‘Nan does indeed.’ Freda busied herself at the sink, a surefire clue that she was hiding her emotions and trying to be brave; it tore at her heart.
‘I was coming to talk to you now. I forgot that my cousin was the human equivalent of theNorth Devon Gazette. So what do you think, Nan?’ she asked quietly.
‘I think it’s marvellous, little maid! I’m so very proud!’ Tawrie and Connie exchanged a long look as Freda dabbed at her eyes with her pinny.
‘We all are, Taw, and I’m not at all bitter about the fact that you’ll be off figuring out how to deliver all them babies you harp on about, while I’m stuck with Gaynor and Jan, farting around! But it’s the right thing, love.’
‘I’m always going to be there for you, Con, and you, Nan.’ She meant it; the prospect of starting her new career, however, filled her with excitement. With forms filled out and a place on offer, it felt like her adventure was just beginning. ‘And I’m not thinking of going that far, only Exeter.’
‘I know that, you daft cow!’ Connie tutted. ‘Mind you, with only one half-decent road, you might as well be in the wilds of Scotland – there ain’t no quick in and out of Ilfracombe.’
‘True that.’ Freda smiled at her weakly, recognising that even if she were only in Exeter – an hour and a half away on a good day – it was very different from having her here at Signal House.
‘How’s it all going? Anything I need to do?’ She realised time was marching on and there were only a few hours until the celebration at Rapparee Cove.
‘Nope. Needle and I have built the fire. He’s gone off to get the beer. Bar table is all set up, flaming torches are positioned and I’ve dumped enough cushions and blankets down on the sand that Rapparee looks like an open-air Ikea!’
‘Sounds perfect.’ She felt the first flicker of joy at the prospect of the party.
‘It’s gonna be a cracker!’ Her nan, it seemed, was similarly looking forward to it.
‘Is Mum upstairs?’ She pointed overhead. ‘I need to talk to her. I need to talk to her urgently.’
‘About going away?’ Freda asked.
‘Yes, but something else too. She ... she loved my dad, didn’t she?’
‘She really did, love.’ Freda looked out of the window, a little overwhelmed. ‘She went out about an hour ago. Try the King Billy maybe?’
‘Thanks.’
She had just turned to leave when Connie called out, ‘Well, don’t keep us guessing, how did it go with the wanker-named blow-in?’
As she tried to think of what to say and how to say it, her face broke into a smile that spoke more than any words. Harriet’s biased assessment and their meeting in front of Verity earlier had filled her with something very close to peace. Whatever happened, whether Ed and she shared a future or whether she was able to wave at him in the summer when she was home from college, she knew that either way, it was going to be okay.
‘Oh, bloody hell!’ Connie slammed her mug on the table in utter disgust. ‘I can’t deal with that smug, happy face all day; it’s enough to make me puke! I’ve told you before, think miserable thoughts and start frowning a bit.’
Tawrie could feel the love in her cousin’s ribbing.
‘Leave her alone, Con! It’s our birthday!’ Her nan shoved a couple of marshmallows into her mouth and danced around the kitchen.
‘It is that. Happy birthday, my lovely.’ Connie winked.
‘I’m going to find Mum.’
‘Are you going to be all right?’ She saw the concern in Freda’s face, which was comical despite her tone as her voice was muffled by marshmallow.
‘I am, Nan. I really think I am.’
She took a second to capture the image in her mind: this cosy Gunn collective in the chaotic kitchen, knowing that when sheheaded off to pastures new, it’d be gatherings like this she would miss the most.
‘Looking forward to tonight?’ Uncle Sten shouted from the open window of his truck as it crawled past her on Fore Street.
‘Yep! Have you got your dancing shoes on, Uncle Sten?’
‘Dancing shoes? I don’t need no dancing! It’s all about the four Ps Taw! The four Ps!’ He chuckled and drove on towards the quay.
The King Billy was quiet; Needle was behind the bar.
