Evie knew all about that. Perhaps they had more in common than she thought, but she needed to find that out for herself.
Kate saw Evie’s frown and tried to reassure her friend. “Maybe she was just so fixated and curious about her wild Orcadian relatives, she wanted to get over here as fast as possible.
Evie tried to sound convinced. “You’re right. I suppose I just feel unsettled by it all. I hadn’t really ever thought about my grandfather. He was never talked about, although I knew granny Sheila wasn’t married when she had my mum. Liv told me when I was a teenager and said I should ask mum about it. As usual she was setting me up. When I did ask, I thought my mum was going to tear my head off. She was raging. It’s only now I can see how hurt she was by being abandoned by him.”
She sighed and thought, “I just think there’s more to her coming back here than she is letting on.”
Kate looked at her friend with deep affection, but she said briskly, “Stop furrowing your brow like that, if the wind changes you will end up looking like a Klingon.”
“Charming,” Evie said tartly.
“Look,” said Kate. “I’ve an idea. Why don’t you inviteeveryone over to ours to meet this Amelia tomorrow night? We’ve got more room than you have, and it will give us all a chance to have a look at her and take some of the strain off you. We can also lovebomb her and find out more about her. I’m amazed Freya hasn’t winkled out all of her secrets already.”
Evie smiled, “Believe me, she has tried her best. Are you sure you want to go to all that trouble?”
“Positive. Edwyn is on early shift at the hospital, and he can help me throw some food together and get in some drinks. We can ask the Selkies, Freya, obviously, Patsy and Delima and Jack and the babies. Any excuse to give that new wee fatso a cuddle.”
Kate grinned. She was hugely fond of baby Hari but having had two girls she was taken aback when he peed on her hair in a perfect arc while she changed his nappy. She was both simultaneously impressed and appalled. She added, “And Andrzej and Maureen, of course, if she’s feeling up to it.”
“Sophia is back tomorrow too,” said Evie. “I forgot to tell you. She might be busy with a ton of make-up sex with Finn, but we can but ask.”
Kate grinned: “Aye, she will have more than her hands full with that one.”
Evie rolled her eyes. “Anyway, you’re right, it would get it all out of the way at once and then I think Amelia will want to go to Hrossey and meet the cousins, and Jack and Delima have invited her to the sanctuary.”
Kate replied “That’s all up to her, Evie. You don’t need to chaperone her around the islands. She’s a grown woman.”
“I know but I feel I need to make those introductions. Freya said she will come with me.”
“Good, but you need to stop fretting, Evie. The only thing you should be worrying about right now is whether we share a slice of cake or have a whole one each.”
“Share!” squeaked Evie, instantly diverted. “Are you mad. I’m having a massive slice of that chocolate cake and you aren’t getting a crumb.” They both laughed and placed their order.
In the car on the way home, Kate said to Evie, “Oh God – we completely forgot to talk about Freya’s surprise party and come up with some ideas that will actually surprise her. Any suggestions?”
Evie groaned. “That was supposed to be the whole point of today, wasn’t it? But we got sidetracked with Amelia.”
“Well, whatever we come up with,” said Kate, “we all know that Freya will have an outfit for any theme no matter how outlandish. Her wardrobe looks like theStrictlycostume department.”
Evie laughed, “I actually think she’d make that lot look dowdy.”
Kate nodded in agreement, “You know she would be happy just with everyone she loves gathered together with some banging music and good whisky.”
“She would,” said Evie. “But I want this party to be really special. I missed a lot of chances to celebrate with Freya, and this one is a landmark.”
The unsaid hung in the air between them.
Their precious Freya was turning eighty which these days wasn’t exactly ancient, but there was a sense of time passing too quickly and wanting to grab every precious moment. Evie didn’t want to think about what life would be like without Freya there. She was a constant, like the sun coming up every morning.
Evie vowed she was going to give Freya the best birthday ever to show her just how much she meant to all of them. And she made another promise to herself to find out more about her American visitor. Surely Amelia should be welcoming the chance to open up about her own past too. If not, then what secrets could she be hiding?
Chapter Seventeen
Orkney
Liv was taking a quick fag break from work outside the pub. She sat enjoying the sunshine and puffing furiously on her cigarette. She’d thought about quitting altogether, but instead had cut down drastically. She couldn’t be expected to give up all her bad habits.
She tossed the fag end away and made her way back to the empty pub. Trade was slow in the afternoon, just a few tourists and a couple of regulars. Liv busied herself wiping down the gantry and the sticky counter.
