Two weeks later and not only was Penny's arm better, but the snow was almost gone.
Penny was assisting with unblocking the drain outside Dilys's shop.
Norman, who was bored of his videogames for the day, was nosing around the Firefighters as they tried to work.
"Norman, go and play elsewhere!" Station Officer Steele said sternly.
"Ohh…" Norman sighed and walked away. But he stopped by the equipment bag and pulled out one of the spare drain-cleaners. "Ooo…" he said, swinging the drain-cleaner from side to side. Suddenly it slipped out of his hand and went flying towards Steele, who dived out of the way. The drain-cleaner crashed into Dilys's crates and fruit and vegetables went all over the place.
"NORMAN!" Dilys snapped, "You NAUGHTY boy! The Fire Service equipment aren't toys…! And just LOOK what you've done to all my lovely fruit and veg!"
Dilys went to help Steele to his feet. "I'm so sorry…" she said to him before turning to Norman again, "You apologise to Station Officer Steele at ONCE, young man! And give him that spare drain- cleaner…Then you can clear up this mess!"
Norman shuffled his feet. "Sorry, Station Officer Steele." He said glumly.
Steele cleared his throat. "Our equipment are not toys, just as your mother says…" he replied, sternly.
"Yes, Sir…I'm sorry, Sir…"
Steele nodded and went back to observing the work.
Norman handed him the drain-cleaner which had, luckily, taken no damage, before starting to pick up the fallen fruit and vegetables.
Sam came around the corner. "I heard the commotion…" he said, "Great fires of London! What's all these fruit and vegetables doing on the ground?"
Penny told him.
"Honestly, Norman…" Sam tutted firmly, "You could've hurt someone."
Norman placed an apple back into its crate. "I'm sorry…" he said, "I didn't mean for it to slip out of my hand, honest."
Penny stood up. "Drain's all clear now." She smiled, "You see, Norman…" she said, turning to the ginger-haired seven-year-old, "This is why you're not allowed to touch things that aren't yours. Even though you didn't mean for the drain-cleaner to slip from your hand, it wouldn't have happened if you had left it alone in the first place. You're lucky your mum's fruit and vegetables are okay, you're lucky the drain-cleaner isn't damaged but, most of all, you're lucky Station Officer Steele wasn't injured."
Norman nodded glumly.
"Perhaps…" Bella, who had come out of her café and had been told why Norman was picking up fruit and vegetables, "Norman can-a help me bake my cake, yes? Give-a him something to do."
Dilys nodded, "Good idea, Bella…"
"And-a maybe…." Bella added, "If he's a good-a boy and-a does a good job, I might make-a him a little treat."
Norman brightened up at this and followed Bella into the café.
Dilys smiled. "Thank you." She said to the Firefighters, "And I'm sorry, again, about my Norman."
"No worries, Dil." Sam smiled, "No real harm done."
In Bella's Café, Norman was mixing the cake-mix for Bella's cake. "What did you say this cake was called again, Bella?" he asked, handing the bowl to friendly Italian lady to pour into the baking tin.
"Red-a velvet cake." Bella replied, "It's-a my first time-a baking one."
Norman was excited. He couldn't wait to try this new cake. "May I have some?" he asked hopefully.
Bella smiled. "Of-a course." She said, patting Norman's head, "You've-a been very good, helping-a me mix it."
She put the cake in the oven and went to make herself a cup of tea. She made Norman a hot chocolate. The snow may have been almost gone but it was still rather chilly.
As Norman was sipping his hot chocolate, the bell on the door sounded as Sarah and James walked in.
"Oh, hello there, my bambinos." Bella smiled warmly, "You good-a today?"
The twins smiled. "We're fine, Bella." Sarah said with a grin.
"How are you?" James asked.
Bella smiled, "I'm-a good, grazie…What would-a you like?"
The twins both agreed on a hot chocolate and soon, they were sitting with Norman, sipping away.
"Bella's baking a cake." Norman said before adding proudly, "I mixed it for her."
"What kind of cake?" James asked.
Norman put down his cup. "A red velvet cake." He replied, "It's Bella's first time baking one."
The twins were intrigued. They wondered what it would look like…What it would TASTE like. "Can we have some, Bella?" asked James.
Bella chuckled kindly, "Yes, of-a course, my little bambinos."
Sarah was just about to take another sip of her hot chocolate when a screech startled them all. A tiny mouse scurried across the floor, followed by Rosa. Bella, who was not at all keen on mice, scream and jumped up on top of the counter. "I no like-a the mouses!" she cried, "Please…catch it!"
James caught Rosa, who meowed indignantly, while Sarah dived and caught the mouse. She held the trembling little creature in her hands. "Poor little thing…" she crooned, "Rosa, you cruel cat!"
