Forty-six

That was brilliant.
I’ve just come back to let you know how Maya and her mum and dad took it. The party is still going on, so I’ll go back soon.
We were all ready, waiting for Miss Price to drive up with Maya and her parents in the car. As soon as we saw them driving up, the steel band started playing and everyone started cheering and clapping.
Maya got out of the car slowly, her mouth hanging open. Her dad had to help her mum out, but once she was out she could stand OK and walked towards us, grinning like a mad thing.
‘What’s going on?’ Maya asked.
‘It’s a tropical beach, for you and your mum and dad just to enjoy for the day,’ I said.
And then Maya burst into tears!
Well, THAT wasn’t the reaction I’d been expecting!

I want up and gave her a hug. And then I saw that even though she was blubbing, she was smiling too. She whispered ‘thank you’, then she grabbed her mum’s hand and rushed towards the beach. Her mum rushed too! And her dad.
They went straight in.
We’d invited people from school, and people from Maya’s street and some of Maya’s relatives too – her gran and grandpa. And everyone was clapping and laughing.

Brilliant.

That was a few hours ago and since then, we’ve been dancing and eating and swimming and lazing around. We even built sandcastles! On the allotment! Dad raked A LOT of sand.

I’d better get back to the party!