Page 29 of Coming Home to Inishbeg Cove

Chapter 19

Penny

The day of the Inishbeg Cove Summer Festival had finally arrived, and Ruairí and I were in the kitchen baking up a storm. Our stand was going to sell teas, coffees and sweet treats, and we had been working long hours that week to get everything ready.

I rose early that morning, leaving Lucy to snooze for longer. I dressed, then hurried the short distance from the cottage to the café in the cool morning air. I was relieved to see that the sun was out, and it looked like it was going to be a glorious day. I couldn’t remember ever having bad weather at the festival; maybe I was looking back through rose-tinted glasses, but the sun always seemed to shine on festival day.

When I went through the café door, the air was scented with sweet summer berries and zesty lemon. I followed the aroma and found Ruairí in the kitchen in a cloud of icing sugar. An oven was beeping, and several trays of scones were sitting on the counter, waiting to be loaded.

‘Penny! Thank goodness you’re here,’ he said, relief flooding his face. ‘That oven is about to incinerate those scones and I’ve three hundred cupcakes that need to be iced.’

‘I’m on it!’ I said, hurrying over and silencing the beeping. I took the trays of golden scones out of the oven before loading it up with the next batch. Then, while the scones were cooling, I picked up the icing bag and began to decorate the cupcakes. The festival wasn’t due to start until three o’clock, but we had a lot to do before then.

∞∞∞

We had just finished setting up our displays of cupcakes and putting the finishing touches to the stand when we were descended upon by festival goers. Ruairí and I barely had time to breathe as we served customer after customer.

When we finally had a lull and I had a chance to look up, I saw villagers sitting around the sand on deckchairs and rugs, eating picnics, while Mr Galvin led children up and down the beach on a dun-coloured pony. A child who had won a teddy in the hoopla was holding it above his head like a trophy. Sarah had a steady stream of kids waiting patiently for face painting, and Greg’s ice-cream stall had a never-ending queue too. I spotted Lucy in the distance, chasing a group of similar-aged children through the dunes. It was lovely to watch her having so much fun. It reminded me of my own childhood and all the fun I had had on festival day as I tore around the beach making new friends.

As dusk began to fall over the cove, the stallholders started to pack up while the villagers waited for the firework display to begin.

‘Aw, don’t tell me all the cupcakes have been sold,’ said a familiar voice just as I was boxing up whatever we had left.

I looked up to see Tadgh standing before me.

‘I do have a unicorn one left,’ I offered.

‘It’ll have to do, I suppose.’ He pouted playfully as I used tongs to place the cake in a paper bag for him.

‘That was a great day,’ I said, looking around at the crowded beach.

‘You can’t beat festival day in Inishbeg Cove,’ Tadgh said, following my gaze. ‘It’s the best day of the year.’

He gave Ruairí a hand dismantling the stand, while I made trips between the beach and the café to bring back all of our equipment. On one of my many trips back, I saw Mam and Dad further up the cove with Lucy sandwiched between them, making their way towards us. They were walking along, each holding one of Lucy’s hands, and every now and then they swung her between them. It was heart-warming to watch them. This was by far the longest period of time Lucy had spent in Inishbeg Cove – my visits home with her were usually fleeting weekend affairs, but since we had come here nearly three months ago, my parents and Lucy had developed a special bond. They adored spending time with her – so much so that I was dreading telling her we’d have to leave. I had noticed that recently they had stopped asking me when I was going home. I didn’t know if it was because they didn’t want to pry, or because they were afraid of what my answer would be.

‘Mama!’ Lucy cried, letting go of her grandparents’ hands and running over to me. I scooped my daughter into my arms and sat her on my hip. I wiped a smudge of chocolate ice cream from her nose before leaning in to kiss it.

‘Did you have fun today?’

She nodded then yawned, her mouth stretching in a perfect circle.

‘Somebody’s tired.’ Tadgh nodded at her as he handed a pole to Ruairí.

‘Me not tired,’ Lucy replied defiantly.

‘That’s me told!’ Tadgh laughed.

‘I don’t think she’ll last until the fireworks. I should probably take her home,’ I said.

‘I’ll take her,’ Mam offered. ‘Why don’t you stay on? You’ve worked hard today.’

‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’ It had been a great day and I didn’t want it to end just yet.

‘Sure, she’s no trouble at all.’ Mam patted Lucy’s soft curls with the palm of her hand. ‘Anyway, I’d say she’ll be asleep before her head hits the pillow.’

I kissed Lucy goodbye and my parents took her home.

After we had brought all the equipment back to the café, Ruairí surprised Tadgh and me by producing a wicker picnic basket.