‘So, what happens next?’ asked Kieran.
Jo finally spoke. ‘Shouldn’t you play one last time, Beth?’
No one replied, but the room thrummed with pulsating energy. The pinball machine appeared, as solid as the first time she’d seen it. Right there, in Sam and Jinnie’s living room.
‘Can I, Gigi?’
All eyes turned to Beth. She opened her hand, showing a gold coin in her palm. Their mutual gaze shifted to an ethereal butterfly, fluttering above her head.
‘Of course.’ Gigi settled cross-legged on top of the pinball machine. The epitome of calm, albeit calm with a sense of closure.
Beth played like she’d never played before. Fingers flying, flippers working at warp speed. Ball bouncing, ricocheting, rebounding, score mounting.
‘Go, girl!’
She didn’t register the final tally: she only heard a cacophony of beeps, jingles and music. Voices, whoops, everything was a blur as she fell to her knees.
‘Beth.’ Kieran knelt beside her. Through a mist of tears, she took in his lovely face. ‘It’s going to be OK,’ he whispered. ‘You, me, whatever the future has in store. We’ll deal with it, one step at a time.’
As stifled sobs echoed around the room, Gigi gestured for quiet. ‘I think we’re forgetting one little thing.’
‘That genies don’t exist and we’re in the middle of a herd hallucination?’ Kieran’s words were laced with residual disbelief. He helped Beth to her feet, and she blinked at Gigi.
‘Your third wish, darlin’. That one nearly slipped by. Close your eyes and say it.’
Beth paused. Gigi’s words from before played through her mind.Healing. The messy, complicated, gut-wrenching, wonderful kind.
‘Is it really that simple?’ she said. ‘Shouldn’t I wish for something more … I don’t know, meaningful? That makes other people happy? Thanks to Kieran, thanks toyou, Gigi, I’m already healing.’
Gigi smiled. ‘Of course you are. And that’s how it should be. But wishes can spread further. They can fly, like your gossamer-winged friend.’
‘What in the name of the wee man is he talking about?’ Wilma frowned at Jinnie, who shook her head.
‘I think Gigi’s saying that Beth’s wish – wishes – go further than ours did.’ Jo looked at Sam. ‘Does that make sense to you?’
‘Absolutely nothing in Cranley makes sense. Right?’
Heads nodded in agreement.
‘But we each got a set of wishes. OK, some got more than others, some wishes were completely off the wall. And we accepted them. Why is it different now?’
Gigi did the pixellation thing again. There one minute, barely visible the next. ‘I could bore you all to death with the FBI, CHUG and the silly WIFI thing, but here’s the rub.’
They waited. Prom strode in, tail in the air, attitude through the roof.
‘How the…’ Kieran stuttered. ‘I locked all the doors and windows. I know I did.’
A collective mutter of ‘don’t you get it yet’ rumbled round the room.
‘Kieran,’ said Jinnie, in the manner of a mother addressing a toddler. ‘We’re in the presence of a genie. I don’t think Prom going walkabout is relevant.’
‘Ah, what an intelligent cat.’ Gigi stroked Prom, who purred appreciatively.
‘Yep, he’s a regular Einstein,’ deadpanned Kieran.
The butterfly hovered over everyone’s heads, showering them with gold glitter.
‘Just like the open mic night.’
