“You’re eight months pregnant, you’re not supposed to bend down.”
“That’s what he said.” Millie wipes her eyes.
“Are you laughing or crying now?” Elodie asks.
“Both.” Millie blows her nose.
“I’m glad I’m not the only one constantly in tears.” I say.
“You two are a great advert for childbearing.”
“Is Hal nagging you for children already?” Millie has moved back from crying to laughing.
“No.” Elodie says emphatically. “And he won’t if he knows what’s good for him. I can barely cope with beehives and one old grandfather.”
“Oh, that reminds me. Hal mentioned something about not cutting bushes, we’ve been trying to clear the garden.”
“Blue Catch? No, you should be okay for about twenty-five feet, they’re just ordinary. But further down there’s a patch of Canada thistle you shouldn’t touch. There are a few protected pockets down the hill. I’ll come round and bring you a copy of the map.”
“I can come and pick it up. I haven’t visited your honey shop yet. Let me know when is a good time.”
“What do you mean good time? Any time is a good time. I’m always there, chained to the shop.” She sighs. “You want me to have kids? Chance would be a fine thing. Even with Hal helping, I barely have time to do the online orders and service the hives.”
“Why don’t you hire an assistant?” I can’t help asking. “Surely, with the women and girls in the Lady Isobel Centre, there must be a few longing to find a new job. You can teach them what they need to know about bees and honey production. It’s a great career direction. You can even apply for funding to pay for the retraining. Maybe even run courses.”
I stop talking because both Millie and Elodie, even Laura on Millie’s other side, are looking at me as if I’ve sprouted wings.
“What?”
Elodie’s smile deepens. “I think you’re going to be a great addition to La Canette. You clearly moved to the right island.”
I scoff. “Oh yeah, because they love me so much here.”
“That’s what I was trying to tell you. Sooner or later, they’ll take you to their heart and when they do, you could never have greater friends.”
“Really? The people who threw stones at your boyfriend.”
She nods. “The same people who boycotted his family were the ones who defended him when he needed help. They literally closed ranks around him, turned down money and customers for his sake. Ask Hal.” She speaks a little louder so Hal can hear.
He comes back and takes the empty seat beside her, dropping an arm over her shoulder. “Ask Hal what?”
“Lessa thinks everyone hates her.”
“Hate is a strong word, they just think…”
“What?”
“That you’re…” He looks sheepish. “That you’re proud.”
“Did they actually sayproud? Or was it something like anuppity-snooty-face-cow looking down her condescending nose at them.”
He laughs. “Wow, you certainly have a way with words. Have you thought about being a writer?”
And this makes me want to cry again. Because I used to be a writer. Speeches, slogans, policy statements, you name it, I wrote it. And more than anything, I hate that these nice people will never have the chance to know me, the real me.
Millie leans sideways to hug me. “Don’t you start, you’ll make me cry, too.”
“If you two are going to cry…” Hal gets up. “I need to be a lot drunker than this.” He brings the half empty bottle of wine form the end of the table.
