‘Very true. Hang on a second Sis.’ Francis went silent for a moment and Georgina could hear her sister talking to her niece. ‘Sorry. Just had to give Francesca her breakfast.’
‘Is she okay?’
‘Yes, she’s sitting cross-legged on the floor with a doll either side of her now, feeding them as well as herself.’ Georgina smiled as she pictured her niece in her mind’s eye. ‘When do you start working at the garage?’ asked Francis.
‘No idea. I have to call Matt this morning. Do you know anything about him or his family Sis?’
‘I’ve heard the name of the garage mentioned before, but I never knew where it was located. It sounds like it’s a family-run business, but I don’t know anything about the family. Maybe ask dad...or Christine. She is an oracle of knowledge. Everyone tells her everything while getting their hair styled in her salon.’
Georgina nodded absentmindedly. ‘Ah, good thinking. I’ll call in the salon when I do my first round of door knocking in the bay, seeking volunteers for the sunset picnics event.’
‘Oh Sis. I still can’t believe you volunteered to do that. It’s lovely that you are doing something mum once did, but it’s so uncharacteristic of you.’
Georgina was quite offended by the last part of Francis’s statement, and she couldn’t hide it in her voice. ‘What are you trying to imply?’
‘I didn’t mean it like that Sis. I know you’d do anything for any of us at the drop of a hat, but I’ve never known you to offer any of your free time to anyone elsewillingly. I mean, even thissituation with the car and answering the phones, I doubt you would have taken up the offer of the deal if Matt hadn’t looked the way he does.’
Georgina felt a stab of hurt by Francis’s comment. ‘Then I guess you don’t know me as well as you think you do...I have to go...I have my community work to perform. I’ll speak to you later.’
‘Georgina, I hope I—’
Georgina cut her sister off and ended the call before she said something to her she might regret. She could count on one hand the number of serious bust-ups Francis and she had had over the years, and she wasn’t about to add digits to her other hand.
Sitting up in bed she rubbed at the deep rut that had formed between her brows within the last minute, while she thought about Francis’s stinging comment.
Was she selfish? She’d always considered herself to be selfless.
Swinging her legs out of bed she got to her feet with a determined jut of her chin. She would show everyone. She would make this year’s annual sunset picnics event the best it had ever been.
Less than an hour later, Georgina was knocking on the first few doors of the residents in her street. By the time she’d gotten to the end of it, she’d got one definite sign up and one possibility. Georgina stared at her list and sighed. It was going to harder than she thought. Already feeling despondent, she decided to head to Christine’s salon to pick her brains about Matt and his family, and hopefully her father Tom would be there having a tea-break in between jobs so she could ask him as well.
The tinkle of the bell above the salon door announced Georgina’s arrival. Christine was sweeping up hair from her last client. She looked up and greeted Georgina with a toothy smile.
‘Good morning, love.’ Her brow furrowed slightly, and her smile faltered. ‘Did I forget to write your appointment in the diary?’
Georgina shook her head. ‘No-no Christine. This is just a social call.’
The furrow lines ironed out and Christine’s smile grew. ‘Ah. That’s a relief because I have Mrs Calloway booked in next for a perm next.’ Christine swept the hair to the side and propped her sweeping brush against the wall. ‘I’ll put the kettle on, shall I?’
Georgina placed her clipboard and pencil down on the low table in front of the seating area and shook her head. ‘No, you carry on with what you are doing. I’ll make the tea. White with two sugars for you isn’t it, Christine?’
‘Oh bless you,’ Christine nodded, ‘and very milky as well please. I have fifteen minutes to enjoy it before Mrs Calloway gets here.’ Christine continued sweeping and Georgina made her way to the back of the shop to the new small storeroom-come-tearoom that her father had helped fit out and plumb in just a few months previous.
Marcus who rented the back room for his dog-grooming business was already inside with an air of haste about him as he hastily pulled out a mug from the overhanging cupboard. He looked back over his shoulder and smiled, but Georgina could sense he was flustered.
‘Oh, hello Georgina love.’
‘Morning Marcus. In a rush are you?’
He sighed and spluttered a laugh. ‘That obvious, is it? I’m so busy lately. My business is getting busier and busier. I don’t have a minute to spare lately and I’m gagging for a cuppa, butI daren’t leave Maisey the corgi for too long otherwise she’ll get distressed.’
Georgina beckoned him to come away from the tea station so she could approach it. ‘Get yourself back to Maisey. I’ll make your tea and bring it in for you Marcus. How do you take it?’
‘Oh would you? You are a gem. Milk but no sugar. Thanks, Georgina.’
Marcus smiled brightly as he rushed out of the small storeroom. Georgina grinned to herself as she got two more mugs out of the cupboard. When all three teas were made, Georgina took Marcus’s tea into him first.
Georgina had seen the dog grooming room when her father had finished work on it before Marcus had rented it from Christine, but she had never seen it with Marcus’s finishing touches and with it up and working. When she entered the room and saw the corgi named Maisey being lathered up in a doggy stainless-steel bath, Georgina gasped and cooed in awed surprise.
