Secret Schemes and Daring Dreams by Rosie Rushton

on
Holby City
and
ER
, ‘don’t you worry. I think I have the perfect solution. Just leave it with me.’
    â€˜Emma, you’re a star!’
    â€˜That is just the coolest idea!’
    Adam and Lucy sat side-by-side on the steps of Lucy’s chalet later that afternoon and gazed up at her admiringly.
    â€˜See why I had to come over and tell you to your face? Neat, isn’t it?’ Emma agreed, squatting down beside them. ‘Dad’s chuffed because the band is staying in the eco-lodges – that way he gets them into the show without it looking contrived – Jake’s over the moon because Dad’s waiving the rent and I reckon now there is no way the band can refuse to play at Freddie’s party. So come on – where do we go to celebrate?’
    â€˜Nowhere, sadly.’ Adam sighed. ‘We’re both on duty this evening – I’m teaching raft-building for tomorrow’s raft race, and Lucy’s helping with the campfire sing-along.’
    â€˜Ye gods, you two lead riveting lives!’ Emma teased, gazing round at the groups of kids playing rounders or clambering over the assault course. ‘All looks like pretty hard work to me.’
    â€˜Not half as hard as some of the lives these kids lead,’ Adam replied solemnly. ‘I’ve got a boy in my football squad who looks after his blind mum and dad – and he’s only nine. A charity paid for him to come and it’s the first time he’s had a chance to be a kid.’
    â€˜A bit like Lily,’ Emma murmured thoughtfully. ‘You don’t realise, do you? I mean, what with our lives and stuff.’
    â€˜No,’ Lucy replied. ‘You don’t.’
    For a moment, the silence was broken only by the shrieks of delight from the kids on the bouncy castle.
    â€˜So how is your other scheme going?’ Lucy said smiling, anxious to lighten the mood. ‘You’re not really serious about getting Theo and Harriet together, are you?’
    â€˜Theo? Theo Elton?’ Adam butted in. ‘He’s with Verity Price – although don’t ask me what he sees in her. She’s a right little tart.’
    â€˜Which is why he’s not with her now,’ Emma informed him, deciding not to mention that it was Verity who chucked Theo. ‘And why Harriet is so perfect for him.’
    Her mind went back to the way Harriet had chatted non-stop when she got back to Emma’s house earlier that afternoon.
    â€˜Theo was just so lovely with Mum,’ Harriet had told her, kicking off her shoes and sinking down on to one of the rattan chairs on the terrace. ‘He chatted away —’
    â€˜You mean, you took him to meet her?’
    â€˜When he came to fetch me,’ Harriet had explained. ‘He insisted on going and saying hi. Mum doesn’t normally like strangers coming, but she really took to Theo.’
    â€˜More than Rob?’ Emma had asked, working hard to keep her voice disinterested and neutral.
    â€˜Oh, Rob’s never been to the hospital,’ Harriet had replied, glancing at her watch. ‘I haven’t said much about Mum’s illness to him.’
    â€˜But you felt able to tell Theo, who you only met yesterday?’ Emma had murmured. ‘That’s interesting.’
    â€˜Well, yes – I mean, no – I mean, I will tell Rob, of course, it’s just that I didn’t want to put him off.’
    â€˜I can see that.’ Emma had nodded wisely, as her mobile phone bleeped. ‘Obviously, if you’re aware that Rob’s that shallow —’
    â€˜I didn’t say that,’ Harriet had interrupted hastily. ‘He’s just not really keen on hospitals.’
    â€˜But if he was keen on you . . . oh, don’t listen to me.’ Emma had said theatrically, pulling her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and noting with some satisfaction how Harriet’s expression changed to one of