‘And those affairs being?’ queried Molly, leaning across the coffee table and picking up a box of old photographs.
‘Life.’
Molly raised an eyebrow.
‘This is my life.’ Dixie swooped her arm around the room. ‘These are my memories and I thought I’d have one last look through them all. I tell you something, Molly dear, I have had the best life, the best husband, the bestest of best friends and family … though obviously we won’t be including those who tried to swindle my cottage from me in the “best family” statement. The less said about those two, the better.’
Molly smiled sadly as she remembered a few years back when Dixie’s own daughter and grandson had forged medical papers declaring Dixie needed full-time care, claiming she was a danger to herself, then they tried to sell the cottage from underneath her. But thanks to Molly, their little plan had been busted.
‘And I can’t leave this lot to you.’
It dawned on Molly exactly what Dixie was up to. Immediately she swallowed a lump and tears sprang to her eyes.
‘Oh, Dixie.’
‘Now don’t you go all weepy on me. We all know there’s only one thing that is certain in life and that is death. It’s not morbid, it’s fact. I can’t have you lot sorting through all this when I’m gone and I’ve had so much joy looking back through all these.’ Dixie searched through an old suitcase of labelled film reels. ‘Here it is! Now, if this doesn’t bring a smile to your face, nothing will.’ She had a glint in her eye. ‘Shut those curtains to keep out the light.’ Dixie flapped her hand.
As soon as Molly shut the curtains, she sat back and watched as Dixie attached the reel to the black box then wound the film. She pulled down on the handle and there was a whirling sound followed by a burst of light. Molly stared at the wall.
‘Oh my, is that…’ Molly sat up straight in the chair. ‘He just looks like George.’ The old film reel played out and there was Cam, approximately age five, stomping around the orchard of Bumblebee Cottage in his bright red wellington boots. ‘Very cute,’ admitted Molly, smiling at the footage. She watched as his grandfather appeared pushing a wheelbarrow and Cam climbed inside on top of a pile of apples and his grandfather began pushing him through the orchard with Cam singing at the top of his voice.
‘Cam would spend all his school holidays here. I loved it,’ admitted Dixie. ‘Such fond memories, though he wasn’t too fond of the beehives!’ she said, smiling. ‘And that’s one of the reasons I have Gabe looking after the hives, instead of Cam.’ Dixie pointed to the box of reels. ‘There’s so many memories in there. My George filmed everything and there’s even tapes in there of The Old Bakehouse opening up. George took the film and Ted was so proud.’ Dixie’s voice faltered. ‘So many lovely memories.’
‘And there’s plenty more to make when this little one comes along.’ Molly patted her stomach. ‘We haven’t found out the sex of the baby – we thought we’d keep it a surprise – but I was going to ask Martha if she could see it in her crystal ball.’
Dixie was chuckling as she drank her honey tea. ‘She has got a fifty-fifty chance of getting it right.’
‘That’s exactly what Cam said. He doesn’t believe in any of it, whereas I see it as a little harmless fun and a night out with the girls.’
‘I do believe Martha has the gift. Tonight should be interesting. She’s got a bee in her bonnet about something so I’m not going to miss it for the world.’ Dixie raised an eyebrow.
The old film was still playing and Cam was now collecting eggs from a chicken coop. He was merrily stomping around and seemed so happy. ‘And look at his spindly legs,’ Molly said, pointing.
‘Always in short pants; it didn’t matter what the weather was,’ said Dixie, taking a chocolate biscuit off the plate on the coffee table. She was just about to bite into it when she stopped and looked over at Molly. ‘The girl in your shop, I got the feeling I’ve seen her before.’
‘That’s Bree, the girl I was telling you about from the shelter.’
‘She had a good aura about her but I have to say I felt a little spooked when I saw her standing behind that counter.’
‘Spooked? In what way?’
‘I got a feeling of déjà vu and I can’t shake it off. She seemed so familiar and I’ve tried to wrack my brains as to how our paths may have crossed before but I can’t quite put my finger on it. It’s probably impossible that we have as she’s so young,’
‘Sixteen and pounding the streets with nowhere to go.’
Molly explained the situation about the phone and Cam’s reaction.
‘Oh dear. For what it’s worth I can see both sides. You want to help someone who is vulnerable and no doubt thought, What if my own children were put in that position? – that’s the motherly instinct in us. Men don’t think like that. Cam works hard and he just wants to be surrounded by his own family in his own home. This girl has come from nowhere and maybe he feels uneasy about it all, even threatened.’
‘But that’s daft. She’s just a young girl.’
‘And where has she come from?’
‘All I know is that she lived on the outskirts of Glensheil and her mum passed away. It’s so sad.’ Molly brought her hand up to her chest. ‘I get emotional just thinking about it. Could you imagine being alone in the world at that age?’
Dixie was shaking her head. ‘It’s not a nice thought at all. But there’s definitely something about that girl. She’s been on and off my mind since meeting her this morning. So familiar.’
Molly could see that Dixie was still trying to place her, but with no luck.
