‘You’re on!’ The two spent the rest of the journey singing incredibly loudly and looking at each other, possibly far more than was safe whilst driving and not without the entire Choudhury clan noting.
Chapter Thirty
The journey had been a long one, through some very twisty lanes which caused an awful lot of shrieking, eye covering and murmured prayer from the back. They had reached Penzance via Marazion so the Choudhurys could admire the beauty of St Michael’s Mount, its rugged castle perched atop its mount and set on an island out on the bay. Anuja thought she might buy it once she had made her fortune.
They had then headed down through Newlyn where Pippa’s suggestion to explore the fish market was met with a resounding ‘No!’ and through to Mousehole where Hema couldn’t help but point out that the streets were clearly designed only for mice as the village name suggested, no normal car could fit through such tiny streets safely and perhaps they should all turn around rather than try.
Then had come an awful lot of narrow, winding lanes, but as they drove the hedgerows were so full of life, bursting over the road in a riot of late spring colours, pale pink and blues, whites and yellows, all delighting Mrs Choudhury, who kept ‘ooh’ing and ‘ahh’ing as every corner brought a glimpse of sea and a smudge of flowers against the windows.
‘Okay, official first stop and we’re here.’ Pippa lent over and turned the radio down as Kam pulled into a car park, one of sand and grass.
‘Does stopping mean we don’t have to listen to you two squawking like demented parrots any more?’ asked Ben in response, brushing crumbs from his trousers and smiling at Mrs Choudhury.
‘It means you have a break. But we’ll be back to it as soon as we get in the car,’ Kam smiled, used to his friend’s teasing and clearly relaxed, surrounded by all those he loved.
‘Well then, I vote for a long walk. Anyone?’
Nisha laughed and punched Ben on the arm.
‘That’s my brother you’re teasing. Mum used to try and convince us that his singing was quite beautiful.’
‘Pah, you’ve always been too smart to be fooled by that! But my point is he’syourbrother. That’s why anything I say will bounce off him like a ball does a wall. He’s been tortured by you for so long, I’ve gotta make it harsh to have any hope of an impact.’
‘What are we doing here then, Pippa?’ Mrs Choudhury spoke up. She had been quiet since their arrival. If she had been Jan, Pippa would have been tempted to check her pulse.
‘Well, I tried to plan a day around your daughters’ interests, Mrs Choudhury.’
‘Geeta, please’
‘Geeta. So, we’re at the Minack theatre. It really is something special and I thought Anuja would be interested because of her career and because once she’s so rich and famous that she’s bought St Michaels Mount, this will be her local theatre.’ Anuja grinned and nodded her head in acknowledgement.
‘It’s going to happen, you know,’ she stated, just in case they didn’t have faith.
‘Oh, we know. You’re particularly skilled at drama,’ Kam winked and the others chortled a little.
‘For Hema, there was the possibility of the fish market, but even though you didn’t fancy that I thought we could go to Porthminster to eat. It’s one of the most popular restaurants in the county and they have just brought out a new recipe book. To give us a good appetite beforehand, I thought we could stop at an ancient village for Nisha, although I have plans to liven it up a bit for the rest of us.’
‘Does it have anything to do with the bag you brought?’ Kam asked. He didn’t miss a trick. Shades of his mother perhaps.
‘Yep, always prepared, me,’ Pippa grinned as she undid her seatbelt and opened the door.
‘Don’t I know it!’ Kam answered, a faux-victim tone to his voice, as if she had been torturing him for years. The teasing made her feel like she belonged, like she was family, and she felt the warmth of contentment traverse through her.
Within seconds, the two of them found themselves at the doors at the back of the car, and without thinking both opened the doors for the others, saying in tandem, ‘Out you jump then.’
‘Seriously?’ asked Ben
‘We’re not four!’ Nisha protested.
‘Hmm, sometimes you behave like it!’ Geeta was quick to jump in.
‘Sorry!’ Pippa and Kam said, laughing and again both in unison.
‘This is getting freaky,’ Pippa giggled, and Kam’s face lit up as he motioned to the others, still sat in the back of the people carrier with their eyebrows arched.
‘Shall I count them out and in, or would you prefer to? Now hurry up, we’ve got lots to pack in,’ Pippa put on her briskest voice as Kam continued to laugh, leaning against the car as he did so.
‘You’re incorrigible.’
