Betsey's Birthday Surprise (4 page)

Betsey shook her head. “No, it’s OK, Desmond. That wasn’t my real home. My real home is where my family and friends are.”

“Betsey, that’s a lovely thing to say.” Gran’ma Liz smiled.

“And May, I’m sorry I was so mean about my house,” said Betsey. “The next time I have a house, you can come in any time you want to.”

“Are you going to make another one?” asked May.

“I might do,” said Betsey. “But next time, I’ll make it big enough for
everyone
!”

And just to show she meant it, Betsey gave everyone a hug – even Prince!

Betsey moved closer to the telly.

“Betsey child, you’ll ruin your eyes if you sit that close to the TV screen,” said Gran’ma Liz.

Betsey got up and stood in front of everyone.

“Betsey, move! I can’t see,” Sherena complained.

“I’ve decided I want to be on the telly,” Betsey announced.

“Oh dear . . .”

“Another one of Betsey’s ideas!”

Groans and sighs and shakes of the head filled the living room!

“I’m serious. I want to be on there.” Betsey pointed to the TV screen. “Gran’ma Liz, how do I get on the telly?”

“The only way you’ll ever be on the telly is if you sit on it!” Desmond said before Gran’ma could reply.

“Desmond, behave!” said Gran’ma Liz, laughing.

“I mean it,” said Betsey, crossly. “I want to be on the TV. Dad’s coming home soon and it would be such a wonderful surprise for him.”

“Your dad will be happy to see you in the flesh,” said Gran’ma Liz. “He doesn’t have to see you on the telly. Now come and sit next to me so we can all see the screen.”

“But Gran’ma . . .”

“Betsey, I have no idea how you’d go about getting on the TV. You’ll have to become an actress or go into politics or read the news or something like that,” said Gran’ma Liz.

“Hhmm!” Betsey sat down next to Gran’ma but she wasn’t watching the evening film any more. She was thinking hard. Betsey didn’t know how yet but she
was
going to do it. One way or another she was going to be on the telly.

The next day was market day. But for once, Betsey wasn’t even that excited about it. All the way there, Betsey was far too busy trying to work out how to get on the TV. At last they arrived at the market. It was full of hustle and bustle but Betsey hardly noticed any of it.

“Betsey, are you all right? You’re very quiet,” said Desmond

“Too quiet,” Sherena agreed.

“I’m fine,” Betsey said, still deep in thought.

Gran’ma Liz looked at Betsey very carefully but she didn’t say a word. Instead she led the way to the fish stall first. Usually Betsey loved the smell of fish – salt fish, flying fish, crab, snapper . . . But not today. Betsey was still too busy trying to work out her problem.

And then she saw the answer! Over by the bread and cake stall was a thin man with a camcorder. The man moved his camcorder this way and that, filming the whole market. Betsey’s eyes opened wider than wide. That man was filming! Maybe his film would be on the telly . . .

Betsey raced over to him and started jumping up and down in front of him.

“Betsey, what on earth are you doing? And don’t run off like that,” panted Gran’ma when she reached Betsey.

“I’m going to be on the TV,” Betsey said proudly. And she carried on jumping up and down.

The thin man lowered his camcorder. “Er . . . I’m sorry, dear, but I’m just making a holiday video. I’m going to show all my friends back in England how wonderful this market is.”

Betsey stopped jumping. “You’re not making a programme for the telly?” she said, disappointed.

“I’m afraid not.” The thin man shook his head. “Sorry!”

Gran’ma Liz led the way back to the others, warning Betsey not to run off again in case she got lost. As Betsey’s family carried on walking through the market, Betsey felt a bit down.

“No!” Betsey muttered firmly. “I’m not going to give up. Not yet, at any rate.”

And then she saw what she was looking for! A tall woman was holding a big microphone in her hand and talking to a stall holder in the market. Betsey grabbed hold of Gran’ma Liz’s hand and rushed over to the tall woman.

“Hello! My name is Betsey Biggalow. Are you making a TV programme?” asked Betsey, hopefully.

The tall woman frowned down at Betsey. “No, I’m making a programme for the radio.”

Betsey sighed. That wasn’t the same thing at all!

“Betsey, come away. We’ve got shopping to buy,” said Gran’ma Liz. “And please don’t drag me all over the market.”

The rest of the morning was spent buying groceries. Betsey looked up and down and back and forth, but no one looked like they were making a TV programme, so that when at last it was time to go home, Betsey wanted to cry. She was going to get on the telly or
burst
.

As they all walked up the road from the bus stop, Betsey lagged behind, trying and trying to think of a way of getting on the telly.

“Look! Dad’s home already!” Desmond shouted.

With those words, Betsey forgot everything else and charged up the road. There was Dad, standing on the steps outside the front door. And he was holding something strange . . . Only when Betsey reached him did she realize what it was. Dad was holding a tablet device. Betsey was so surprised, her mouth fell open and she stared at Dad.

“Come on, Betsey. I’m filming you so do something!” Dad laughed.

“Where did you get that tablet from?” asked Desmond.

“I bought it,” explained Dad. “And now I’m going to record the whole family. That way I’ll have a video of all of you when I have to go away again. I can watch it every day to see all of you and hear your voices.”

Betsey hopped up and down with joy. It wasn’t going to happen
exactly
as she’d planned, she wasn’t going to be on TV, but she was going to be filmed!

Dad filmed the whole family as they entered the house, all bubbling with laughter and chatting.

“Act normally!” said Dad.

And everyone did – except Betsey. She was too busy hogging the camera. It didn’t matter which way Dad turned, Betsey was in front of him!

“Betsey, let other people get a look in!” said Sherena.

Dad spent the whole day filming – first Mum and Gran’ma Liz, then Sherena and Desmond, and finally it was Betsey’s turn.

“What d’you want me to do, Dad?” Betsey asked.

“Anything you like,” said Dad, pointing his tablet at Betsey. “You can sing or dance or say anything.”

Betsey had a quick think. “I’ll say something,” she decided. “Dad, I’ll be glad when you’re a doctor and can come home for good – but I’m glad you’re not one yet so you had to make this recording!”

Dad laughed.

“I wanted to give you something special that you can film and remember.” Betsey walked over to Dad and gave him a great, big hug. “I love you, Dad, and this is one of my special hugs!”

“Every one of your hugs is special, sweet pea!” Dad smiled and he put down the tablet to hug her back. “OK everyone, it’s time to see the results.”

Everyone sat down on the sofa, eager to see what Dad had come up with. Dad connected his tablet to the telly and started it up. The TV screen cleared and there was Mum sitting in the living room. And who was that creeping into the picture to sit at Mum’s feet? Betsey! Mum smiled and waved and said how much she missed Dad when he was away. Then it was Gran’ma Liz’s turn.