Last Christmas, Francis had a promising acting career and a budding romance with Duncan. This Christmas, it seems he's lost it all. When his mum persuades him to help her with the annual village production, he's drawn back into the wacky world of amateur pantomime. This year's production has all kind of new twists, the village players are eccentric although enthusiastic, and Francis isn't sure he ever saw himself as a director. And what his mother also didn't tell him was, he'd be working with Duncan by his side. But if he can cope with charity shop costumes, squabbling characters, cross-dressing, and all the corny jokes, can he also believe in the show's magical triumph of Good over Bad, and win a second chance with Duncan? After all, in pantomime, everyone gets their wish granted in the end.

He's Behind You!

Duncan hadn’t spoken to me all evening. He had sailed on and off the stage in his ridiculous meringue dress, somehow looking like a cross between Queen Victoria and a travellers’ bride. He’d raised some of the loudest cheers all evening. I’d been helping Pam into her military boots at the time, so I couldn’t watch all his scene. But I caught as much as I could. It lit an odd glow inside me, both hot and cold at once.


I still couldn’t find my glove. With a sinking heart, I wondered if this was a metaphor for my lost love: the failure to win Duncan back.


Outside, sweeping the path, I could still hear the final scene. The audience were whooping with joy and triumph as Parminder knelt at Amy/Cinders’ feet.


“Dear girl,” Pam said, with a wonderfully sincere devotion. “Do not hide by the hearth. Let me try the slipper on you as well.”


“Do it! Bloody do it!” shrieked someone in the audience and there was loud laughter.


Chapter 12