Page 57 of Tricks & Treats at The Cosy Cornish Bakery

They took the tea tray into the front room, where Ziggy was upside down being held like a baby in Dulcie’s arms, his long spaniel ears hanging down and his tongue lolling. Chloe thought her mother looked tired and suspected she hadn’t got much sleep in hospital. ‘Tea,’ she announced brightly. ‘Then maybe you should go upstairs, Mum. Have a shower and then a nap?’

She assumed Dulcie would argue but her mother nodded in assent. ‘I’ll have a cuppa first and a biccie.’

‘You can have the tea but no biscuits,’ Chloe replied firmly.

Dulcie regarded Ziggy gloomily. ‘At this rate I’ll be fighting you for a Bonio.’ The spaniel snorted and jumped down. ‘Gawd, now I’ve gone and done it. I mentioned the B word.’

Chloe laughed. ‘I’ll go and find him one. And I’ll unpack your bag. Do you need any washing putting in?’

‘I’ll do it later, child. Sit down. Take the weight off. Are Hannah and the kids coming over later?’

‘Tomorrow, I think. They said something about you getting settled in, catching up with yourself. Hannah said she’d drop round after picking up the children from school.’

‘That’ll be nice. Thoughtful of them to give me some time. Typical of our Hannah, though.’ Dulcie yawned. ‘I am tired, I confess. Didn’t get a speck of sleep on that ward. Then they wake you up at a sparrow’s fart to take your blood pressure and whatnot.’

Pinky shook his head, lugubriously. ‘I’ve always said you need to be as fit as a flea to survive hospital. The place never did my Zena no good. Nor your hubby.’

The conversation was in danger of getting maudlin, so Chloe butted in. ‘Drink your tea. I’ll help you upstairs and we can get you sorted.’

‘I’m not an invalid,’ Dulcie retorted. ‘I’ll manage.’

‘So, you don’t want me to stay tonight?’

‘No need, child.’

‘I’ve given Ziggy a good run on the beach,’ Pinky put in. ‘So you don’t need to worry about him today.’

‘And I’ve stocked you up with ready meals,’ Chloe added, ‘some ready to eat salads, a loaf of Pammy’s finest wholemeal and there’s a bowl of fruit to snack on.’

Dulcie looked down at Ziggy, who was still lingering hopefully for a Bonio. ‘This is what I’ve got to live like now, boy. Salads and fruit. Still, maybe when I’ve eaten my diet food, I can have some proper stuff?’

Chloe swallowed a sigh. Re-educating her mother into healthier eating habits wasn’t going to be easy. ‘You can have the occasional treat, Mum. You just won’t be able to mainline saturated fat like you used to.’

Dulcie glared at her. ‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’ She heaved herself out of the chair. ‘I’m going up now.’ When Chloe and Pinky stood to help, she put out a hand to stop them. ‘No, I’ll do it myself, thank you. I’ve been on my own for ten years. I don’t need any help. I’d like to be left alone to have a sleep.’

When she’d gone, Chloe collapsed onto the sofa, sipping her tea against the background blare of the Countdown clock. She clicked off the television irritably.

‘Pay no heed, maid,’ Pinky said. He came to sit beside her and patted her hand. ‘She’s just grumpy and out of sorts. Hospitals do that to you. My Zena used to be in a rare old mood when she came back from her chemo. Dulcie’ll be fine when she’s had a sleep. You going to stay anyway?’

Chloe nodded. ‘I’ll camp out on the sofa until she throws me out. And then at least I’m only up the road if she needs something.’

‘And I’m nearby too, lovie.’ Pinky patted her hand again. ‘We’ll sort her out between us.’

He must have spoken too loud as Dulcie’s voice thundered from upstairs. ‘I don’t need no sorting out!’

Having seen Pinky out, Chloe washed up the tea things and made a sandwich. Ziggy slunk into the kitchen to share her tuna mayo but, when Chloe climbed the steep stairs to see if her mother wanted anything, she found Dulcie fast asleep. She pulled the duvet over her and watched as Ziggy circled three times at the foot of the bed and then settle down with a sigh, guarding his mistress.

Chloe had hardly ever had to look after anyone and it was a strange and unnerving experience. Apart from a bout of man flu and Jasper’s suspected fractured ankle, they’d cruised through life with the complacency of the young and healthy, rarely having to consider the sick. Once she’d left home, she hadn’t even had the responsibility of a pet. She’d enjoyed the freedom to live her life unencumbered by anything. The last few days had given her a taste of what caring might be like. Driving to and from the hospital and sitting trying to make conversation with her fractious mother had been exhausting and thankless. Hannah hadn’t visited, claiming it might upset the children to see their granny so poorly and they were going trick or treating instead. Despite this, Dulcie continued to sing Hannah’s praises at every opportunity, saying it was a busy time of the year for visiting folk in hospital and pinned on a smile to hide her disappointment. For once, Chloe could see her sister’s point of view. What child would choose visiting an elderly relative in hospital over the promise of trick or treat chocolate. Moreover, she experienced a flash of sympathy for her sister. Two children and a job must mean a hell of a lot of juggling. It was easy to devote yourself to a career if you only had yourself to look after.

Trudging back downstairs, she made herself another mug of tea, ate the last piece of fruit cake her mother had secreted away and slumped on the sofa in front of the TV. The local news droned on about the new recycling regulations, followed by an arts feature about a play she’d seen in the West End at least three years ago. It all seemed stultifyingly provincial. Part of her longed to get back to London but the rational part told her it would be cruel to abandon Dulcie now. Her mother wouldn’t need any nursing as such, but she’d need a firm hand with the new eating regime. And she’d be stressed if she thought there was no one in charge of the bakery. ‘Suck it up, you daft goon,’ Chloe admonished herself. ‘It’s your life for the foreseeable.’ Sighing, she concentrated on the weather forecast and tried not to feel trapped.

CHAPTER 29

It was early. So early the November sun hadn’t yet risen above the cliffs behind them and the beach was in deep shade. The tide was out, leaving the flat expanse of sand stretching before Ginger and Josh as they strolled hand in hand.

‘I know this was my suggestion and it seemed like a good idea at the time, but it really is freezing!’ Ginger complained, shoving her hand deep into her coat pocket.

‘Shall we go back and I’ll warm you up?’ Josh’s eyes gleamed naughtily behind his Jim glasses. Pulling her to him, he kissed her thoroughly.