James shrugged and put Rosa back on the floor. The ginger cat walked off, her tail waving angrily. "It's in a cat's nature to chase mice." He said.
"We should release it somewhere safe." Sarah went on, "Do you have a box, Bella?"
Getting down from the counter, Bella smiled. "Wait-a here." She said and disappeared through the door that led to her living quarters. A few minutes later, she returned and handed Sarah a medium-sized box. It had a few little holes in it.
"That'll do nicely." Sarah smiled and put the mouse in the box. Making sure the box was secure, the twins finished their drinks and left, saying goodbye to Bella and Norman.
Outside, they met Sam, who was talking to Dilys.
"Hello, you two!" he smiled, giving his niece and nephew a hug, "What have you got there?"
"A mouse." Replied Sarah.
"It was in Bella's café." James explained, "We want to find a safe place to release it."
Sam chuckled. "Oh, aye…good idea, that." He looked at box, "Tell you what, I'll come with you to Pandy Lane Farm. That'd be a good place to release the little fellow."
The twins smiled, "Oh thanks, Uncle Sam!"
They all hopped into Jupiter, which was nearby, being manned by Elvis, and made their way to the farm.
"Here we are." Elvis smiled as they stopped outside the farm, "Uh, shall I wait here, Sam?"
Sam nodded. "Yes, Elvis, we shouldn't be long." He replied.
Sarah and James followed their uncle passed the farmhouse and to the woodland a few feet away. "Okay, Sarah…" Sam said, "Put the box on the ground and remove the lid."
Sarah did so and the little mouse clambered out, sniffed the air, and scurried towards the trees.
"There we are." Sam smiled, "He'll be quite happy there…Right, let's get back."
Bella took the cake out of the oven. However, she was so eager to get the cake iced that, not only did she forget to turn the oven off, but she didn't notice that she had knocked a dry rag into it.
She and Norman got to work, decorating the cake.
"It's so red!" Norman gasped.
"Si." Bella replied, going to the cupboard to get the icing ingredients, "And it-a will be white on-a the outside."
Norman began to help Bella make the icing. Suddenly, he could smell smoke. Bella's smoke alarm started to beep.
"Mama Mia!" Bella gasped, "My oven is on-a fire! Norman, my bambino, we must-a get out and-a call the Fire Service!"
They both ran out but there was no need to call the Fire Brigade because, at that very moment, Jupiter pulled up. Norman ran up to it. "Bella's oven is on fire!" he called urgently.
Sam and Elvis were out of Jupiter in a flash. "Stay out here!" Sam said to the children as he and Elvis ran in, wearing their protective masks. Elvis went straight to the oven plug, switched it off and pulled it out. Sam picked up the kitchen extinguisher and began to tackle the flames that were licking their way through the open oven door. When the fire was put out, he reached inside to see what had caused it. "No wonder it caught fire…" he tutted, pulling out the burned rag.
Outside Bella was fretting. "Oh, Sam…!" she sobbed as the Fireman came out, "Is-a my café okay?"
Sam chuckled kindly. Bella was notorious for being as dramatic as she was kind. "Your café will live to serve food another day, Bella." He smiled, "And apart from needing a good clean, your oven is fine, too."
Bella let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, grazie, Sam!"
Sam handed her the burned rag, "This was in there. You forgot to turn the oven off and this must have fallen in."
"Mama Mia!" Bella huffed, "I MUST-A be more careful! Thank-a goodness I took-a the cake out before the fire started!"
Sam smiled. "Aye…" he chuckled, "It's been a while since I had red velvet cake."
When the cake was ready to eat, Bella cut off slices for Sam, Sarah, James and Norman as well as more for Sam to give to Penny, Elvis and Station Officer Steele. Normally eating a lot of sugary or fatty foods wasn't advised among the Fire Brigade but the odd treat was allowed.
"Mmmm!" Norman sighed, "This is BEST cake EVER!"
The twins and Sam agreed as the munched away at the delicious cake. When they had finished, Norman went home to his mum, who had heard about the fire and was eager to see her son home safe, and Sam, Sarah and James went to the Fire Station.
Penny tutted as Sam handed her the slice of cake wrapped in a napkin. "I shouldn't eat this…" She was very into fitness and healthy eating, "But it does look good…and it was nice of you to bring it to me." She took the slice and began to eat it. "Mmm…very nice!" she smiled, blushing at the idea of admitting she liked the unhealthy cake.
Elvis and Steele were enjoying their slices. "No harm in the odd treat, eh wot?" Steele said after gulping down a mouthful.
"Yeah…" Elvis agreed between bites, "Heaven knows we Firefighters deserve a treat every now and then."
Even Penny found she couldn't argue with that.
