Ava tilted her head back attempting to see from under the sombrero Pauline had insisted she should wear. ‘I knew after Gino’s beret on the French night that these evenings would turn into something vaguely stereotypical. I’ve tried to keep it stylish by offering fashions inspired by the country in the charity shop, but this is what we have come to.’ Ava shook her head at Mary’s poncho and maracas.
‘But look around the room, everyone seems happy. Well, it’s hard to tell with that table.’
Both Ava and Mary looked at the table of six, dressed in homage to the Day of the Dead.
‘But everybody else looks happy. And the food is, without doubt, a triumph.’ Mary took a bite of her cauliflower taco with chipotle romesco. ‘Gino has really gone all out on the vegan menu. He’s amazing.’
Ava looked at her, a wry smile on her face, before mimicking Mary’s enthusiastic tone. ‘Amazing.’
‘An amazing landlord, that’s all I meant. He’s an amazing landlord to think of every customer.’
Ava looked around the room. ‘Yes, I’m sure he was thinking of every customer.’ She took a mouthful of her ground beef taco and waited for Mary to survey the surrounding tables. ‘You realise you are the only vegan here, don’t you?’
‘You don’t have to be vegan to order a vegan dish.’
‘No, you don’t.’ Ava was getting frustrated with keeping Gino’s secret, especially as she felt sure Mary had feelings for him too. With her own love life in tatters, she really wanted to see her friends happy and wished she hadn’t promised not to tell Mary Gino had fallen for her. As she wondered how else she could open Mary’s eyes to the lovely man who was so clearly smitten with her, Ava spotted Flo coming in, wearing what Avawas sure had been a picnic blanket for sale at the charity shop, as a poncho. Flo waved and walked towards their table.
‘Right, the pups are fed. They’ve had a little nibble of your table leg—’
‘What?’
‘Just a few teeth marks, nothing like a bit of history on your furniture. I’ve still got notches on my—’
‘Oh God, do we want to hear this?’ Mary interjected.
‘On my door frame, from when my boys were growing up, silly. Now they’re both over six foot tall. Actually, my eldest has just broken up with his girlfriend. Shall I get him to stop by the shop and—’
Ava raised her hand. ‘No! Thank you.’
As Flo settled herself at the table, Mary leaned forward and spoke. ‘Flo, you know she’s in love with the son of her mum’s lesbian lover, but can’t now do anything about it since their love affair was instrumental in causing her father’s car accident and, as it turns out, her fear of blood.’
‘Mary!’ Ava was shocked. Despite the fact she’d already shared her parents’ past with Flo, after breaking down at the charity shop, Mary’s summary of the situation seemed indiscreet, especially in The Brown Dog. ‘I’d have thought you of all people would show my parents some respect.’
‘I do. Revelations of your mum’s secret love affair with Lady B have made her go up even higher in my estimation if that’s possible. She really was an amazing woman who followed her passions . . . in more ways than one. And, as for your dad, it’s sad, it really is, but you know I believe in fate. It was his time, Ava. If that hadn’t have caused his accident, then something else would.’
‘You don’t know that’s true.’
‘And you don’t know it’s not. But think, Ava. You were in the same accident and you’re here now.’
‘That’s enough, you two. Gossip gets around this place.’ Flo looked towards Pauline, serving at the bar.
Both Mary and Ava laughed. To be told by Flo to be more discreet felt like an oxymoron. But Ava was grateful to her for staying true to her word. Flo had kept Lily and Lady Bramlington’s secret as she promised she would.
‘And all of the parties involved deserve some respect. The past is in the past, the future’s not yet written, and the here and now is for the living.’ Flo imparted the words as if sharing great wisdom.
‘I’m sure I’ve read that as a meme.’ Mary pondered.
‘The past is history, tomorrow’s a mystery and today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.’ Ava smiled.
Flo shook her head. ‘No! Not where I was going with that. I just meant you can dwell on everything or you can move forward. You deserve to be happy and those pups won’t be around to distract you forever. They’re growing up fast. The blighters were running circles around me this afternoon and—’
‘Thank you so much for spending time with them. I really do appreciate it. While I was in the shop, I managed to make huge progress on planning for the summer festival. In fact, I wanted to run an idea past you both. I know we’re not a pet rescue, but what about having a dog show — with a prize in my mum’s honour. What do you think?’ Ava congratulated herself on the subtle subject change before Flo started talking about Henry.
‘That’s a lovely idea. I guess you’ll charge for entry.’ Mary smiled.
‘Yes, but I’ll keep it reasonable. It’s likely to be children who enter. While the festival itself will be good for the village, the money we raise ourselves will all be extra revenue for the charity. Goodness knows we need it with the move.’
‘And how’s that going?’ Flo directed her question to Mary. Since Ava found it too distressing to speak to Henry herself,she had placed Mary in charge of all matters relating to the relocation of Critters’ Lodge. While Mary had been reluctant at first, she welcomed the expansion opportunity as they took over the “fateful” stables as she liked to call them, and the dairy at Dapplebury House. Lady Bramlington had deemed it fitting that All Critters Great and Small’s rescue and rehabilitation centre should be on-site and that the unused stable block should be dedicated to Lily’s memory.
