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Chapter Sixteen
She spun around onthe spot,coming face to face with Joe.
‘Holly? What on earth has happened?’ Stepping forward, he gently wiped the tears from her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs before wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close.
‘I need to get away, away from all of this.’ She waved her arm around, encompassing the bay, the people, Christmas.
‘Okay, okay. I know just the spot.’ Turning, he placed his arm around her waist and led her away forms he busy promenade towards the hill. He didn’t speak, didn’t ask questions, he just let her be, let her be lost in her own thoughts as they walked quickly and quietly upwards, leaving the excited hubbub of joy behind them.
When they reached the pub, they walked through the small courtyard where people perched on the picnic tables and chatted over a drink despite the bitterness in the air. Joe led the way down the side of the pub, holding a gate open into a tiny garden separated from the pub garden at the back of the building by a row of mature evergreen hedge, a little piece of tranquillity. Sitting on the old metal bench beside a small pond, Joe held his arm open for her, inviting her to take a seat next to him.
Sinking onto the cold metal, Holly leaned forward, covering her eyes with the palms of her hands. ‘Sorry.’
‘You never have to apologise to me.’
She nodded. ‘I just...’ She shook her head. ‘Mrs Hatton called. I lost my job, and she’s keeping this month’s wages to cover the lost profit.’
‘The lost profit? Isn’t it only Mrs Potter who buys from her, anyway?’
‘Yep.’ She knew Mrs Hatton was taking advantage of her, but she didn’t have the will to fight that battle, nor the energy to even try to persuade her to be fair.
‘I’m sorry to hear that. I know you had assumed she would let you go, but it’s a completely different thing when it actually happens.’ He rubbed her back, his palm against her jumper moving in slow circular motions.
She shook her head. ‘It’s not that. Losing my job isn’t the reason I needed to get away. It was what she said.’
A deep furrow appeared between his eyebrows. ‘What was it then?’
‘It’s what she said.’ Her voice cracked. ‘She said just because I stopped celebrating Christmas, it didn’t mean the rest of the world has.’
Joe whistled under his breath.
She looked at the cracked slabs beneath her feet, a hardy tuft of grass clung between the cracks, determined to stay and thrive despite the odds. ‘I know that. I know life goes on, but it was the way she said it. It almost made me feel guilty for trying to enjoy this time of year again.’
‘Oh Holly.’ twisting on the bench, he faced her and took her hands in his. ‘You never have to feel guilty about wanting to celebrate Christmas. Your parents were the most Christmas mad people I’ve ever or am likely to meet. It’s only right that you learn to enjoy this time of year again. For their legacy, for you.’
She nodded. She knew he was right, so why had Mrs Hatton’s words hurt her so much? She leaned her forehead against his and closed her eyes. ‘Thank you.’
‘You’re the strongest person I know.’ Joe’s voice was soft in the cold air.
‘Huh, I don’t feel it. I don’t think a strong person would have started crying in the middle of a bakery full of kids colouring lanterns and then ran through the street.’ She sighed. She didn’t think anyone had seen her cry. Diane had called after her, though, so maybe they had seen. ‘I hope I didn’t scare any of them.’
‘You didn’t. I must have walked into the bakery to come and see you just after you’d left and Diane had been leaving to go after you, but everyone else was engrossed in what they were doing.’
‘Good.’ Holly opened her eyes. Diane had been coming to check she was okay? She didn’t think she’d ever had that in a colleague before, someone who actually cared enough about her to run after her and check on her. Of course, Mrs Hatton never would have not in a million years, but even her colleagues before her, at her old job, they had just been colleagues. Here, everyone was friends with each other. Elsie’s bakery family.
