‘It’s not really a holiday.’
Tasha gazed at her from over the rim of her glass.
‘I suppose you’d describe it as an escape,’ Jules said.
‘Escaping is good,’ Tasha replied, ‘isn’t it?’
‘Depends what you’re escaping from,’ Jules said, with a shrug. ‘Must be lots of places to escape to around a farm.’
‘The barn’s my favourite,’ Tasha said, ‘and The Pottery. I like going there. That feels like an escape.’
‘You’re making a jug?’
‘I like making jugs, different shapes and sizes, different types of handles or no handles at all. Lance says I’m good at it.’
‘I think that I was a bit rude to Lance.’
‘He won’t mind.’ She looked directly at Jules, her eyes a mixture of greys, greens and hazel. ‘He’s right about pottery being therapeutic. You forget everything when you’re throwing a pot. You should give it a try.’
‘I’ve done a bit in the past, at school.’
‘You’re an expert then,’ Tasha said, a broad smile suddenly lighting up her face. ‘Erin’s my best friend. Is Carrie your best friend?’
‘Yes.’
‘I like Carrie. Have you been friends since school?’
‘No. I haven’t known her that long actually. She moved in with me when her relationship broke up. She had to move out of her place, and I’d put an advert in a local newsagent’s window looking for someone to share because my previous lodger had moved out. We hit it off straight away. Sometimes that happens.’
Jules felt breathless. Apart from Carrie that was the longest communication she’d had with anyone for over a week.
‘I haven’t got lots of friends.’
‘That doesn’t matter. It’s the quality of your friendships that’s important.’
‘That’s what Granny says. Mum thinks I’m a bit of a billy-no-mates. She wants me to be one of the cool crowd.’ She pulled at her sweatshirt. ‘She thinks I’m scruffy.’
‘Well, there’s no point wearing anything special when you’re working with clay.’
‘Mum’s got big plans for Will and me. Will’s my brother.’
‘Where’s he today?’
‘On the farm with Dad. That’s all he wants to do, all day, every day. He wants to take over the farm when he’s older.’
‘What about you?’
‘I’d love to be a potter, but Lance says there’s no money in it and I need to get other qualifications.’
‘He’s probably right.’
‘What do you do?’
‘I’m a midwife.’
‘Cool.’
‘Yes, it is. Stressful, though. Quite a lot of responsibility.’
