AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘It’s the same speech every year,’ said Thea, stifling a smile. ‘She thinks she does all of the work and is the chief executive officer of the world. She loves the stress of it all. Positively thrives on it.’
‘Something smells good,’ said Edie, looking over at the counter.
‘It’s Naza’s festive brownies. She’s been trying out some new recipes.’
‘It’s hard to believe Christmas is just a few weeks away,’ said Edie. ‘Where has the time gone?’
Amelia smiled sympathetically at her.
Edie gasped. ‘I don’t even have my Christmas tree up yet. Normally I like to have it up before the fair.’ She seemed to be blinking back tears.
‘I can help you with that, Edie. In fact, I would love to if that’s okay?’
‘Thank you, dear.’ She patted Amelia on the hand.
‘Do you think she’ll notice if I go?’ Thea gestured to Doris, who was pacing around an area at the side of the café. ‘There’s obviously an issue. I think she’ll be a while.’
‘Poor Ed.’ Amelia could see the elderly man was a bit perturbed by the way Doris kept circling his table.
‘Go. Make a run for it,’ said Edie. ‘Escape while you can.’
Thea laughed, her pale skin flushed at the warmth inside the café. Waving over at Grant, she quickly darted between tables and chairs, avoiding Doris’s gaze.
‘How did she manage to get out of this?’ Fergus placed a mug in front of Edie and Amelia. He sat down opposite.
‘Because she’s a smart cookie. That’s why.’ Edie laughed and lifted the cup. ‘Thanks, dear.’
‘You’ve got yours to go?’ Amelia gave him a meaningful look. He winked at her and she couldn’t help but feel a pang ofsomething.Why was he so annoyingly charming and warm? What was the matter with her? She was acting like a love-struck teenager.
‘The quicker we can get this done, the quicker we can escape,’ said Edie.
Amelia’s mind drifted to the previous Christmas when she and Declan had decorated their tree. He’d brought a huge, real tree home with him, which he’d picked up on his way back from the pub. Snow had started falling and he and the tree had both been covered in a light dusting of it. He’d struggled to get it up the stairs and into the flat, and it had dominated their small living room. But how they’d laughed as they’d tried to straighten it, using books and magazines to balance the fact it had been extremely lopsided. He’d tipsily asked Alexa to play Christmas tunes and they’d draped it with tinsel and baubles. The fairy lights had been broken.
Usually Amelia loved Christmas and was super organised with the presents and wrapping because of her busy work schedule. Otherwise, Christmas tended to be a bit of a scramble. She had a spreadsheet, which detailed who she needed to buy for and what. Because her family weren’t exactly local, she’d spent the last couple of years with Declan’s family in Brighton. It was strange to think she didn’t need to worry about any of that this year, other than perhaps some small gifts for Edie, Thea and Fergus. She idly wondered if Suna would appreciate a bottle of the festive gin. She made a mental note to send it soon. She didn’t even know what Suna’s plans were and for that she felt bad. Suna normally visited her parents in Essex, but she still felt a twinge of sorrow about the way in which their friendship was drifting.
She hoped Edie was still happy to have her for Christmas lunch. She would check with her later and offer to help. That was the least she could do. Although who was to say Edie did a turkey meal? Everyone had their own traditions. She blinked back the tears as she was reminded that life was very different for her this year. Everything had changed in the blink of an eye. She took a deep breath and told herself to focus on enjoying this time. She looked around the café and saw many familiar faces she was very fond of, including Ed, who raised his hand and waved at her. She realised there were far worse places to be.
Chapter Forty-Four
On the morning of the fair, Amelia and Fergus had arranged to meet for another swim. This time she had suggested it. She had been awake all night worrying about another message from Declan. She’d felt a mix of panic and uncertainty when she’d listened to his voicemail.
‘Thinking of you. Can you call me?’
What did he want? Hearing his voice unsettled her hugely. Jack had again mentioned that he was holding out an olive branch to her. But she just wasn’t ready to go there yet. Not when she was starting to find herself again. They didn’t even live in the same city anymore. Yet she had a sense of dread that needled in her stomach. It was like those early days when he’d walked out, when everything had felt out of her control. She felt her eyes fill with tears, and when she looked out at the sea she knew that a dip would be the perfect tonic. She needed to do something to keep hold of the positive feelings she’d rediscovered. She wanted to stay in control and didn’t want to have that horrible sense of life spiralling downwards again.
She walked briskly down the path, noticing the dark green moss caking the pale slabs. She would do something about that when the weather got a bit warmer. As she sauntered along the shore, deep in thought, she smiled on noticing the light dusting of frost on the pebbles and seaweed. As she waited at the usual spot, she became transfixed by the low morning sun, which glowed faintly on the horizon. An icy breeze created gentle ripples in the water, yet she couldn’t wait to get in.
‘Sorry I’m late.’ He was panting as he ran over the grass and crunched over the layers of shingle.
‘That’s okay. It was my idea. I’m just glad you’re here, otherwise I may have bottled out of it.’ She gulped.
He looked at her with his head tilted to one side. ‘Hey . . . are you okay?’
‘Yes. Well, no, not really, but I’m hoping this will sort me out. I’m thinking of it as self-care.’ She sounded a bit dubious.
He looked concerned. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’
She shook her head. ‘No. I just want to get in the water.’
