Little Francesca grabbed onto her auntie’s wrist with her other hand, her big eyes growing even larger as she looked up. ‘Don’t go away Auntie Gina.’
A furrow instantly formed on Georgina’s brow and she bent down to look at Francesca’s small face. ‘Hey. I’m going nowhere little chicken, It was just a joke.’
Francesca released her grip from Georgina’s hand and flung her arms around her auntie, hugging her tightly. Georgina hugged her back, her wide eyes going from her sister to her brother-in-law.
Francis nodded. ‘Yup, parenting is all fun and games sis. No two days are ever the same.’
Georgina stared at her sister, her eyes brimming with admiration as they continued on to the church. Her father may have lost the love of his life when their mother passed away—taking decades to find another love which would hopefully match the one he’d lost, but Georgina still hoped she would find her own forever partner sometime soon—someone as committed to her as both her sister’s husband and her father’s new partner were to them. Georgina was determined to getherforever-ever-after happiness—just like them.
Tom their father, was turning in his seat looking back at the door when they entered the church. He waved and beckoned them over to the pew Christine and he had commandeered.
‘Come on you lot. What time do you call this?’ Tom looked around the church as he dropped his voice. ‘I’ve had to hold off Mrs Calloway and four other people to keep spaces for you,’ he said before stretching his mouth into a grimace.
Georgina held back as her sister ushered Francesca forward. Francesca walked along the pew and flung her arms around her grampa’s neck. Georgina’s heart melted when her father kissed the tip of his granddaughter’s nose, just the way he used to do with Francis and her when they were the same age, all the way up until their teens, when they used to shirk him off from embarrassment.
Georgina’s stomach clenched slightly. Had their actions hurt his feelings? Until then, she’d never given it a second thought. She’d only seen Tom as dad until the last few years. Never realising he had feelings and needs like everyone else.
Georgina watched her father slide his arm around Christine’s shoulders. She was so glad he was being loved and looked after like he deserved. Christine and he were perfect for each other. Her gaze fell onto her sister and Dan, who had followed Francesca along the pew. They were the perfect couple too. If only she could find a partner who would give her just a small percentage of the happiness she saw shared between her loved ones. If she could, then she knew she’d be content.
Reverend Townsend came out of a side door and silence fell as he walked over to the pulpit. He chuckled as he lifted his head and admired his congregation with a wide smile. ‘I hope the silence that has just descended upon you is because you are all eager for today’s sermon, and not because you are feeling guilty that none of you have yet volunteered your talents for the upcoming annual sunset picnics charity event on the beach.’
A few chuckles could be heard, and they echoed around the church. Reverand Townsend continued. ‘Yes, as you are now aware, before I begin, I just wanted to refresh your memories about the latest upcoming community event. Because as per usual, I will be asking for a volunteer. We all know the traditions this community has embraced for years have fell very short the last few years. It would be a travesty if we were to lose them altogether.’ Georgina thought about how hard her mother had worked keeping the sunset picnics event going when they were young. ‘Little ones,’ the Reverend pointed towards Francesca, ‘wouldn’t get to experience the joy you all did at that age. For example, we haven’t had a Maypole dance in years.’
A deep voice piped up from the back who Georgina instantly recognised as belonging to Ned, a retired lifeboat rescuer. ‘That’s because the Maypole has seen better days, Reverend.’
Reverend Townsend’s bushy grey eyebrows rose up. ‘Is that so, Ned? Then may I suggest the proceeds from this year’s sunset picnics goes towards having a new one made.’
A unison of agreement sounded out, echoing around the church, and Georgina looked left to right to see a sea of nodding heads. Dan eaned into her, his voice low. ‘I hope your sister doesn’t try to volunteer me and my diabolical juggling skills again.’
Georgina’s hand flew to her mouth and nose to stop a snort-laugh escaping when an image of her brother-in-law's terrible talentless performance from last year came to mind. She failed miserably, and her snort reverberated from off the stone walls so much louder than the previous chuckles from everyone else had.
Reverand Townsend’s head turned in her direction, and his eagle eyes landed on her. She felt her cheeks instantly heat. His eyes remained on her as he spoke. ‘Right about now, I’m hoping someone with no commitments will volunteer their time to organise things.’
The weight of guilt weighed heavily on Georgina’s shoulders, and she felt herself rise from her seat, as if her legs had a mind of their own. She heard Francis gasp, but she was more surprised than anyone as her own lips parted, and words tumbled from her mouth.
‘I-I’d like to volunteer Reverend Townsend.’
Reverend Townsend clapped his hands together and his eyes glistened as his smile reached from ear-to-ear. ‘Wonderful.’ He addressed the congregation. ‘Georgina Shelley will be seeking you out to get your names on our list to volunteer your entertainment skills. Remember. If you have a skill or talent that will entertain the community at our annual sunset picnics,no matter how small, we want you to show it. Additionally, if you have any food, picnic blankets, baskets or whatnot you wish to donate for families who might not have anything to attend the event, Georgina is the girl to see, but I’m sure she’ll come knocking on your doors at some point in the next week or so.’
Georgina quickly sat down to shrink into a small ball and have a few inner harsh words with herself.
The door to the church banged open, and everyone turned in their seats to see who had arrived so late, entering without any decorum.
‘Erm, sorry about that...the er, door got away from me. I didn’t mean to intrude, but I’m behind schedule. I-I’ve come to collect the broken-down Ford.’ This time, Georgina didn’t recognise the voice, but she was shocked by the man’s audacity to barge into a church in the middle of a sermon.
Her brow pulled together, and she pursed her lips as she turned around to join everyone else in her curiosity to find out who had outdone her rudeness.
Her mouth dropped open, and her brow rose when she saw how handsome the interrupter was.
Chapter two
Georgina’s phone alarm buzzed jolting her from a deep sleep. Still groggy, she reached for the bedside table, and with only one eye open, she fumbled still half asleep for the snooze button. Three snoozes later, with the sun blazing through her sheer drapes, Georgina was unable to sleep through another snooze, so she reluctantly dragged herself from her bed and into the shower.
It was only when Georgina was washing the conditioner from her hair did she remember her pledge to Reverend Townsend. Sighing heavily, she realised she had just said goodbye to all her spare time for the next two weeks. Organising the local community and getting them to offer their skills as entertainers for the annual sunset picnics on the beach was no mean fete, but if her mom had done it, so, so could she.
Of course there would be the usual residents of Seagull Bay who couldn't wait to get their names on the list as part of the line-up of entertainers—the likes of Old Po from the hardware store who every year for as long as Georgina could remember, would play the spoons on his thigh. A skill that he used to do on two feet when she was a just little girl, but he now performed sitting down.
And then there was Mrs Klein, from Bell, Book and Table. She couldn’t wait to get her bagpipes out. Not that she was Scottish as far as Georgina knew, but she loved to accompany the song,Marlkin Tye, telling everyone her playing had improved somuch more since last year, but of course, it hadn’t, and was just as bad.
