Mollie Cinnamon Is Not a Cupcake
Page 13
I look back at the TV and there it is – the Songbird Cafe. I squeal. “Turn it up, Flora,” I say, fizzing with excitement.
As Flora adjusts the volume, Davida’s voice rings out. “This is Davida Walsh, reporting from Little Bird Island, where the local community are campaigning to save their only cafe. Alanna D’Arcy, you own and run the Songbird Cafe, is that correct?”
As the camera swings over to Alanna we all cheer.
“Yes,” we hear Alanna say. “I took a loan out with the bank to pay for some building work and, to cut a long story short, they want their money back, pronto. They’re putting pressure on me to sell to a developer. If I just had a bit more time, I’d happily pay it back. I’m not looking for charity.”
“And the developers intend to demolish the cafe and build a large hotel in its place?”
Alanna nods. “Sadly, yes.”
Then I see my own face on screen. My big white face, framed by wild red curls, whipping around like kite tails in the wind.
Everyone in the room cheers again.
“Go, Mollie!” Landy calls.
“Shush,” Nan says. “I want to hear this.”
It’s unreal listening to myself answer all Davida’s questions and explain about Red Moll’s castle. When I’ve finished speaking, they show a short montage of film clips set to music – birds swooping in the sky, Click jumping out of the waves, and a girl in a red cloak set against Red Moll’s castle – and suddenly I realize why it all looks so familiar.
“It’s your footage, Mollie!” Flora squeals. “Your work is on national television.”
“And that’s me,” Alanna says. “In the red cloak.”
“It’s amazing, Mollie,” Nan says proudly. “My girls have such talent.”
I feel dizzy with relief. They played it. Our campaign was on the news!
“Oh, Mollie, Alanna, what can I say?” Nan says. “You were both wonderful. I think I speak for everyone when I say well done. And to Sunny, Landy and all of you behind the scenes. And to clever old Flora for getting it on the news. Whatever happens now, you’ve all done Little Bird proud.”
“Nan’s right,” Alanna says. “Thank you everyone for fighting for the cafe.”
“So what now?” I ask.
“We wait,” Flora says. “Any reaction on the Facebook page yet, Landy?”
He shakes his head. “Not yet. Oh, hang on. We have three new likes. And a new comment. It says, ‘I’ve signed your petition and I’ve made an online donation. Good luck with your campaign. Little Bird is a very special place.’”
“There’ll be more,” Flora says. “Wait and see.”
Flora’s right. An hour later, the Facebook likes are still coming in. We’re at over three hundred now. And the donations are up to four hundred euros. Everyone has gone home, but Flora, Nan and I are still in the living room, celebrating the success of the news piece and Nan’s return. Flora has taken over from Landy on laptop duty.
“There’s a private message here for Alanna from a Cathy Mullins, CEO of Haven Foods,” she says. “Her son Teddy visited the cafe recently with his grandparents and hasn’t stopped going on about it since. She’s interested in talking to her about a possible sponsorship deal.”
“Sounds promising,” Nan says. Then she gives a huge yawn. “Too much excitement for one day, I’m afraid. I’m off to bed now.”
“Of course, Nan,” Flora says. “You must be exhausted. The doctor did tell you to take it easy. You tired, Mopsy? It’s been quite a day.”
“A little,” I admit. And then I realize we’ve been so caught up in the cafe and the news that we haven’t talked about the other thing that’s on my mind – staying here or going home with Flora. I know I have to tell them my decision. “Flora, have you talked to Nan about the extra filming?” I ask.
“She has,” Nan says. “And you’re welcome to stay for as long as you want, Mollie. I adore having you here − you know that. If you’d like to stay, then we can work out all the details later. But the important thing is I love you and I want to be part of your life and spend as much time with you as I can. It’s as simple as that. We have a lot of classic movies to watch.”
Flora laughs. “Not you too. I guess that’s where Mum got her movie-star obsession.”
“I take it you’re not a fan of old films?” Nan says.
“No, but a girl can change.”
“Indeed she can.”
Flora looks at me now, her face getting serious. “What would you like to do, Mopsy? Stay here with Nan or go back to Dublin with me? It’s completely up to you, darling. Have you thought about it?”
I nod. I’ve been thinking about it a lot. But in the end it all came down to one thing – Flora. You see, I know how much she loves her job. Being a television presenter is all she’s ever wanted to do. Offering to leave her dream job was the most amazingly kind thing ever. It would be like me offering never to watch another movie again in my whole entire life (which I honestly think would kill me).
I know if I asked her to leave Travelling Light, she would. But I can’t do it. Because she’s my mum and I love her and I want her to be happy. I know she said she was sick of travelling, but once she’s filming again she’ll forget about all that. And this time she’ll have Lucas to look after her.
Besides, I’m starting to feel like I belong here. I never, ever in a million years thought I’d say it, but it’s true. I like Little Bird! Yes, it’s quiet and small and there are no shops. But it’s beautiful, and there’s a very special cafe, and amazing people that I’d like to get to know better, like Landy and Sunny. And Alanna. Most of all, Alanna. I want to spend more time with Nan too and be a proper great-granddaughter.
