Her initial thought was to rush upstairs and wake Fred, to show her the article. But she decided to let her sleep a little longer. Maybe she’d just sit and drink coffee for a while and do a crossword with the love of her life; she’d earned it.
As they sat, side by side at the old battered table, the sun came up, lighting the windows outside by degrees and turning the world a pale yellow. Soon the aunts would bustle through, in their Wellington boots and nightgowns, bringing the cold morning with them as they clucked about the kitchen like chickens. And then Fred would emerge, bleary with sleep and some new thought about how to put the world to rights, which she needed to share urgently, and this little oasis of calm for two would melt away. But Bella didn’t mind, not one bit; she welcomed it all, the chaos and the quiet, because all those elements made up this life that she had been gifted. And for the first time in many, many years, she didn’t want to change a thing.
31
Fred
Sunday, December 22
Ryan held her hand asthey wandered down through the Christmas market, and Fred felt like she’d won the lottery. She wanted to stop people as they hurried past and point to their joined hands, and say, “Look, Ryan Frost is holding my hand.” But she managed to muster some self-control.
It was the last day of the market, and it was a frenzy of activity. The gentle meanderings of tourists a couple of weeks ago had been replaced with a frantic rush to purchase last-minute gifts. Tomorrow the town would be quiet, relatively speaking, and old friends would bid each other goodbye for another year—though, this year, Liam wouldn’t be one of them. She had never seen her mum so contented, and she thanked the heavens that fate had stepped in and prevented her from stomping all over her potential happiness with her big size 8 boots. She’d been so wrong about so many things. But that was behind her now, and she wasdetermined to be the daughter that Bella deserved in the future. It was funny how her mum’s new inner peace had settled something inside her too, as though their energies were joined.Just like E.T. and Elliott, she thought to herself.
“What’s that dopey smile for?” Ryan asked, bringing their linked hands to his lips to kiss her knuckles.
“Nothing,” she said, still smiling. “I was just thinking about Mum.”
“Blimey, things have changed,” he teased. “Bella causing you to smile, I never thought I’d see the day.”
“I have evolved,” she said, haughtily. “It’s called personal growth; you should try it.”
He let go of her hand, grabbing her around the waist from behind and pulling her to him. He buried his face in her neck, growling as he kissed her. “I caveman. You my woman.”
She laughed. “Get off!” She wriggled, giggling in his embrace.
He released her and took her hand again and they continued to walk. People waved at them and shouted hellos. It was the exact opposite to the reception she’d received this time last week, and she counted her blessings that Pine Bluff was the kind of place that gave second chances.
As they passed Smoke and Soul, Cherry came barreling out of the restaurant and threw her arms around Fred. “I’m so glad I caught you,” she said, breathlessly. “I wanted to tell you that we’re booked up till March. The phone’s been ringing off the hook.” She pulled her jacket around her againstthe cold. “I can’t believe it. Winter’s normally a fight just to keep the lights on until the tourist season starts again.”
“Cherry, I’m so pleased,” Fred replied, a little embarrassed but also enjoying the glow that spread through her at having played some part in making things better for a small business in her community.
“Anyway, I’ve got to go before Dad starts hollering.” Cherry gestured back to the steamy windows of the full restaurant. “I just wanted to say thank you.”
“I didn’t do much,” said Fred, smiling. “Your food speaks for itself.”
“Didn’t do much, she says!” Cherry laughed as she turned and ran back toward Smoke and Soul. “Do me a favor, Ryan!” she called back. “Don’t let her leave town!”
“Don’t worry,” Ryan replied, giving Fred’s hand a gentle squeeze, “I’m not stupid enough to lose her twice.”
They continued on along and down the winding high street. From a distance Fred could see that the queue at Hallow-Hart Crackers snaked back a long way, past the roasted chestnut seller and the Christmas pet treats stall, all the way to the hand-painted pottery hut.
“Blimey, that twenty percent discount worked a treat, didn’t it?” said Ryan.
“We’d better go and see if Mum needs some help.”
They hurried toward the stall, managing to avoid being walloped by bags as shoppers doggedly barged past them on a mission to complete their Christmas to-do lists. As they reached the roasted chestnut cart, she heard her mum’s voice ring out.
“That’s it, folks, I’m afraid! I just sold the last box!”
A wave of disappointed groans rippled back through the crowd.
Fred had a sudden burst of inspiration. “Wait, wait, wait!” she shouted, letting go of Ryan’s hand and rushing to the front of the hut. “I’m sorry you’re disappointed but if you’d take a moment to leave your names and email addresses, I will add you to our mailing list so that you get sneak previews and early access to next year’s Christmas Crackers, and we’ll gift each of you here an exclusive twenty-five percent off your order, only for you here today, as a special thank-you for supporting our business.” She held her breath as she watched the disappointed shoppers mull over her offer. After a tense moment, the grumbles changed to noises of assent and the queue stayed where it was as Bella scrambled to grab her sketchbook to take down names.
Fred entered the hut through the side door and shouted to Ryan that he should come and help too. She didn’t want to keep next year’s customers waiting and risk them losing interest.
Bella tore out two sheets from her sketchbook and handed them each a pen, and between the three of them they managed to get down everyone’s names in super quick time.
“I can’t believe you sold everything!” said Fred, looking around the empty hut.
