Page 9 of Whispers from the Past

‘Natalie doesn’t know her Dad.’

‘I’m so sorry Holly, I shouldn’t have just asked like that - me and my big mouth! Has he been gone long? Did she have much time with him to form any memories of him? My Dad died when I was young so I don’t remember him at all. I’ve wondered over the years whether this makes it easier as I can’t miss what I don’t know. But then there’s that quote by Tennyson about it being better to have loved someone and lost them rather than not loving them at all. But I have loved…I love my Mum and I think I love my Dad and my Grandad because even though I didn’t meet them my Mum loved them so much that I kind of feel her love for them. If that makes any sense? I’m rambling aren’t I? I do that when I’m nervous. I’m going to stop talking now.’

‘Ok first, breathe Rose. And second, he’s not dead. Well I don’t think he is. God he might be? How awful is that, I don’t even know if he’s alive or dead.’

‘You haven’t told him about her?’ Rose didn’t seem to be able to stop herself from asking impertinent questions this morning.

‘I haven’t told him because I can’t.’ Holly gestured to a worn picnic bench and they both sat down. ‘I was on holiday in Budapest. I was being brave and had travelled there by myself. The alcohol was so cheap, Rose, and well one thing led to another and I had an amazing night with a lovely man. I want to say he was Scottish, but that could be my subconscious wishfully generating that bit of information. Anyway, we didn’t exchange numbers. He told me his name was Dean. We parted ways amicably the next morning and I flew home a few days later. I was swamped at the pub and didn’t really register that I missed my period. And the rest, as they say, is history.’

‘So you’ve just raised her all alone?’

‘Remember me saying that Luke has been pretty amazing in the big brother department? Well that extends to supporting me with Natalie. And lots of other people have helped me out - Eleanor and Susie are always happy to babysit for me.’

‘Well I am in awe, Holly. Running the pub and brewing the beers are impressive enough, but doing that whilst also single handedly bringing up Natalie…you’re like Wonder Woman.’

‘I am pretty nifty with a whip,’ Holly smirked.

‘Too much information, Holly, too much.’

As they made their way back to the book shop, Holly filled Rose in on life in the Bay. And the more she listened, the more she knew she was looking forward to starting to experience it all herself.

‘I’ve just had a great idea!’ Holly almost shouted as she stopped abruptly in front of Rose. ‘I wasn’t going to celebrate it this year, because I just haven’t had the energy lately. But to mark our new friendship…and my 33rd birthday’ she mumbled the latter part, ‘we need to go out for birthday drinks!’

‘Birthday drinks sound great. When is your birthday?’

‘28th March, so in just over two weeks,’ Holly beamed.

‘Ok, so where are we going? Your pub?’

Holly vigorously shook her head. ‘No no no. This calls for a proper night out. There is a great bar in Scarborough. Be ready for 8pm.’

Rose nodded her agreement and the two new friends carried on chatting as they made their way back to The Book Nook. So engrossed in her conversation with her friend, Rose walked straight into what looked like a floral curtain that stood in the middle of the shop floor.

‘Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you there,’ she flustered out an apology.

‘Rose!’

‘Susie! It is so good to see you.’ Rose smiled and pulled Susie in for a hug, and she lost herself in the comfort that came from being enveloped in her arms. She didn’t want to think too hard about the last time someone had hugged her like this.

‘Of course I came.’ Susie returned the hug with gusto and then gently pushed Rose to arms length. ‘Let me get a good look at you. Oh you’re looking so well. Sorry I didn’t come to see you when you first arrived but Agatha was vomiting everywhere. So much vomit, Rose, I couldn’t believe such a little thing could produce so much…vomit.’

Rose took the slight pause in Susie’s monologue to ask ‘Agatha?’

‘Oh yes, you don’t know.’ Susie set her large bag down on the small settee and rummaged around for her phone. ‘I’ve got a few snaps that I took yesterday. She is just adorable.’

‘Did Becca have a baby?’ Rose said as she wracked her brain to try and remember if she’d missed such a vital update about Susie’s daughter.

‘Becca? A baby? Goodness no. Ah, here she is.’

Proudly, Susie thrust her phone into Rose’s hand. Her brain was still trying to catch up to the conversation around her so she was still expecting to see a baby photo. Which was why she was rather surprised to find a ferret looking back at her through Susie’s phone.

‘A ferret? Your ferret was vomiting?’

‘Yes, poor Agatha. Thankfully Christie didn’t catch whatever bug afflicted Agatha,’ Susie let out a large sigh of relief.

‘You have two ferrets called Agatha and Christie? Agatha Christie?’

‘Perfect names, don’t you think?’ Susie cooed, and she took the phone back and began flicking through more photos of the two ferrets.