And there’s one final reason.
I dreamed about Granny Ellen last night. We were standing in front of Red Moll’s castle and she was telling me a Red Moll story, about how when she was only nine Red Moll saved one of her sisters from drowning. She jumped into the sea after her and dragged her to shore. We were holding hands and the wind was blowing our red hair behind us as we stared out to sea.
“We’re islanders,” Granny Ellen said. “No matter how far away we are, Little Bird will always be our home.”
I wish Granny Ellen was still alive. I miss her every single day. I think she would want me to stay and keep an eye on Nan. I think she’s somewhere up there, looking out for us both, our very own red-haired angel.
So I nod and say, “Yes. I’ve made a decision.”
Epilogue
On Mother’s Day I’m in the kitchen of the Songbird Cafe with Alanna, stirring the chocolate fudge cake mix. I sent Flora a Mother’s Day e-card this morning. When you open it, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” plays and bluebirds and butterflies flutter across the screen. I hope she likes it.
I made a real card for Nan. I took a photo of some daffodils in her garden. Then I printed it and stuck it on card and decorated the edges. Sunny helped me with the calligraphy inside. You should have seen the one Sunny made. She’d copied a picture of her mum from a photograph and it was amazing. She’s so talented. I’m lucky to have her as a friend.
Cathy from Haven Foods was as good as her word. She came to see the cafe and to talk to Alanna. Her company agreed to sponsor the Songbird and she offered to help Alanna get back on her feet by mentoring her, so the cafe’s future is safe. There’s now a large plaque that reads “Sponsored by Haven Foods” by the cafe door and Alanna has dedicated a new cupcake to Cathy’s son Teddy – the Teddy Treat. It’s a vanilla cupcake decorated with sprinkles, Smarties and jelly dolphins.
I work for Alanna every weekend and on Wednesday afternoons when there’s no school. I thought going back to Bethlehem Heights would be difficult, but, in fact, as long as I avoid Lauren, it’s actually not that bad. Bonny’s really kind and Landy’s great fun to hang out with.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you, sparrow,” Alanna says, after tasting the cake mix. “The day you came to the island I saw you make a wish on a straw
doll. Did it ever come true?”
So much has happened since then, but I can still remember my wish. Take me home.
“Yes, I guess it did.” For the moment, Little Bird is my home and, as Dorothy says in The Wizard of Oz, there’s no place like it.
“Magic,” she says, smiling, and leaves it at that. But from the twinkle in her eyes, I’m sure she’s reading my mind again.
Five things you might not know about me
by Mollie Cinnamon
1. My favourite movie is The Wizard of Oz.
2. I have not one but two favourite colours – black and white. Stripes. I love zebra stripes.
3. I can touch my nose with my tongue and curl it. Those are pretty special talents!
4. I love the smell of baking, especially cupcakes.
5. If I could have any super power, it would be flight. Or invisibility. Or both!
My top five movies
by Mollie Cinnamon
1. The Wizard of Oz is the best movie ever. “Lions
and tigers, and bears (oh my!)” and so much more. Don’t miss it!
2. Spirited Away is an amazing animated movie from Japan. I could watch it over and over again.
3. Grease has brilliant songs and a fantastic story. Yes, I have a bit of a thing for musicals!
4. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is about the cutest alien ever. It’s also the cutest friendship movie you’ll ever watch.
5. Beetlejuice is the best comedy-ghost movie in the world.
I also love Ghostbusters, Annie and The Princess Bride. Old movies rule!
Recipe for the Songbird Cupcake
by Alanna D’Arcy
Ingredients
For the cupcakes (makes 12):
2 eggs
110g self-raising flour
110g butter
110g caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
For the icing:
220g icing sugar
110g butter
Blue food colouring
Instructions
1. Ask a parent or guardian to preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Place 12 paper cupcake cases on a tray.
3. Mix the sugar, flour and baking powder together. Then add the butter and eggs.
4. Stir all of the ingredients together until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
5. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.
6. Ask a parent or guardian to put the tray of cases into the oven.
7. Bake the cakes for around 15 minutes or until they are golden brown. Ask a parent or guardian to help with this.
8. Once cooked, allow the cakes to cool.
9. To make the icing, whisk the butter and sugar together.
10. Add a couple of drops of blue food colouring to the butter-sugar mix.
11. Ask a parent or guardian to help you cut a circle out of the top of each cake. Fill this hole with icing.
12. Place the cut-out cake pieces on top of the icing to look like wings.
Interview with Sarah Webb
(author of The Songbird Cafe Girls)
1. Little Bird is such a lovely place. Was it inspired by a real island?
Yes, it was inspired by two islands off West Cork, Ireland: Cape Clear and Sherkin Island. I wanted to create somewhere very beautiful and quite magical, like those real islands. But I also wanted to give Little Bird, rapids, its own dolphin (called Click) and its own special atmosphere.
