GRETA SAT INthe plush cream leather seat of a car, far away from the man in the driver’s seat. He wore a peaked black cap—a chauffeur, she realised. The engine purred as the car glided through the streets of Mapleville. A bottle of champagne sat in an ice bucket beside her, flanked by two crystal flutes.
Peering down, she saw she was wearing a bronze dress with a boned bodice. The skirt skimmed her ankles, and pointed gold shoes peeped out from beneath the hem. When Greta touched her hair, she found she was wearing a tiara. She was dressed like a bona fide star.
‘Am I in a stretch limousine?’ she asked the driver.
‘Yes, Ms Perks,’ he said over his shoulder. ‘Sit back and enjoy the ride. We’ll be there in a few minutes.’
Greta let out a delighted laugh, wondering where they were heading. Iris might have shown up in her shop at the last minute, demanding to know what she’d done, but it was too late now. She guessed it would be pretty obvious that she’d returned to Mapleville.
Greta pushed all her worries aside, unwilling to dwell on her questionable decision to drink the coffee dregs. She was here now, and that was all that mattered.
Mapleville looked even more magical at dusk. The crescent moon in the indigo sky was so sharp it looked like it had been cut out of silver paper, and the stars sparkled like diamonds. Street lamps made the pavements shine as if lined with gold leaf, and water in the town square fountain sparkled like glitter.
As the car pulled up outside the town hall, a cheer erupted from the crowd waiting there. Hundreds of people strained against red rope barriers, and flashbulbs went off in quick succession, lighting up the sky like bursts of fireworks.
The chauffeur turned his head to glance at her. ‘Looks like they’re ready for you, Ms Perks.’
‘Me?’ Greta gasped, holding a hand to her chest. ‘What have I done?’
He didn’t reply. Instead, his head jerked several times before he repeated, ‘It looks like they’re ready for you, Ms Perks.’
Greta stared at him. He appeared to be glitching like Iris’s TV, but she couldn’t exactly give him a smack to reset him. She watched until his head stilled.
He smiled at her, then slid out of the car to speak to a similarly dressed man in a dark suit and bow-tie, as if nothing unusual had happened.
Through the car window, Greta gulped when she saw hundreds of outstretched arms. Eyes gleamed, and there were even tears. The scene was so intense that she shuffled in her seat. It was the kind of reception usually reserved for rock stars. It was one thing to be loved by Jim and Lottie in Mapleville, but this was another level. In fact, it was exhilarating.
Greta’s hand trembled as she poured herself a glass of champagne. As she sipped the ice-cold liquid, excitement fizzed inside her.
The adjacent passenger door suddenly opened, and a person slid into the back seat beside her. ‘You’re causing a frenzy out there, darling.’
Greta turned around in disbelief.‘Nora?’
‘Yes, of course it’s me, darling. Who else is going to accompany you on your big night? Supporting you is my raison d’etre.’ She helped herself to a glass of champagne.
Greta worked her jaw. Nora was speaking to her like a top client. And it felt good.
Her agent’s eyes sparkled as she held up her glass for a toast. ‘You’re going to knock ‘em dead,’ Nora said, clinking her flute against Greta’s.
Greta tried not to splutter as the bubbles hit the back of her throat.
Nora gave her a pat on the back. ‘Are you all right, darling?’ she asked, her tone more businesslike than concerned. ‘You seem rather flustered.’
‘This is just all so unexpected and . . . great.’ Greta had forgotten how passionate some fans could be, though she’d never experienced them on this scale. The unified chant of her name was like music to her ears.
‘It’s totally fabulous.’ Nora agreed, waving regally at the window. ‘All our hard work has come to fruition. Now, let’s make the most of it.’
The chauffeur opened the door and extended his gloved hand to Greta. She grasped it, grateful for something to hold on to as she stepped onto the pavement.
A red carpet stretched ahead of her, leading toward the town hall. All the crowd strained forward for a closer look at her, many chanting her name.
The a cappella singers also appeared, as if from nowhere.
Under the stars, you’ve come so far,
a shining star, that’s who you are.
Enjoy the glow, the crowd’s embrace,
