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I don’t know what it is, but here I feel I can let my London guard down. Everyone is so friendly and relaxed.
‘And you?’ she says as she spears a piece of pie with her fork. ‘You said you were visiting family?’
‘Uhm, well…’ What the heck. She seems like a really nice woman and I know I can’t stay incognito forever. ‘I’m actually going to meet my grandmother.’
‘And she lives here? Who is she?’
‘Her name is Mary Heatherton-Smythe. Do you know her?’
‘Oh, of course! Everyone knows her. So why is it that I’ve never seen you here before?’
‘Well, I’m actually meeting her for the first time. I only found out recently that I had a living relative.’
Her eyes light up. ‘Wow, that’s amazing. Good for you, and just in time for Christmas. No one should be alone at this time of year especially.’
I want to tell her I’m not alone. That I have a fiancé.
‘Actually, we’re not spending Christmas here. Which is a shame, now that I see how beautiful this area is.’
She stops chewing and looks at me solemnly.
‘Not here for Christmas? Oh, no! You’re going to miss it. Christmas is incredible here in Starry Cove. On Christmas Eve they send a boat out full of fishermen to find Santa. You wouldn’t believe the kiddies’ faces when they come back with him. My son, Danny, absolutely loves it.’
‘Aww, you have a son?’
‘Yes. He’s the love of my life,’ she gushes. ‘And of my parents. They moved down just to be with him.’
‘That’s so lovely,’ I say, feeling the sudden warmth that the idea of family brings me.
My parents would never have done anything similar for me. It’s such a shame that I can’t bring myself to see the MIL as part of my loving family, try as I might. But hopefully, sooner rather than later, once Stephen and I are married, she might accept me as a done deal and stop weaselling her way into our private stuff. But for now, all bets are off.
‘I’m assuming your family’s in London?’ she asks as she takes a sip of cocoa and I do the same before answering.
‘Uhm, no, they’ve passed…’
Her face crumples in a sincere gesture of sympathy. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, Emmie. I keep putting my foot in it.’
‘Oh, no, it’s OK,’ I hasten. ‘I’m getting married next year, so…’
She covers her cheeks with her hands and gasps as if we’ve been friends for years.
‘But that’s sooo exciting. Congratulations! We need more than this – hang on a minute!’
And she jumps up and disappears into the back room. Something tells me she truly is a sweetheart and that she’s in love with… love altogether.
‘Here!’ she cries, carrying two crystal flutes and a bottle of champagne. ‘When we opened the shop, Mitchell went out and bought crates and crates of the stuff, but we never got round to drinking it all. Can you believe what a travesty?’
‘Oh, Rosie, that’s so kind of you, but you don’t have to—’
Pop!goes the cap and she squeals in utter joy as she fills the two glasses, most of it landing on the table anyway. I laugh and try to mop some of it up. It appears I’m not the only one who can’t not spill booze.
‘Drink up, and congratulations to you and…’
‘Stephen,’ I say.
‘To Emmie and Stephen!’ she toasts, clinking glasses with me.
‘Thank you. And to you and Mitchell and Danny and Penny.’ How good am I at remembering names, eh?