2. This book is about finding a place in the world that feels like home. Where is your favourite place?
A tiny village in West Cork called Castletownshend. The scenery is stunning and it’s right on the sea. I love swimming and kayaking and sailing, so it suits me perfectly. I do a lot of my writing there.
3. Who was your best friend at school?
I had two best friends the whole way through school, and they are still my best friends now. I met them through sailing. They are called Nicky and Tanya, and they are funny and beautiful and super smart! (They made me say that, but it’s true!)
4. Mollie’s favourite film is The Wizard of Oz. What’s yours?
Like Mollie, I’m a big movie fan. In fact, we share a lot of favourites, including The Wizard of Oz and Spirited Away. I also love Field of Dreams. I watch it every year because it reminds me to have big dreams and to follow my heart.
5. Flora loves her job as a TV presenter. If you weren’t an author, what would you be?
A children’s bookseller. My dream is to run my own children’s bookshop one day. Watch this space!
6. Which character from Mollie Cinnamon Is Not a Cupcake are you most like?
That’s a hard question. I guess, if I had to pick one, I’d say Nan. She’s a lot older than I am, but like me, she makes mistakes and attempts to fix them as best she can. She also fights for what she believes in and tries to look after the people she loves.
7. We have loved reading about Mollie, Landy, Sunny and Alanna. Can we expect more stories about them?
Yes, there are two more books to come, Sunny Days and Mooncakes – which is about Mollie’s friend, Sunny – and the third book, which is about Rory, a girl who befriends Click the dolphin.
Books by Sarah Webb
The Songbird Cafe Girls
1. Mollie Cinnamon Is Not a Cupcake
2. Sunny Days and Mooncakes
3. Aurora’s Dolphin
For older readers:
Ask Amy Green
1. Boy Trouble
2. Summer Secrets
3. Bridesmaid Blitz
4. Love and Other Drama-Ramas
5. Dancing Daze
6. Wedding Belles
Acknowledgements
A book is very much like a small island. It cannot survive without people to care for it and love it. I’m very lucky to have an editor who truly cares about my writing, the wonderful Annalie. (She even provided the delicious Songbird Cupcake recipe!) She was ably helped by Emily, and Maria, who worked terribly hard on the cover, and Jack, who created the map.
Thanks must also go to the rest of the stellar team at Walker Books, especially the majestic Conor, my man on the ground in Ireland, plus Paul, Gill, Jo, Victoria and Heidi. Thanks also to Philippa and Peta, my wonderful agents.
To my family, as always − for putting up with me. Living with a writer is no joke and no woman is an island! And to Helen, for taking such good care of Amy and Jago while I write. And to my writer friends, for listening to all my plot woes, especially Martina, Clare, Judi and Marita.
To the booksellers, far and wide, who have supported my books for many years, especially the gang at Dubray Books, David O’C at Eason, Louisa and Kim at Raven, Bob and gang at Gutter, Mary Brigid at Hodges Figgis, and all at Bridge Street Books.
To the hard-working ladies at Children’s Books Ireland, the lads and lasses at the Irish Writers’ Centre, and Marian, Bert and Alice at the Mountains to Sea Book Festival, who I have the great pleasure of working with.
Clodagh Walsh, winner of my Young Editor Competition, gave me some super-smart feedback on this book. The future of literature is in good hands.
And finally I’d like to thank you for picking up Mollie’s story. Books only truly come alive when they are read.
I love hearing from readers. Do drop me a line – sarah@sarahwebb.ie.
Yours in books,
Sarah XXX
Sarah Webb worked as a children’s bookseller for many years before becoming a full-time writer. Writing is her dream job because it means she can travel, read books and magazines, watch movies, and interrogate friends and family, all in the name of “research”. She adores stationery, especially stickers, and is a huge reader – she reads at least one book a week. As well as The Songbird Cafe Girls series, Sarah has written six Ask Amy Green books, eleven adult novels and many books for younger children. She visits a school every Friday during term time and loves meeting young readers and writers. She has been shortlisted for the Queen of Teen Award (twice!) and the Irish Book Awards.
/> Find out more about Sarah at www.SarahWebb.ie or on Twitter (@sarahwebbishere) and facebook.com/sarahwebbwriter.
Don’t miss the next book about the Songbird Cafe Girls
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or, if real, used fictitiously. All statements, activities, stunts, descriptions, information and material of any other kind contained herein are included for entertainment purposes only and should not be relied on for accuracy or replicated as they may result in injury.
First published 2015 by Walker Books Ltd
87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ
Text © 2015 Sarah Webb
Cover photographs © 2015 Maja Topcagic and Judy Davidson / Getty Images
Little Bird Island map by Jack Noel
The right of Sarah Webb to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted or stored in an information retrieval system in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, taping and recording, without prior written permission from the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data: a catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978-1-4063-6653-2 (ePub)
www.walker.co.uk