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Poppy looked across at Mack as a man, presumably the boy’s dad, rounded the corner pushing a buggy in pursuit of the boy.
‘Sorry, sorry.’ The man looked at them quickly before raising his voice. ‘Slow down, Finley. I can’t keep up – not with your baby brother. And your tinsel…’
The young boy squeezed on his brakes as he came to the road, the trailer tipping at the sudden change in speed.
They watched as a mound of Christmas decorations fell from the small trailer, baubles unwrapping themselves from the numerous lengths of tinsel and rolling across the path.
The man expertly weaved the pushchair this way and that avoiding the baubles until he slowed to a stop next to his son’s bike.
Bending down, Poppy and Mack began picking up the strewn decorations as the young boy jumped from his bike and ran towards them, his small arms outstretched.
‘Here you go, buddy.’ Mack placed the decorations in his arms.
‘What do you say, Finley?’ the man called towards his son.
‘Thank you.’
‘You’re very welcome.’ Mack grinned as the boy ran back towards his bike before retrieving the remaining decorations from Poppy.
‘Thank you.’ The man held his hand up in thanks before they set off on their way again. The tinsel, this time, tucked neatly into the trailer.
Mack chuckled and nodded towards the young boy. ‘That’s just what Spencer was like at that age. Always full of energy and in a rush.’
Stepping towards him again, Poppy tucked her hair behind her ear and laughed.
* * *
‘They’re so beautiful and I love the smell, too.’ Holding the bunch of yellow and red tulips to her nose, Poppy breathed in the floral scent of the flowers. ‘It always reminds me of honey.’
‘Really?’ Leaning over, Mack took a deep breath. ‘Oh yes. I’ve never realised that before, but they do.’
Poppy grinned. Now she had all of the ingredients she was all set to make Flora’s favourite dinner and, being as Flora was on the late shift today, she’d have more than enough time to get back to the cottage from Trestow and bake the moussaka.
‘Whereabouts are you parked? I’ll walk you to the car.’
‘Oh, don’t worry, thanks. I took the bus into town today.’ Poppy nodded down the road. ‘The stop’s only just down there.’
‘When’s the next bus?’
‘Umm…’ Holding the bunch of tulips out, she shook her coat sleeve up and looked at her watch. ‘Only twenty minutes or so.’
‘Do you want a lift? I’m happy to drop you off?’
‘No, don’t worry. Thanks though.’
Mack nodded. ‘Right, well, good to run into you again.’
‘Yes, you too. We seem to make quite a habit of it, don’t we?’
‘That we do.’ He smiled. ‘See you later.’
And with that, he raised his hand before turning away.
Poppy watched him disappear around the corner before heading towards the bus stop. She enjoyed their run-ins, random or not. And that hug…
Poppy paused as the sky opened and large fat raindrops fell, which quickly turned to a torrential waterfall. Within a couple of minutes, the path had become covered in water and she had to run towards a shop doorway to take shelter.
She sighed. Was there much point? She was soaking already and there was quite a while before the bus came. She looked down at the tulips in her hand. With the rain pounding against the delicate petals, they wouldn’t last long.
