‘It’s busy in here,’ I said, as we waited by the bar. ‘Wonder if it’s always like this or if it’s because it’s the bank holiday weekend.’
Milly shrugged. ‘Good job we booked a table.’
The bar staff were quick and efficient and it was soon our turn to be served. We ordered our drinks and two lunches before being directed to our table.
‘I’ve been dying to see you,’ Milly said. ‘I’ve got some news.’
‘I’m guessing good news.’ She looked like she was about to burst with excitement.
‘Yes! I’ve met someone. I was in the supermarket on Thursday evening, putting some apples in a bag and they fell straight through. A man nearby bent down to pick them up and I realised it was Coral’s old English teacher, Mr Sawdon. He recognised me and asked how Coral was doing so I told him about her being at university in her final year of performing arts. He said he wasn’t surprised she’d gone down that route as he remembered seeing her in school plays and thinking how talented she was. He said he doesn’t often get to hear about how his ex-pupils are doing and loves it when he gets snippets. Somehow he remembered that I used to be an English teacher too and was now a proofreader and he asked how business was and then we realised we were in everyone’s way so he asked if I wanted to finish my shopping and grab a drink with him. We did that and got on really well and he asked me if I was free last night so we went on a proper date and it was brilliant. I’m seeing him again next week.’
Milly had barely paused for breath and it was so lovely to see her eyes shining like that.
‘I’m so pleased for you. Does this Mr Sawdon have a first name?’
‘Adam, although it took me a while to get used to calling him that.’
‘I can imagine. What’s he like?’
‘Nothing like Harry so that’s a good start. Aw, Yvonne, he’s lovely. We talked pretty much non-stop and I realised how one-sided things had become with Harry. It was so refreshing to have someone ask about me and genuinely be interested. I got a bit emotional about it at one point and he was so supportive.’
‘I’m assuming he’s single?’
Milly nodded. ‘Divorced four years ago. He married his childhood sweetheart and they had two girls who are now in their twenties and when the second went off to university, they realised that pretty much the whole of their married life had been about the girls and not about each other. Left alone in the house, they had nothing to say, no shared interests, no reason to stay together.’
‘That’s sad.’
‘Isn’t it? He said they were like strangers under the same roof and I could relate to that because it was how I felt when Harry came home. She’s since remarried but he wanted some space before he jumped back into anything and was just thinking he might be ready to dip his toe in the dating pond again when the mum of one of his former pupils dropped a load of apples in front of him.’
‘There must be something in the water,’ I said, smiling at her. ‘Saffy and Felix, Veronica – or should I say Vee? – and Laughlin, and now you and Adam.’
‘It’s not the water. It’s the journals.’
‘Veronica didn’t do one. She did some recipe books instead.’
‘I know, but Laughlin did and he told me that one of the emotions he wanted to feel this year was love. It’ll be you and Will next.’
I’d brought Milly up to speed with the Will situation when she’d taken over from me for an afternoon shift one day.
‘I wish!’ I said. And I really did wish it, every day, but I’d told him I’d respect his need for space. Much as I wanted to send him a friendly checking-in message I also didn’t want to do anything to jeopardise things.
‘I’ve finished the final memory bear so I’ll be ringing Fen tomorrow to arrange for them to be collected. With any luck, she’ll send her brother.’
‘Did you find out why she calls him James?’
‘No. He called himself Will when he texted me. If I do see him again, I’ll ask.’
‘Youwillsee him. I’m convinced of it. You wished for it in your journal and the journals are delivering.’
I smiled at her. I felt as though I’d had a slight bump in the road with Will’s reaction to seeing me again not being quite as enthusiastic as I’d hoped but hearing her news about dating Adam and hearing that Laughlin had completed a journal, my faith was fully restored. I was still going to get everything I wished for – just perhaps not as quickly or as smoothly as I might have hoped.
43
Even though the Monday was May Day Bank Holiday, we’d decided to open Created With Love because a warm, sunny weekend was expected, bringing lots of visitors to the area. We’d stayed open on Good Friday and Easter Monday too and the trade had been worth it. I was covering the morning shift and Milly was relieving me for the afternoon, although she’d told me she wasn’t planning to go anywhere that morning and I should ring her if it got busy.
I awoke with butterflies in my stomach and I knew why – I was planning to ring Fen about her memory bears being ready for collection and hoping she’d send her brother for them.
After showering, I released Trevor from his cage and brought him into the bedroom, placing his towel and mirror on the top of a chest of drawers beside the two photographs of Cliff. Trevor strutted up and down, stopping every so often to admire his reflection and witter to himself.
