, but Joe coughed lightly and smiled at her through his mirror.

“Nothing Sweetheart . . I was just a little worried about starting the car, but it’s alright now,” he said and he could see Bertie grinning in the back seat.

“Drive carefully now Joe,” added Bertie, “And don’t you worry about me, dear boy . . I’ll be just fine.”

“You will as long as Maggie doesn’t change the baby on that back seat,” said Joe

“Bertie . . Bertie, where are you?”

“Wheeeh, this is great, “ came the answer as a couple of scrawny ankles dangled at the top of his mirror. “I’m up here at the ceiling for a while Joe . . I think Maggie needs the space, as you said, but I’ll be down again soon, just whenever she’s finished. Wheeeh . . I’m looking forward to this holiday by the sea side.”

“Don’t forget Bertie . . you and I have a lot of talking to do . .” said Joe as he drove through the streets, like the practised driver, he wasn’t.

“Plenty of time dear boy . . plenty of time. Wheeeh! This is great,”

Joe sighed. He wasn’t too unhappy that he had agreed to his friend coming with them on holiday . . . well, not really and Freddie unwrapped a bar of chocolate and stuck the end of it in his mouth, breaking off a large chunk with one bite

“Oooh! . . that looks nice Joe . . that thing that Freddie’s got stuck in his mouth. Do you think I could have just a wee bitty?” came a Voice from somewhere near the roof of the car, but before Joe could answer, Freddie shouted. “Hi! That’s not fair. I was eating that . . Give it back” and the chocolate bar flew out of his hand . . . only to appear after a few seconds in Joe’s hand . . with another chunk bitten off.

Maggie strained to see what was going on from where she was sitting.

“Don’t be spiteful Joe. Give Freddie back his chocolate,” she pleaded and Freddie sulked as she tried to settle the argument.

“Oh! I don’t want it back now that he’s had his great big gob round it,” he said, but Joe stared at the half-eaten chocolate bar in amazement. He had neither eaten it, nor wanted it and yet here he was with the sticky thing jammed in his hand. Nobody spoke for some time after that but if they had listened carefully they might just have heard a chocolate bar being consumed with apparent relish by a toothless old man sitting in the back seat of the car next to a plump lady with a baby on her lap . . . and all heading for a holiday by the sea.

“I’ll get you another bar at the next petrol station Freddie. I just felt a . . a sudden impulse to eat some chocolate . . that’s all,” said Joe apologetically and Freddie came out of his sulk with a smile.

“A large quarter pound one, Joe?” he asked.

“Yes,” sighed Joe.

“Wheeeeeh!” screamed someone else . . with his mind, “Me too please,”

‘And the band played on . . tiddly-om-pom-pom.’