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‘Is she okay? You’re scaring me now.’ Elsie squeezed Ian’s hands back.
‘Yes, she’s fine, love. They had to run to Trestow early this morning for some errand or other. Anyway, on the way home, they were involved in a car accident.’ Ian placed his hands on Elsie’s shoulders and looked into her eyes. ‘They’re fine, though. Brooke has fractured her arm and they have a few cuts and bruises, but they’re fine.’
‘Oh no. I knew it. I had a feeling something had happened.’ Elsie shook her head.
‘I’m going to go and collect them from the hospital, take them home. By the sounds of it, the car is a write-off, but it did its job and protected them.’
‘Yes, yes. It did.’ Elsie nodded quickly.
‘Hey, they’re okay. Both Brooke and Max are both fine.’ Ian gently wiped Elsie’s cheeks, drying her tears.
‘Why don’t you go with Ian, Elsie? Go and take them both home?’ Walking across to them, Diane hugged Elsie around the shoulders before doing the same to Ian. ‘We’ll be fine here.’
‘No, no. As Ian said, they’re both fine. I’ll pack them up a nice lunch basket and then pop it round when they’re home.’
‘Okay, if you’re sure?’
‘I am, love. Thank you, though.’ Elsie turned to Ian and patted him on the arm. ‘You get off, love. I’ll pack up some lunch and meet you at theirs when you’re back.’
Ian nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose before rubbing his eyes. ‘Who knew grandkids would be this much worry, hey?’
‘Oh, love. Brooke is okay.’ Elsie drew him in for a hug.
‘Right, that’s decided.’ Diane pulled Elsie and Ian’s coats from the hangers by the door to the flat. ‘You’re both going.’
‘No...’ Elsie began to speak.
‘I won’t hear no for an answer, Elsie. Ian needs your support and you need to see they’re both all right with your own eyes.’ Diane held out the coats. ‘Now go.’
Taking the coats, Ian laid his on the counter before holding Elsie’s out for her.
‘Thanks, love. Thank you, both of you. Ask Teresa to close the coffee and cake counter, will you please? She can bake whilst I’m out.’
‘Yep. We’ll cope. I don’t want to see either of you back here until at least this afternoon.’ Diane’s voice was stern as she saw them out. When she returned, she leaned against the counter and sighed.
‘Are you okay?’ Layla stepped forward.
‘Yes, just a bit worried about Brooke and Max. I know Ian said they’re both fine but, you know...’ She shrugged.
‘I understand. Hopefully, Elsie will let you know when she gets to them.’ Layla had met Brooke yesterday when she’d arrived and she’d been so welcoming and lovely to her. ‘I didn’t realise she was Elsie and Ian’s granddaughter.’
‘She’s Ian’s granddaughter and Elsie’s step-granddaughter. He didn’t realise she even existed until a year or so ago. It turned out that he’d had a daughter he’d known nothing anything about. Brooke’s mum had been adopted at birth.’
‘Oh wow. That’s amazing that they found each other then.’ Layla raised her eyebrows.
‘Yes, definitely. Brooke’s adopted gran had left a letter for her with strict instructions not to open it until she’d arrived in Penworth Bay.’ Diane smiled. ‘She came here to volunteer without realising who Ian was. He was over the moon when he found out.’
‘Aw, that’s lovely.’ Layla turned as the door to the bakery was pushed open and Wendy and Molly stepped inside.
Chapter Five
‘That’ll be fourteen pounds and eighty pence, please?’ Layla frowned and looked back at the till. ‘No, sorry, I mean four pounds and eighty pence.’
‘That sounds better!’ The man on the other side of the counter chuckled before counting out his change and picking up his bag of doughnuts.
‘Sorry.’ Layla grimaced. Why had she said fourteen instead of four? Probably because she was used to dealing with higher prices on the cruise ship. Now, if someone could have bought even one alcoholic drink for that price...
‘No worries. You’re new here, aren’t you? Pleased to meet you.’ The man lifted his flat cap and nodded.
