‘I told her not to open for so long. She could’ve closed for a long lunch, taken him for a stroll.’
‘I don’t think she felt right doing that. Everyone is pleased to see the shop open again, you know. She’s got a steady flow of customers.’
Bonnie smiled tightly. ‘She said. She’s rung me twice already today fretting…’
‘About what?’ Faye asked when Bonnie stopped talking.
‘Doesn’t matter.’ She distracted herself with Midas. ‘So where did you take him?’
Faye wondered whether she’d been about to mention selling the bookshop to the developer, and that was what Iris had been fretting about, but she didn’t know Bonnie all that well so it was a balance between being there for her without interfering.
‘I haven’t taken him anywhere apart from here yet,’ she told Bonnie, ‘but I thought I’d take him down to the cove, along the coastal path a bit, then loop back up the hill.’
‘Well, that sounds lovely.’ Her eyes were for the dog and the dog only. ‘You’ll enjoy that won’t you, Midas.’
‘We thought you might like to come?’
‘I think I’ll give it a miss this time, but you two enjoy yourselves.’
‘That’s a shame,’ said Faye. But she’d planned for this. ‘Would you mind if I nip in and use your toilet quickly.’
‘Of course I don’t mind.’ And when Faye headed for the bathroom she heard Bonnie tell Midas, ‘You can stay right here with me for a bit, can’t you.’
In the bathroom Faye texted Iris who was in on the plan and sure enough after she flushed the toilet and used the sink her phone rang about a minute after she got back to talking to Bonnie in the hallway.
‘I’m coming straight away,’ Faye said urgently, her acting skills not too great but hopefully enough. She told Bonnie, ‘Iris has caught someone trying to take my bike.’
‘Oh, dear Lord. You don’t think it’s that man again, do you?’
‘What? Er… no… it’s a young lad apparently.’ She hadn’t banked on Bonnie asking her any questions, especially not about her previous unpleasant encounter.
Thankfully, she didn’t ask any more. She ushered her out of the front door saying, ‘You go! Scare them off. But be careful!’
Faye ran from the cottage. She had to make it look real and when she was out of sight further down the hill, just in case Bonnie was looking out of her window, she slowed to a walk. She’d hang around down in the high street for a bit, give Bonnie and Midas some time together. Iris had approved of the idea when Faye shared it and they hadn’t been able to ask Theo whether it was okay because he was at work. ‘As long as Midas is safe and happy, he won’t mind,’ Iris had told Faye.
Faye wanted to give Bonnie and Midas some decent time alone. Her reading on therapy dogs had suggested that a dog might have a calming presence, increase feel-good hormones with companionship and at the same time reduce stress and anxiety. Bonnie was grieving too and Faye had everything crossed that Midas’s unconditional love might be just what she needed to help her with that as well. She got the feeling that Howard would’ve approved of this part of the plan.
She headed for the bakery to pick up some afternoon tea for her and Bonnie. She opted for Eccles cakes and if Bonnie still wouldn’t go for a walk they’d have some time together, with Midas too, and then Faye would leave her to it. But she would try again and again until this worked. Howard would hate to think of his wife hiding away from the world.
Outside the bakery she gave Bonnie a quick call – Iris had given her her phone number. She told her that everything was fine, the kid trying to take her bike had run off, but she was just going to see if Iris needed a hand in the shop. Bonnie replied telling her to take her time, that her and Midas were fine.
Faye smiled. She’d known they would be.
She was just turning from the side street to go back up the hill when she saw Theo come out of the bookshop. She crossed over.
‘You kidnapped my dog?’ he asked.
She grinned. ‘Kind of. It’s a long story.’
He spotted the bump on her head. ‘And that? Is that a long story too?’
‘I’m afraid so.’ She grimaced. She really didn’t want to explain that one.
‘Mum filled me in on your plan with Midas.’
‘You’re fine with Midas being a part of it?’
‘Of course. He enjoys being with people and when he’s not needed at the bookshop it’s better he has company. That’s why I showed up. It’s my lunch hour and for once I can escape – not always the case as a teacher.’
