Aisling's Summer Diary

Chapter 20 | Disappearing Acts

After our opening party “crashed,” we needed a major pick me up.  Something fun that would help us believe in ourselves again!  And it just so happens that today’s the day “Gavin the Mysterious” takes the stage for his official debut!  He is so going to win Dún Mártain’s Got Talent—I just know it!  He’s been practicing non-stop all week with his secret crush Fiona!  (Yep.  He FINALLY told me everything)!  

There’s only one problem.  The show’s at six, and I promised the chef I’d help him prep for a wedding reception!  And I haven’t had the guts to tell Ali.  I was kind of hoping he wouldn’t miss me—you know, with the smoke and all.   

Thursday 8 June

3 p.m.

Siobhan got back from her now daily survey of the village, her pockets crammed full with shredded flyers—OUR shredded flyers.  “They’re gone!  All of them!” she wailed as I made her a cup of tea.  “Somebody just ripped them down and tossed them—can you imagine?!”  “It’s probably that agro surfer kid, Nico,” I said and sat down beside Siobhan.  “You know, the one that has it out for uncle Ciaran.  He’s probably got nothing better to do then wreck things for us.  There hasn’t been a swell in days.”  

Siobhan slurped her chamomile tea.  “Oh come on, Aisling!  You totally know who did it!  It was that psycho Celia and her creepster daughter!  Or, better yet, your graffiti-artist ‘friend’ Slater.”  I added another dollop of sugar to my instant coffee.  “No, I just don’t think we should jump to conclusions is all,” I said.  Siobhan huffed.  “And we all know what that’s about,” she said.  

“C’mon, Siobhan.  I’ll help you post new flyers.  More this time.”  She sighed into her mug.  “Are you sure you’ll have time for all that?  Or are you gonna to run off like last time?  Like EVERY time!”  I started to say something, but than I glanced at the clock and realized it was half three.  I did have to go!  Siobhan looked over her shoulder at the clock.  “Better get going, so,” she hissed.  “Don’t want to be late.”  

I pushed back from the table and went round to Siobhan.  “Listen,” I said.  “I promise I’ll help you later, but there’s something I have to do right now.  It’s important.”  She searched my face for any little twinge that I might be lying.  “And this really important thing.  It doesn’t have to do with Slater?”  “No.  I swear.”  Siobhan nodded, still only half sure, and then sort of waved me off. 

6 p.m.

I was elbows deep in a mixing bowl when the talent show started.  The chef had given me the express honor of making the groom’s cake, chocolate and stout with cream cheese frosting!  Honestly, it sounded pretty gross to me—I mean, BEER and cake?!  But it was a house favorite and the bride’s special request, so there I was, whisking together six eggs, a pound of butter, a heap of sugar, and two cans of warm Guinness.  

I tried to stay focused on measurements and mixer speeds and sifting ratios, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Ali.  Was he nervous?  How many people had shown up for the show?  And what about Fiona?!  He’d told me he was going to tell her who “Gavin” really was tonight!  It’d been eating away at him, all of this not-exactly-intentional mystery.  Was it him Fiona liked or “Gavin”—he had to know.  What I wouldn’t give to be a fly on the wall for THAT revelation!  

9 p.m.

I got back to the hotel just after nine covered with a fine dust of flour and icing sugar.  Ali and Siobhan had their heads together at the kitchen table, and by the look on his face, I’d say the night was an absolute bust!  I ran over to him and gave him a big hug.  “What happened?!” I asked.  “It was a nightmare,” Ali howled.  “Start to finish.  I BOMBED!”  “But how?  You’re an amazing magician, Ali, and that trick—you had it down pat, right?”  He nodded sullenly.

“It was that girl, FIONA.  She was supposed to be Ali’s assistant, and she stood him up!!!”  UH-oh.  She must have unmasked Gavin on her own, I thought,  but with Siobhan there, I couldn’t ask Ali what had happened one way or the other!  You see, Siobhan thought that the two of them were just friends, and anyway it didn’t really matter because Fiona didn’t know Ali was Ali.  No real reason to put her in the NO FLY ZONE with Slater.  

“I don’t know what happened,” Ali mumbled.  “Everything was fine.  I got there early, and she wasn’t there, so I tried to text her—no answer.  Maybe she was sick or something.  I tried to stall, but there were only two acts before me!  So I had to go on.  And it was AWFUL.  The mic broke and there was so much of that stupid smoke!  I couldn’t find the trap door without Fiona.”

“Well that’s just great,” Siobhan huffed.  “The only thing disappearing in Dún Mártain are our flyers!”  “HUH?” Ali’s jaw dropped.  “Someone’s been trashing them,” I explained.  “I swear, the next time I see Celia and that lot—” Siobhan snarled.  “Wait a sec!  Fiona didn’t have anything to do with it!  I don’t’ think...” Ali said.  

“Not YOU too,” Siobhan barked.  “I’m with Ali on this one, Siobhan,” I said.  “I know Celia’s a bit out there, but I don’t think she’s a cheat.”  Siobhan gave both of us a piercing look.  “Well someone is playing dirty.  And I’M going to find out who.”  Fingers crossed she finds the culprit before she finds out about Ali and Fiona and my undercover cooking!

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