Page 48 of Matilda’s Summer of New Beginnings

‘Ugh.’ I shuddered. I’d been quite selfish, I realized. If the worst came to the worst, I always had the option of going back to my parents in Essex and working up there. I didn’t have a career as such. I was pretty free and easy as far as my life was concerned.

I knew deep down that I’d never make a living as a creative person in London, and actually, I knew by now that I didn’t want to anyway. It had been a lovely dream, but Julio’s gallery had thrown me. It just wasn’t me. To be honest, the idea of those quirky line and washes to patch up the Padcock Pathway information was as much as I wanted to do.

At some point, I knew I’d do my ladies of classic literature, but as a hobby to start with. For some fun. For a little bit of downtime and relaxation.

I was, I acknowledged, the sort of person who just needed a steady income and a job, and the jobs I could do, I could do anywhere. I mean, look at me this weekend. I’d done a shift in a pub at a moment’s notice, and I’d helped Polly sort out the tea room and get the confidence to do her job without Cerys’ safety net.

I was Tilds the trouble-shooter — that sounded good, didn’t it? It made me smile to myself anyway.

I had a lot of thinking to do, but the thing I needed to do right now, right this very moment, was to ring my best friend.

‘Polly, are you okay if I leave you now? I’ve got some bits and bobs I need to do before I help Jay again later.’

‘Oh — yes. Thank you for your help. I’m still not sure I want to open up on my own though . . .’ She looked around her, panic flickering on her face.

‘That’s fine. How about I come over tomorrow and we can open for a couple of hours in the morning? I’ll be with you, so you’ll have some back-up. We don’t need to stay open all day. I’m pretty sure Cerys would be happy with whatever you’re able to do — she won’t expect you to run the place single-handed.’ I looked around, seeing it from Polly’s point of view. There weren’t many tables, but it could be quite intimidating on her own those first few times.

‘I’d so appreciate that,’ said Polly, looking ever so thankful. ‘She said she was putting an advert out for someone to cover — but I guess she didn’t get around to that either. I certainly haven’t seen it. I’ve got uni, so Cerys knows I can’t do it all the time anyway.’

‘Why don’t you have a look on the computer?’ I suggested. ‘Maybe she had it prepared but just hasn’t done anything with it yet?’

Polly’s face lit up. ‘Yes. Good idea. I’ll do that.’ She nodded, decisively. ‘And — thank you. Again. You know — for this, and for the Stevie Nicks ideas.’

I smiled at her. ‘No worries. I’ll see you tomorrow at ten, say, and then we can open until two, and talk Stevie Nicks all you like.’

‘Fab. I’m going to have a look at some charity shops,’ she said, checking her watch. ‘I’ll nip into town after here and check. There’s a vintage shop I found on Google, so I’ll head there first. I might get my flares.’

Town. I smiled. To me, “town” was London. To Polly, I suspected it was somewhere more friendly — Winchester, say, or Chichester.

‘Great idea. Once you’ve got those, we can look at making you a top.’

‘Or I can buy one there, if they have any.’

‘You can. But I don’t mind running one up for you. Or upcycling one that’s not quite right.’

‘That’s awesome.’ She grinned at me, and I suddenly realized how young she actually was. Her smile definitely made her look younger again.

‘What are you studying?’ I asked her, curiously. ‘At uni.’

‘Oh’ She blushed a little. And I think I knew the answer before she’d even said it. ‘I start my Masters in Literature this year.’

‘Great choice,’ I said warmly. And, I added silently, that figured why she was attracted to Owen and his bookshop. Also, I bet she would far rather be working there than here. ‘Right — I’m off to call a friend. I’ll see you later maybe. I’ll be behind the Spatchcock bar if you want me tonight.’

And I left her there with a big smile on my face.

I wondered, briefly, if that made me look younger as well? It was a thought, anyway.

* * *

I felt like I needed to be a little way away from civilization to make my phone call. I remembered that Jay had taken me on a walk along the canal, and it had been really pretty down there, so I found my way back to the path we’d taken.

It was fairly easy to locate — the Padcock Pathway seemed to follow a circular trail that started from the centre of the village, just outside the tea room, in fact. I had stood there and got my bearings — turn right, go along the path, cut past Padcock Court, follow the signs to the canal.

Got it.

I set off, appreciating the fresh air and peaceful feel of a Saturday afternoon in Padcock. Very different to London. Our flat was beautiful, but the street was a main road, and apart from the gap opposite my bedroom, it was very built up.

From here, just as I headed towards the canal, I could see some gentle, rolling green hills in the distance. Oh how I wanted to be on the top of one of those hills, just sitting there quietly with my sketchbook and a picnic, perhaps a warm summer breeze blowing through my hair.