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‘Oh, I’m sure you won’t.’ Elsie chuckled. ‘But you’re welcome to help out behind the bakery counter if you’d prefer. We normally get very busy in the run-up to Christmas, so I know Diane and Brooke will be grateful for the help.’
‘Great.’ Holly grinned. It would be good if the bakery was busy. A stark contrast to the long drawn-out days of no customers back at the craft shop.
Elsie paused at the top of the stairs and looked back at her. ‘Oh, actually, I have a Christmas market over at Trestow tomorrow, if you’d like to help me out there? It’s in the community hall over there so it’s not as though we’ll be standing around in the cold.’
‘Yes, okay. That sounds fun.’ Yes, it would be. It wouldn’t be like the Christmases at home, where she spent the entire festive season trying to avoid anywhere and anything that reminded her of what she’d lost. Yes, this would all be new. It would be good.
‘Great. Okay, along here we have the living room, the kitchen, and your bedroom is just here.’ Elsie indicated to the other rooms before opening a door further along the hallway. ‘I’ll leave you to settle in and when you’re ready, come on through and we’ll get that key sent off.’
‘Great. Thank you.’ Holly nodded as Elsie walked back up the hallway towards the living room before she stepped through into what would be her room for the next few weeks. Switching on the light, she closed the door quietly and looked around. It was perfect. Minimalistic and calm. White walls were all adorned with framed positive quotes and one wall with pale cream and green wallpaper. Yes, it would be the perfect place to relax after a day working down in the bakery.
Bending down, Holly lifted her suitcase from where Ian had left it by the door and laid it on the bed. She unzipped it and opened it before taking out the photo frame she’d carefully wrapped in a jumper and unveiling it. Sitting down, she sank into the thick duvet and smiled at the photo in her hands. Her parents grinned back at her, each hugging the image of herself from the day they’d visited the ice rink at the garden centre. Their last trip together.
She closed her eyes, trying to block out the images flashing through her mind of that day, of the accident. She gripped the frame tighter; her knuckles turning white. She’d almost thrown the photo, but no, she was glad she hadn’t. She just needed to focus on how they’d felt when it had been taken. How she’d felt before her parents had been torn from her.
She often wondered what they’d think of her life now, working for the miserable Mrs Hatton and living in the time capsule of their former home. Since moving back in after breaking up with Mick, she hadn’t even got around to redecorating her childhood bedroom. Posters of her teenage idols still stared at her from the dark purple walls and stickers from Top of the Pops magazines still covered her headboard.
Standing up, she placed the photo frame on the bedside table and walked around to the window and looked out. She could just about make out the movement of the ocean in the glow of the Christmas lights strung along the promenade. She would make new Christmas memories this year. She needed to. She didn’t want to live the rest of her life running from a time which was supposed to be full of happiness and joy. That was how the carol went, wasn’t it? Happiness and joy?
Chapter Three
Holly glanced aroundthe hall before turning back to the man in front of her. They were in Trestow Community Hall, not far from the train station she’d arrived at yesterday. ‘Sorry, was that three cupcakes you wanted?’
‘Four please.’ The man held four fingers up.
‘Sorry.’
‘That’s okay, dear. It’s a bit loud in here, even for my ears.’ The man tapped the side of his head and grinned.
‘Yes, it is.’ Smiling, Holly placed the four cupcakes in a cake box. Jolly Christmas tunes were blasting from a speaker at the back of the hall and that, accompanied by the excited chatter and laughter of the people perusing the handcrafted gifts on sale, made it quite difficult to hear. She passed across the cake box.
‘Thank you and Merry Christmas.’ The man handed her the exact change before disappearing back into the crowds.
‘Merry Christmas.’ Holly knew her words would be lost in the tunes to ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’, but her mum had always made a point to reply to someone if they wished her a happy Christmas and it was a habit she’d picked up on. She smiled as a young girl made her way towards the bakery stall, her mum following quickly behind.
‘Mummy, Mummy, where’s the doughnut lady?’ The girl looked from Holly to Elsie and back again, a doll gripped in her hands.
